§ 120.217 - Tests required.

§ 120.217 Tests required.

(a) Pre-employment alcohol testing. As an employer, you may, but are not required to, conduct pre-employment alcohol testing under this subpart. If you choose to conduct pre-employment alcohol testing, you must comply with the following requirements:

(1) You must conduct a pre-employment alcohol test before the first performance of safety-sensitive functions by every covered employee (whether a new employee or someone who has transferred to a position involving the performance of safety-sensitive functions).

(2) You must treat all safety-sensitive employees performing safety-sensitive functions the same for the purpose of pre-employment alcohol testing (i.e., you must not test some covered employees and not others).

(3) You must conduct the pre-employment tests after making a contingent offer of employment or transfer, subject to the employee passing the pre-employment alcohol test.

(4) You must conduct all pre-employment alcohol tests using the alcohol testing procedures of 49 CFR part 40.

(5) You must not allow a covered employee to begin performing safety-sensitive functions unless the result of the employee's test indicates an alcohol concentration of less than 0.04. If a pre-employment test result under this paragraph indicates an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or greater but less than 0.04, the provisions of § 120.221(f) apply.

(b) Post-accident alcohol testing.

(1) As soon as practicable following an accident, each employer shall test each surviving covered employee for alcohol if that employee's performance of a safety-sensitive function either contributed to the accident or cannot be completely discounted as a contributing factor to the accident. The decision not to administer a test under this section shall be based on the employer's determination, using the best available information at the time of the determination, that the covered employee's performance could not have contributed to the accident.

(2) If a test required by this section is not administered within 2 hours following the accident, the employer shall prepare and maintain on file a record stating the reasons the test was not promptly administered. If a test required by this section is not administered within 8 hours following the accident, the employer shall cease attempts to administer an alcohol test and shall prepare and maintain the same record. Records shall be submitted to the FAA upon request of the Administrator or his or her designee.

(3) A covered employee who is subject to post-accident testing shall remain readily available for such testing or may be deemed by the employer to have refused to submit to testing. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the delay of necessary medical attention for injured people following an accident or to prohibit a covered employee from leaving the scene of an accident for the period necessary to obtain assistance in responding to the accident or to obtain necessary emergency medical care.

(c) Random alcohol testing.

(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (c)(2) through (c)(4) of this section, the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing will be 25 percent of the covered employees.

(2) The Administrator's decision to increase or decrease the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing is based on the violation rate for the entire industry. All information used for this determination is drawn from MIS reports required by this subpart. In order to ensure reliability of the data, the Administrator considers the quality and completeness of the reported data, may obtain additional information or reports from employers, and may make appropriate modifications in calculating the industry violation rate. Each year, the Administrator will publish in the Federal Register the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing of covered employees. The new minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing will be applicable starting January 1 of the calendar year following publication.

(3)

(i) When the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing is 25 percent or more, the Administrator may lower this rate to 10 percent of all covered employees if the Administrator determines that the data received under the reporting requirements of this subpart for two consecutive calendar years indicate that the violation rate is less than 0.5 percent.

(ii) When the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing is 50 percent, the Administrator may lower this rate to 25 percent of all covered employees if the Administrator determines that the data received under the reporting requirements of this subpart for two consecutive calendar years indicate that the violation rate is less than 1.0 percent but equal to or greater than 0.5 percent.

(4)

(i) When the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing is 10 percent, and the data received under the reporting requirements of this subpart for that calendar year indicate that the violation rate is equal to or greater than 0.5 percent but less than 1.0 percent, the Administrator will increase the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing to 25 percent of all covered employees.

(ii) When the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing is 25 percent or less, and the data received under the reporting requirements of this subpart for that calendar year indicate that the violation rate is equal to or greater than 1.0 percent, the Administrator will increase the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing to 50 percent of all covered employees.

(5) The selection of employees for random alcohol testing shall be made by a scientifically valid method, such as a random-number table or a computer-based random number generator that is matched with employees' Social Security numbers, payroll identification numbers, or other comparable identifying numbers. Under the selection process used, each covered employee shall have an equal chance of being tested each time selections are made.

(6) As an employer, you must select and test a percentage of employees at least equal to the minimum annual percentage rate each year.

(i) As an employer, to determine whether you have met the minimum annual percentage rate, you must divide the number of random alcohol screening test results for safety-sensitive employees by the average number of safety-sensitive employees eligible for random testing.

(A) To calculate whether you have met the annual minimum percentage rate, count all random screening test results below 0.02 breath alcohol concentration, random screening test results of 0.02 or greater breath alcohol concentration, and random refusals as your “random alcohol screening test results.”

(B) To calculate the average number of safety-sensitive employees eligible for random testing throughout the year, add the total number of safety-sensitive employees eligible for testing during each random testing period for the year and divide that total by the number of random testing periods. Only safety-sensitive employees are to be in an employer's random testing pool, and all safety-sensitive employees must be in the random pool. If you are an employer conducting random testing more often than once per month (e.g., you select daily, weekly, bi-weekly) you do not need to compute this total number of safety-sensitive employees more than on a once per month basis.

(ii) As an employer, you may use a service agent to perform random selections for you, and your safety-sensitive employees may be part of a larger random testing pool of safety-sensitive employees. However, you must ensure that the service agent you use is testing at the appropriate percentage established for your industry and that only safety-sensitive employees are in the random testing pool. For example:

(A) If the service agent has your employees in a random testing pool for your company alone, you must ensure that the testing is conducted at least at the minimum annual percentage rate under this part.

