Holders of commercial drivers’ licenses (CDLs) are required by federal law to be tested for drug use as a condition for hiring. Employers oversee the testing.   Since 1991, with the passage of the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act, the drivers of all commercial vehicles – who by definition hold a commercial drivers’ license (CDL) – are required to be tested for drug and alcohol consumption under the following circumstances: Pre-employment (pre-employment drug testing for controlled substances only, not alcohol) Reasonable suspicion (when behavior suggests there may be active use) Post-accident (if a citation was issued, if there was a fatality or bodily injury, and if a vehicle was disabled such that it had to be towed away from the scene of the accident) Randomly (random drug testing on an ongoing basis among all holders of the CDL, including in sole-proprietor drivers) Return-to-duty (after failing a test) And follow-up (various circumstances) And to be clear, this means anyone and everyone holding a CDL who does or could operate a commercial vehicle as a part of his or her job responsibilities. That includes employees of the largest long-haul freight companies, independent drivers and even volunteers, such as drivers of vans affiliated with houses of worship. Reasons for drug and alcohol testing With specific regard to pre-employment, the rationale should be clear: no driver should be a user of controlled substances and also responsible for operating a heavy vehicle on America’s roads and highways. Rather than address a substance abuse issue after a driver begins employment it’s better that this be done in advance. Drivers who cannot refrain from drug use in the hiring process should not be given this responsibility. Why is alcohol use not tested in advance of employment? Alcohol can be detected in one’s urine for about 80 hours and in a hair follicle for up to three months. But alcohol consumption is legal off the job such that a pre-employment test – particularly the more aggressive (and expensive) application of a hair follicle procedure – would yield very little useful information. The various drugs tested for – marijuana metabolites/THC, cocaine metabolites, amphetamines, including methamphetamine and MDMA, opiates (including codeine, heroin and morphine) and pencyclidine (PCP) – can be detected between one and 30 days later in urine. Inform employees and candidates that substance testing is required The responsibility for testing is on the employer and individuals who are self-employed in contract work. Employers need to make sure driver applicants are fully informed of the commitment and requirement to have a workplace free of controlled substances and alcohol consumption the job. This responsibility to inform typically is done while advertising for the position and as an attachment to a driver application form. Implicit in submitting an application a driver is saying he or she will adhere to the policy and submit to testing under all required circumstances. Also, an employer should make clear that the Testing Act, administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, will require random testing throughout the course of their employment. This fully underscores the all-encompassing nature of a drug- and alcohol-free workplace for commercial license holders. ...read more

In most cases, when a traffic citation is issued it becomes necessary to test all CDL holders involved, even if they were not the recipient of the citation.   The reason the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires post-accident drug testing of drivers and others in safety-sensitive functions* is to promote safety on the roads. This helps prevent accidents that endanger drivers and passengers. It is the responsibility for all holders of commercial drivers’ licenses (CDLs) to remain sober and safe in their operation of a commercial vehicle – at all times. In most cases, drivers are subject to mandatory random testing for drug use as an ongoing condition of their employment, and alcohol testing when a trained supervisor deems it necessary due to observed behaviors.  But in the case of an actual accident it is mandatory for any and all drivers involved to submit to drug and alcohol tests, with some conditions: Fatality involved in the accident, citation issued– If police identify fault in any driver, all drivers holding a CDL need to be tested. Bodily injury involved, citation issued– Even if there is no fault determined at the scene, drug and alcohol tests need to be conducted on holders of CDLs. Bodily injury involved, no citation issued– If no citation is issued to any drivers, no tests are required. At least one vehicle disabled in the accident, citation issued– If one or more motor vehicles in the accident is believed to be at fault, all drivers holding a CDL are required to have a drug and alcohol test. At least one vehicle disabled in the accident, no citation issued– If there is no fault suspected at the scene such that police issue no citations, no tests need be conducted. Post-accident testing is very time sensitive. According to the Legal Information Institute/Cornell Law School publication on post-accident testing, alcohol and drug tests need to be performed “as soon as practicable following an occurrence.” It goes on to state the responsibility is on employers to do the test (almost always through third party testing firms). Note that citations might not be issued in the immediate aftermath. Employers are responsible for testing if a citation is issued within eight hours of the incident. However, if a citation is issued later, up to 32 hours post-accident, a drug test still needs to be performed. The law also states that “a driver who is subject to post-accident testing shall remain readily available” for such testing. If not, they can be deemed as having refused to submit to the test. It is the responsibility of the employer to inform the driver in the immediate aftermath of the accident of his or her responsibilities: They re required to stay close and in contact should the need for a test arise in the 32-hour time period. * Safety sensitive functions include more than times while driving a commercial vehicle on the public roadways. It also includes when the commercial drivers license holder is at a shipping depot, terminal, other property (private and public) when loading or unloading a vehicle, or when waiting for a dispatch. It also includes when performing a safety inspection of the vehicle per legal requirements, or while repairing, obtaining assistance, or remaining in attendance of a disabled vehicle. ...read more

