Pipeline - PHMSA

The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 requires drug and alcohol testing of safety-sensitive employees who provide services conducted on pipelines or Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) facilities.

49 CFR Part 199 (PHMSA drug and alcohol testing regulation) require operators to conduct drug and alcohol testing of transporters of hazardous materials and employees who perform operation, maintenance, or emergency-response functions regulated by 49 CFR Parts 192, 193, or 195.

The Act mandates four types of testing: pre-employment, random (Note: random alcohol testing is not allowed under PHMSA rules), reasonable suspicion and post-accident. In addition, the Act permits return-to-duty and follow-up testing under specific circumstances. The Act requires that recipients follow the testing procedures set out by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Integrity will help keep your company in compliance with PHMSA program requirements by establishing a complete substance abuse testing program that complies with both the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations as specified in 49 CFR Part 40 as well as PHMSA regulations as identified in 49 CFR Part 199. These services include PHMSA required random drug testing currently at the rate of 25% covered employees. Note again, random alcohol testing is strictly prohibited by PHMSA.

PHMSA Program Note: PHMSA requires covered employers to have both an Anti-Drug Plan and a separate Alcohol Misuse Plan both available and written by industry experts who are part of Integrity’s team.

Expanded DOT program information is available at www.dot.gov/ost/dapc/index.html: What Employers Need To Know About DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing [Guidance and Best Practices]