(B) If the service agent has your employees in a random testing pool combined with other FAA-regulated companies, you must ensure that the testing is conducted at least at the minimum annual percentage rate under this part.

(C) If the service agent has your employees in a random testing pool combined with other DOT-regulated companies, you must ensure that the testing is conducted at least at the highest rate required for any DOT-regulated company in the pool.

(7) Each employer shall ensure that random alcohol tests conducted under this subpart are unannounced and that the dates for administering random tests are spread reasonably throughout the calendar year.

(8) Each employer shall require that each covered employee who is notified of selection for random testing proceeds to the testing site immediately; provided, however, that if the employee is performing a safety-sensitive function at the time of the notification, the employer shall instead ensure that the employee ceases to perform the safety-sensitive function and proceeds to the testing site as soon as possible.

(9) A covered employee shall only be randomly tested while the employee is performing safety-sensitive functions; just before the employee is to perform safety-sensitive functions; or just after the employee has ceased performing such functions.

(10) If a given covered employee is subject to random alcohol testing under the alcohol testing rules of more than one DOT agency, the employee shall be subject to random alcohol testing at the percentage rate established for the calendar year by the DOT agency regulating more than 50 percent of the employee's functions.

(11) If an employer is required to conduct random alcohol testing under the alcohol testing rules of more than one DOT agency, the employer may -

(i) Establish separate pools for random selection, with each pool containing the covered employees who are subject to testing at the same required rate; or

(ii) Randomly select such employees for testing at the highest percentage rate established for the calendar year by any DOT agency to which the employer is subject.

(d) Reasonable suspicion alcohol testing.

(1) An employer shall require a covered employee to submit to an alcohol test when the employer has reasonable suspicion to believe that the employee has violated the alcohol misuse prohibitions in §§ 120.19 or 120.37.

(2) The employer's determination that reasonable suspicion exists to require the covered employee to undergo an alcohol test shall be based on specific, contemporaneous, articulable observations concerning the appearance, behavior, speech or body odors of the employee. The required observations shall be made by a supervisor who is trained in detecting the symptoms of alcohol misuse. The supervisor who makes the determination that reasonable suspicion exists shall not conduct the breath alcohol test on that employee.

(3) Alcohol testing is authorized by this section only if the observations required by paragraph (d)(2) of this section are made during, just preceding, or just after the period of the work day that the covered employee is required to be in compliance with this rule. An employee may be directed by the employer to undergo reasonable suspicion testing for alcohol only while the employee is performing safety-sensitive functions; just before the employee is to perform safety-sensitive functions; or just after the employee has ceased performing such functions.

(4)

(i) If a test required by this section is not administered within 2 hours following the determination made under paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the employer shall prepare and maintain on file a record stating the reasons the test was not promptly administered. If a test required by this section is not administered within 8 hours following the determination made under paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the employer shall cease attempts to administer an alcohol test and shall state in the record the reasons for not administering the test.

(ii) Notwithstanding the absence of a reasonable suspicion alcohol test under this section, no covered employee shall report for duty or remain on duty requiring the performance of safety-sensitive functions while the employee is under the influence of, or impaired by, alcohol, as shown by the behavioral, speech, or performance indicators of alcohol misuse, nor shall an employer permit the covered employee to perform or continue to perform safety-sensitive functions until:

(A) An alcohol test is administered and the employee's alcohol concentration measures less than 0.02; or

(B) The start of the employee's next regularly scheduled duty period, but not less than 8 hours following the determination made under paragraph (d)(2) of this section that there is reasonable suspicion that the employee has violated the alcohol misuse provisions in §§ 120.19 or 120.37.

(iii) No employer shall take any action under this subpart against a covered employee based solely on the employee's behavior and appearance in the absence of an alcohol test. This does not prohibit an employer with authority independent of this subpart from taking any action otherwise consistent with law.

(e) Return-to-duty alcohol testing. Each employer shall ensure that before a covered employee returns to duty requiring the performance of a safety-sensitive function after engaging in conduct prohibited in §§ 120.19 or 120.37 the employee shall undergo a return-to-duty alcohol test with a result indicating an alcohol concentration of less than 0.02. The test cannot occur until after the SAP has determined that the employee has successfully complied with the prescribed education and/or treatment.

(f) Follow-up alcohol testing.

(1) Each employer shall ensure that the employee who engages in conduct prohibited by §§ 120.19 or 120.37, is subject to unannounced follow-up alcohol testing as directed by a SAP.

(2) The number and frequency of such testing shall be determined by the employer's SAP, but must consist of at least six tests in the first 12 months following the employee's return to duty.

(3) The employer must direct the employee to undergo testing for drugs in accordance with subpart E of this part, in addition to alcohol, if the SAP determines that drug testing is necessary for the particular employee. Any such drug testing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of 49 CFR part 40.

(4) Follow-up testing shall not exceed 60 months after the date the individual begins to perform, or returns to the performance of, a safety-sensitive function. The SAP may terminate the requirement for follow-up testing at any time after the first six tests have been conducted, if the SAP determines that such testing is no longer necessary.

(5) A covered employee shall be tested for alcohol under this section only while the employee is performing safety-sensitive functions, just before the employee is to perform safety-sensitive functions, or just after the employee has ceased performing such functions.

(g) Retesting of covered employees with an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or greater but less than 0.04. Each employer shall retest a covered employee to ensure compliance with the provisions of § 120.221(f) if the employer chooses to permit the employee to perform a safety-sensitive function within 8 hours following the administration of an alcohol test indicating an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or greater but less than 0.04.