The job of identifying potential drug use by a commercial driver is subjective, only to be done by a trained supervisor.  All CDL holders must comply. The Transportation Employee Testing Act – passed in 1991 and in full effect 1995 – specifies that employers in the transportation industry are responsible for maintaining alcohol- and drug-free workplaces. In other words, any driver-employee who is or could be called upon to operate a commercial vehicle cannot do so while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. With this responsibility placed on employers as well as drivers (who by definition hold commercial drivers’ licenses, or CDLs), it is essential that supervisors of drivers be responsible for policing behaviors on a day-to-day basis. That is true in many respects: defamatory, sexually harassing, and discriminatory behaviors are regulated as well with specific means for prevention, enforcement, and redress. Safety around large commercial vehicles that occupy and move in the public space should similarly be managed carefully, effectively, and consistently. Supervisors, then, receive what is termed “reasonable suspicion training”.  Supervisor training to identify possible on-the-job drug and alcohol use All of which puts the employer into a challenging, subjective situation with regard to “reasonable suspicion.” Some erratic behaviors lead to obvious suspicion, but how does a supervisor make the determination? And can the mere task of sending an employee for drug and alcohol testing be a tool of harassment? The law as regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) protects against subjectivity. It stipulates three scenarios be considered: When a trained supervisor observes adverse behaviors. Testing is NOT warranted when an untrained person reports it. This prevents the law from being misused, perhaps as a means of undercutting an individual and otherwise causing nuisance testing. Testing should be applied only when there is reasonable cause to do so.  When a trained supervisor who is not the employer observes suspicious behavior: In many situations in the freight industry, interaction occurs between individuals of different employers (often at warehouses and other depot settings). When a trained supervisor at Company A sees suspicious behaviors by someone who works for Company B, that supervisor is empowered and encouraged to contact Company B to suggest testing; that supervisor is also encouraged to contact law enforcement if the situation calls for it. What constitutes actual suspicious behavior? Supervisor training manuals typically describe, in detail, such things as behavior, appearance, speech, and body odors as initial clues. Rules on alcohol vary slightly Final note: These rules and guides primarily apply to the use of controlled substances. Because alcohol is generally a legal substance an individual undergoing withdrawal symptoms, a “hangover,” is not a triggering behavior for testing. Only its use or presence in sufficient concentrations while operating a commercial vehicle is considered a violation of the law. ...read more

The Department of Health and Human Services endeavors to reduce drug usage overall in the U.S. But it recognizes the need for privacy and documentation. Part and parcel of the imperatives to ensure a drug free workplace is the need to protect the privacy of all employees, particularly on matters of health and, in some cases, substance abuse. This includes not only who has access to urine test results, but how records are kept to maintain controls on that access. First, every employer must have a designated Medical Review Officer (MRO), who is by definition a medical or osteopathic doctor (MD or OD) operating under the regulated responsibilities of the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs using Urine. MROs also need specialized training specifically to review and verify federally mandated drug testing results. Beyond review and verification, urine test results have to be managed according to federal regulations for reporting and recordkeeping. These requirements fall on the MRO as well, and include the following: Documentation of all written and oral communications with tested individuals (“donors”), collectors, federal agency representatives, and laboratory personnel. Oversee retention and storage of drug test records to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and available of the data.  Limit access to any data transmission, storage and retrieval system. This requires the MRO to have a record management procedure to ensure proper disposition of those records, which includes a plan to ensure maintenance of the records even in the case of a business discontinuation. Honor requests from a donor, provided in a written request, to access records of his or her drug test. Honor a subpoena or court order for access to the records, if needed. The drug test results must be retained for a minimum of 2 years from the date of collection. Hardcopy records can be destroyed after 6 months when a conversion to electronic records is made. Any reporting of a drug test result should include the donor’s name, plus social security number or employee ID number, the specimen ID number, and result of the test. If the collector makes relevant comments, those comments should be included in the report. The comprehensive list of the process the MRO must follow is: Review of documents Interview of the tested employee (“donor”), if a positive result occurs or there is a “failure to test” Interpretation and verification of the results Documentation and recordkeeping (as described above) Reporting the drug test to the designative representative Maintenance of confidentiality The procedures benefit employees and employers alike As should be clear, these procedures are strictly defined and maintained. The matter of employee drug testing is taken seriously and done as a means to ensure fairness for all concerned, without a compromise of personal health information. This includes follow-up treatment provided for “positive” test result employees, such as those who engage in an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). ...read more

