§ 26.27 - Written policy and procedures.

§ 26.27 Written policy and procedures.

(a) General. Each licensee and other entity shall establish, implement, and maintain written policies and procedures to meet the general performance objectives and applicable requirements of this part.

(b) Policy. The FFD policy statement must be clear, concise, and readily available, in its most current form, to all individuals who are subject to the policy. Methods of making the statement readily available include, but are not limited to, posting the policy in multiple work areas, providing individuals with brochures, or allowing individuals to print the policy from a computer. The policy statement must be written in sufficient detail to provide affected individuals with information on what is expected of them and what consequences may result from a lack of adherence to the policy. At a minimum, the written policy statement must -

(1) Describe the consequences of the following actions:

(i) The use, sale, or possession of illegal drugs on or off site;

(ii) The abuse of legal drugs and alcohol; and

(iii) The misuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs;

(2) Describe the requirement that individuals who are notified that they have been selected for random testing must report to the collection site within the time period specified by the licensee or other entity;

(3) Describe the actions that constitute a refusal to provide a specimen for testing, the consequences of a refusal to test, as well as the consequences of subverting or attempting to subvert the testing process;

(4) Prohibit the consumption of alcohol, at a minimum -

(i) Within an abstinence period of 5 hours preceding the individual's arrival at the licensee's or other entity's facility, except as permitted in § 26.27(c)(3); and

(ii) During the period of any tour of duty;

(5) Convey that abstinence from alcohol for the 5 hours preceding any scheduled tour of duty is considered to be a minimum that is necessary, but may not be sufficient, to ensure that the individual is fit for duty;

(6) Address other factors that could affect FFD, such as mental stress, fatigue, or illness, and the use of prescription and over-the-counter medications that could cause impairment;

(7) Provide a description of any program that is available to individuals who are seeking assistance in dealing with drug, alcohol, fatigue, or other problems that could adversely affect an individual's ability to safely and competently perform the duties that require an individual to be subject to this subpart;

(8) Describe the consequences of violating the policy;

(9) Describe the individual's responsibility to report legal actions, as defined in § 26.5;

(10) Describe the responsibilities of managers, supervisors, and escorts to report FFD concerns; and

(11) Describe the individual's responsibility to report FFD concerns.

(c) Procedures. Each licensee and other entity shall prepare, implement, and maintain written procedures that describe the methods to be used in implementing the FFD policy and the requirements of this part. The procedures must -

(1) Describe the methods and techniques to be used in testing for drugs and alcohol, including procedures for protecting the privacy and other rights (including due process) of an individual who provides a specimen, procedures for protecting the integrity of the specimen, and procedures used to ensure that the test results are valid and attributable to the correct individual;

(2) Describe immediate and followup actions that will be taken, and the procedures to be used, in those cases in which individuals are determined to have -

(i) Been involved in the use, sale, or possession of illegal drugs;

(ii) Consumed alcohol to excess before the mandatory pre-work abstinence period, or consumed any alcohol during the mandatory pre-work abstinence period or while on duty, as determined by a test that measures BAC;

(iii) Attempted to subvert the testing process by adulterating or diluting specimens (in vivo or in vitro), substituting specimens, or by any other means;

(iv) Refused to provide a specimen for analysis; or

(v) Had legal action taken relating to drug or alcohol use, as defined in § 26.5;

(3) Describe the process that the licensee or other entity will use to ensure that individuals who are called in to perform an unscheduled working tour are fit for duty. At a minimum -

(i) The procedure must require the individual who is called in to state whether the individual considers himself or herself fit for duty and whether he or she has consumed alcohol within the pre-duty abstinence period stated in the policy;

(ii) If the individual has consumed alcohol within this period and the individual is called in for an unscheduled working tour, including an unscheduled working tour to respond to an emergency, the procedure must -

(A) Require a determination of fitness by breath alcohol analysis or other means;

(B) Permit the licensee or other entity to assign the individual to duties that require him or her to be subject to this subpart, if the results of the determination of fitness indicate that the individual is fit to safely and competently perform his or her duties;

(C) Prohibit the licensee or other entity from assigning the individual to duties that require him or her to be subject to this subpart, if the individual is not required to respond to an emergency and the results of the determination of fitness indicate that the individual may be impaired;

(D) State that consumption of alcohol during the 5-hour abstinence period required in paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section may not by itself preclude a licensee or other entity from using individuals who are needed to respond to an emergency. However, if the determination of fitness indicates that an individual who has been called in for an unscheduled working tour to respond to an emergency may be impaired, the procedure must require the establishment of controls and conditions under which the individual who has been called in can perform work, if necessary; and

(E) State that no sanctions may be imposed on an individual who is called in to perform any unscheduled working tour for having consumed alcohol within the pre-duty abstinence period stated in the policy.

(iii) If the individual reports that he or she considers himself or herself to be unfit for duty for other reasons, including illness, fatigue, or other potentially impairing conditions, and the individual is called in, the procedure must require the establishment of controls and conditions under which the individual can perform work, if necessary;

(4) Describe the process to be followed if an individual's behavior raises a concern regarding the possible use, sale, or possession of illegal drugs on or off site; the possible possession or consumption of alcohol on site; or impairment from any cause which in any way could adversely affect the individual's ability to safely and competently perform his or her duties. The procedure must require that individuals who have an FFD concern about another individual's behavior shall contact the personnel designated in the procedures to report the concern.

(d) Review. The NRC may, at any time, review the written policy and procedures to assure that they meet the performance objectives and requirements of this part.