Understanding the FMCSA Clearinghouse and Important Updates
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Clearinghouse is a secure online database designed to serve as a central repository for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders’ drug and alcohol program records. FMCSA Clearinghouse serves as the sole query source for employers looking for important details on drivers with drug and alcohol violations. Employers must register for the Clearinghouse to be able to conduct queries on prospective employees. The purpose of this blog is to provide a comprehensive guide to FMCSA Clearinghouse for employers, including owner-operators. We will cover all aspects of the Clearinghouse, including registration, queries, reporting, Return to Duty (RTD) testing, and Drug and Alcohol Supervisor Training (DAST) requirements.
If you need assistance with FMCSA Clearinghouse, Workplace Screening Intelligence offers FMCSA Memberships which provides assistance with registering, all training and required documentation for employees and supervisors and assistance with queries as well as act as your CTPA. Contact our knowledgeable Support Staff at 844-573-8378 or support@workplacescreening.com
Registration Process
To start using the FMCSA Clearinghouse, employers must first register for an account. Registration is free, but employers must provide important information, such as their DOT number, and their drug and alcohol testing program information. After that, employers can designate and assign specific roles to their employees, such as Designated Employer Representative (DER), Query Plan Administrator (QPA), CTPA, Reporting Driver Violations (RDV), and other roles.
Queries
Once employers have registered, they can start conducting queries on potential, new, and existing drivers. Queries are essential to identify drivers who have violated drug and alcohol regulations or have refused to undergo testing. Employers must conduct queries on all of their prospective drivers as part of the pre-employment screening process and at least once a year for all of their current employees. Queries provide an employer with information on specific types of violations, like positive drug or alcohol test results, refusals to test, and the RTD process that is essential to protecting the public’s safety. Return to Duty process includes RTD testing and Follow-up testing prescribed by Substance Abuse Professional when a driver fails a drug and alcohol test, refuses a drug and alcohol test or there is knowledge that an employee has either used before or during safety sensitive duty or employer has knowledge of a past drug and/or alcohol violation that isn’t recorded in the FMCSA Clearinghouse.
Reporting
If an employer hires a driver, the Clearinghouse requires employers to perform a FMCSA Clearinghouse Query. Employers are also required to report positive alcohol test and refusal to test. Medical Review Officers (MRO) must report positive test results or medical refusals to test within 2 business days of the event. The employer must also report RTD test results, any violations related to return-to-duty process, and successful completion of the entire follow-up testing, or face federal fines and penalties. Reporting is convenient, and more importantly, it can save lives by removing the drivers that have drug and alcohol violations or having them successfully complete a Substance Abuse Program and Return to Duty Testing.
Return to Duty Testing
An RTD test is mandatory for any CDL holder who violated drug or alcohol testing laws or refused a test. The RTD test is a clear indication that the driver is sober and ready to again operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). In such situations, DRIVERS MUST CONSISTENTLY FOLLOW the RTD process, starting with an evaluation conducted by a qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP), followed by education, which aims to give employees the tools they need to identify and prevent drug and alcohol use, and finally the RTD tests. The Clearinghouse is the sole resource for any employer to identify drivers that have outstanding RTD requirements.
If you need assistance with the Return to Duty Testing Program, contact our knowledgeable support staff at 844-573-8389 or support@workplacescreening.com We offer comprehensive return to duty testing programs to keep you and your employees compliant.
FMCSA Update
Effective January 6, 2023, the FMCSA Clearinghouse is the sole source of information for pre-employment verification of Drug and Alcohol violations. No longer do you need to contact previous employers to verify this information.
Drug and Alcohol Supervisor Training
Employers are also required to meet FMCSA requirements regarding DAST, which is essentially drug and alcohol supervisor training. Under FMCSA regulation, all employers are required to provide drug and alcohol supervisor training to managers who handle drivers. As a matter of fact, all supervisors must undergo the DAST with 60 minutes of drug awareness training and 60 minute of alcohol awareness training. The training includes information about drug and phycology, recognizing signs, and prevention of substance abuse issues.
If you need assistance with low cost Supervisor Drug and Alcohol Awareness Training, contact our knowledgeable support staff at 844-573-8378 or support@workplacescreening.com or you can press on link below to order now: https://workplacescreening.com/order-here/
The FMCSA Clearinghouse has been in operation for over three years, and since its implementation in January 2020, its impact on safety on the roads has been tremendous. The Clearinghouse standardizes drug and alcohol law violations for CDL holders and is a crucial safety step as it minimizes the possibility of crashes caused by impaired drivers. In conclusion, FMCSA Clearinghouse is a game-changer for employers who can identify drug or alcohol violations in potential and existing drivers. It’s essential to register with the Clearinghouse, make consistent queries to stay informed and safe. Finally, it’s the employer’s responsibility to be sure that drug and alcohol policies are adhered to avoid accidents due to drug and alcohol abuse. If you need assistance with your drug testing program, drug and alcohol policy, or FMCSA Clearinghouse, contact Workplace Screening today to stay compliant. Contact our knowledgeable support staff at 844-573-8378 or support@workplacescreening.com or you can press on link below to order now: https://workplacescreening.com/order-here/
FMCSA Clearinghouse and Important Update
Understanding the FMCSA Clearinghouse and Important Updates
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Clearinghouse is a secure online database designed to serve as a central repository for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders’ drug and alcohol program records. FMCSA Clearinghouse serves as the sole query source for employers looking for important details on drivers with drug and alcohol violations. Employers must register for the Clearinghouse to be able to conduct queries on prospective employees. The purpose of this blog is to provide a comprehensive guide to FMCSA Clearinghouse for employers, including owner-operators. We will cover all aspects of the Clearinghouse, including registration, queries, reporting, Return to Duty (RTD) testing, and Drug and Alcohol Supervisor Training (DAST) requirements.