Part of having a drug and alcohol policy at your company is to enforce it when violated. But identifying substance abuse in the workplace is tricky.  Companies with drug-free policies have different ways of educating employees on those policies and how the policies are implemented. One of the more challenging components of this is “reasonable suspicion testing,” which essentially requires supervisors to take on a role that may be unfamiliar to them. In a survey of companies conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), about one third (35%) of employers conduct reasonable suspicion testing. This is less common than random testing (47%) and post-accident drug testing (51%), perhaps because many employers are unclear how to go about approaching an employee whose behaviors appear to be “off.” When does a supervisor decide if an employee’s behavior might be drug- or alcohol-induced? The effects of all the street and pharmaceutical drugs that are abused are different across a broad spectrum: some substances cause “up” behaviors, such as jittery nervousness, while others are “downers,” which can include sleepiness, inattention to work and the work environment, or an irritation when interacting with others. The short answer to that is employers should provide their managerial-level employees with reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol training. This may be available through your vendor for drug and alcohol testing services. A slightly longer answer is how there are some key behaviors to watch for. From a Department of Transportation (DOT) guide, those include: Changes in social interactions. This may include irritability, hostility, withdrawal, or excessive talkativeness, silliness, boisterousness, paranoia, hyper-sensitive reactions. The point is to look for changes from previous “baseline” behaviors. Noticeable speech patterns. Again, this is about changes from the norm of the individual. Stimulants can lead to rapid, pressured speech while other people on other substances might have slurred, thick or incoherent speech. Nonsensical and dreamlike speech can be the result of hallucinogens. Personality changes. This is a bit more subtle and could only be spotted by a trained individual who has known the employee in question for a period of time (preceding substance abuse). Psychomotor changes. Aside from verbal and personality cues there are physical movements that might trigger suspicion. Poor eye-hand coordination, unsteadiness, restlessness/fidgeting, delayed reaction times, and falling into stupor can often (but not always) indicate substance abuse. A note of caution: There might be an underlying illness or injury at fault, not substance abuse. This is why training – and testing, to rule out drug or alcohol abuse – could be a service to all employees.  Also, just because a prospective employee passes the required pre-employment drug and alcohol testing, this doesn’t mean that they are immune to having a problem further down the road as a long time employee. Along with a strong workplace drug and alcohol policy, providing your supervisors with reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol training can help you and your company avoid possible litigation. It will clarify to your supervisors what is, and what isn’t, their responsibility when dealing with employees exhibiting odd behaviors. It will inform them of the common drugs found in the workplace and their effects. Employers should recognize when a situation requires a serious and immediate response from them, and how to address the situation in a professional manner. Knowing how to approach and interview a suspected employee in a manner that is respectful and not disruptive is a critical skill in reasonable suspicion training. ...read more

Frequently Asked Questions about Live Scan Digital Fingerprinting Even though some businesses and agencies still require ink card fingerprinting, Live Scan digital fingerprinting has quickly become the standard. For many reasons, Live Scan digital fingerprinting is preferred, not the least being that it is a faster, cleaner and more streamlined process. As with all new technology, there are questions and we have the answers: What is “Live Scan”? Live Scan is a faster, more accurate and more reliable fingerprinting method than using standard print cards. Live Scan is “inkless, ”producing a digital image of fingerprints capable of being transmitted electronically to the California Department of Justice, ultimately providing a more streamline process. For those requiring criminal history background checks - for employment, certification, licensing or immigration - Live Scan is the method we recommend. What is the cost of Live Scan fingerprinting? Our Live Scan fingerprint “rolling fee” is $30. This fee is independent from any additional fees charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and/or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Do I need to make an appointment? No, we do not require appointments. We accept “walk in” appointments during our regular service hours. Do you provide the Live Scan forms needed for fingerprinting? No. We do not provide the Live Scan forms. Those applying must obtain forms and instructions from the agency or business requiring the criminal history background check. What else is required for Live Scan fingerprinting? When you arrive at your appointment you must have a valid government issued photo identification card, a government issued drivers license or a valid United States passport. Only valid, not-expired IDs with a photo will be accepted. Bring three copies of the “Request for Live Scan Service” form document provided by your employer or the agency requesting your background check. Forms should be completed prior to arriving for your appointment. When will I receive the response from the Department of Justice (DOJ)? You will not receive the response. Responses are sent directly to the business or agency requesting the background check. ...read more