If you need assistance with FMCSA Clearinghouse, Workplace Screening Intelligence offers FMCSA Memberships which provides assistance with registering, all training and required documentation for employees and supervisors and assistance with queries as well as act as your CTPA. Contact our knowledgeable Support Staff at 844-573-8378 or support@workplacescreening.com
Registration Process
To start using the FMCSA Clearinghouse, employers must first register for an account. Registration is free, but employers must provide important information, such as their DOT number, and their drug and alcohol testing program information. After that, employers can designate and assign specific roles to their employees, such as Designated Employer Representative (DER), Query Plan Administrator (QPA), CTPA, Reporting Driver Violations (RDV), and other roles.
Queries
Once employers have registered, they can start conducting queries on potential, new, and existing drivers. Queries are essential to identify drivers who have violated drug and alcohol regulations or have refused to undergo testing. Employers must conduct queries on all of their prospective drivers as part of the pre-employment screening process and at least once a year for all of their current employees. Queries provide an employer with information on specific types of violations, like positive drug or alcohol test results, refusals to test, and the RTD process that is essential to protecting the public’s safety. Return to Duty process includes RTD testing and Follow-up testing prescribed by Substance Abuse Professional when a driver fails a drug and alcohol test, refuses a drug and alcohol test or there is knowledge that an employee has either used before or during safety sensitive duty or employer has knowledge of a past drug and/or alcohol violation that isn’t recorded in the FMCSA Clearinghouse.
Reporting
If an employer hires a driver, the Clearinghouse requires employers to perform a FMCSA Clearinghouse Query. Employers are also required to report positive alcohol test and refusal to test. Medical Review Officers (MRO) must report positive test results or medical refusals to test within 2 business days of the event. The employer must also report RTD test results, any violations related to return-to-duty process, and successful completion of the entire follow-up testing, or face federal fines and penalties. Reporting is convenient, and more importantly, it can save lives by removing the drivers that have drug and alcohol violations or having them successfully complete a Substance Abuse Program and Return to Duty Testing.
Return to Duty Testing
An RTD test is mandatory for any CDL holder who violated drug or alcohol testing laws or refused a test. The RTD test is a clear indication that the driver is sober and ready to again operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). In such situations, DRIVERS MUST CONSISTENTLY FOLLOW the RTD process, starting with an evaluation conducted by a qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP), followed by education, which aims to give employees the tools they need to identify and prevent drug and alcohol use, and finally the RTD tests. The Clearinghouse is the sole resource for any employer to identify drivers that have outstanding RTD requirements.
If you need assistance with the Return to Duty Testing Program, contact our knowledgeable support staff at 844-573-8389 or support@workplacescreening.com We offer comprehensive return to duty testing programs to keep you and your employees compliant.
FMCSA Update
Effective January 6, 2023, the FMCSA Clearinghouse is the sole source of information for pre-employment verification of Drug and Alcohol violations. No longer do you need to contact previous employers to verify this information.
Drug and Alcohol Supervisor Training
Employers are also required to meet FMCSA requirements regarding DAST, which is essentially drug and alcohol supervisor training. Under FMCSA regulation, all employers are required to provide drug and alcohol supervisor training to managers who handle drivers. As a matter of fact, all supervisors must undergo the DAST with 60 minutes of drug awareness training and 60 minute of alcohol awareness training. The training includes information about drug and phycology, recognizing signs, and prevention of substance abuse issues.
If you need assistance with low cost Supervisor Drug and Alcohol Awareness Training, contact our knowledgeable support staff at 844-573-8378 or support@workplacescreening.com or you can press on link below to order now: https://workplacescreening.com/order-here/
The FMCSA Clearinghouse has been in operation for over three years, and since its implementation in January 2020, its impact on safety on the roads has been tremendous. The Clearinghouse standardizes drug and alcohol law violations for CDL holders and is a crucial safety step as it minimizes the possibility of crashes caused by impaired drivers. In conclusion, FMCSA Clearinghouse is a game-changer for employers who can identify drug or alcohol violations in potential and existing drivers. It’s essential to register with the Clearinghouse, make consistent queries to stay informed and safe. Finally, it’s the employer’s responsibility to be sure that drug and alcohol policies are adhered to avoid accidents due to drug and alcohol abuse. If you need assistance with your drug testing program, drug and alcohol policy, or FMCSA Clearinghouse, contact Workplace Screening today to stay compliant. Contact our knowledgeable support staff at 844-573-8378 or support@workplacescreening.com or you can press on link below to order now: https://workplacescreening.com/order-here/