Pre-employment drug testing, post-accident testing and zero-tolerance policies are as effective in small companies as in the Fortune 500. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), more than half of employers – 57 percent – conduct drug tests on all job candidates. Testing is heavily represented in the Fortune 500; 97 percent of Fortune 500 companies have articulated drug-free workplace policies, and 67 percent of those companies conduct drug-testing of employees, either as a condition of hiring, randomly, or in incident-related situations. But it’s not just large companies that can benefit from pre-employment drug testing. Any company that demands a certain level of productivity, adherence to safety, and respect for fellow employees should at least consider establishing a drug-free workplace policy that involves employee drug testing. Why? Consider the benefits: Substance abuse is inherently counterproductive and destructive to both the employee and the business. By adopting clear and strict guidelines about what is acceptable behavior in the work environment matters as much for the company of one as the company with 100,000 employees. Employees can be more productive when drug-free. Employers have learned that they can reduce their costs and increase their profits by eliminating the negative effects of problem employees. By utilizing random drug testing in the workplace, as well as being able to screen out unfit applicants with pre-employment drug testing, accidents, poor judgment, and anti-social behavior are reduced. Requiring post-accident testing can help protect your company. Accidents in the workplace can sometimes lead to serious injuries and expensive workman’s compensation claims, and these claims have the potential to cripple an otherwise thriving company. This type of situation can often lead to extensive and very expensive hospital bills. Such hospital bills, and the possible costs of rehabilitation, can accrue over long periods of time and ultimately cause increases in worker compensation policy and health insurance premiums. Increase in healthcare premiums? Particularly in smaller workplaces, the illnesses and injuries of a single employee can increase costs to the entire organization. Some employers have no choice but to raise the portion that employees pay for their policies. The negative reactions may include a departure of valued employees. Equipment/property damage? Along with injuries to workers, there is also the potential for damage to company equipment. This results in an added expense for a loss in production while the equipment is down, as well as the expense of repairing or having to replace the damaged equipment. Having a drug and alcohol policy in place, and utilizing random drug testing, can substantially minimize all of these risks. The hard and soft cost savings can be substantial. ...read more

The legalization of marijuana in several states–for medicinal and recreational purposes–does not bar employers from implementing drug-prohibition policies.  The standard of a "zero-tolerance, drug-free workplace" has entered uncharted territory. The use of marijuana – as a physician-prescribed medicine, and as a legal recreational substance – is now in the category of alcohol use. But it’s not really the same thing. Keeping in mind that while marijuana has been legalized in some of the individual states, it remains illegal on the federal level. This alone illustrates the lack of resolve on this question. Regarding what is legal in workplaces, California and most other states that have legalized medical marijuana in the 1990s have established some important guidelines. California Proposition 215 (1996) legalized its use by doctor’s prescription, but employers can still hire and fire at will, including for the use of cannabis. This provision for employers was written into Prop 215. Further, a 2008 court case (Ross vs. RagingWire Telecommunications) determined a prospective employee who had tested positive for marijuana use in a pre-employment drug screening could be denied a job on that basis. The plaintiff argued his medical condition required its use, but the court ruled he has that right in a criminal, but not civil, scenario. In other words, the employer retains its right to decide. Now with California Proposition 64 (2016), which legalizes recreational use as well, it may seem as if marijuana use is in the same category of alcohol. For now, the case precedence in Ross vs. RagingWire still applies. Most lawyers counsel employers that want to prohibit its use, off premises while not working as well as during the workday, to clearly communicate such a policy with frequency. How drug tests work, and when tests are done So it remains legal and defensible to have a zero tolerance, drug free workplace policy that prohibits marijuana use. Still, the employer should be cautious about how to implement such a policy. Many companies test for marijuana and other controlled substance use as a pre-employment screen (typically, after a job offer is made, but conditional on the results of the test). This is most common in safety-critical workplaces and positions, such as vehicle and equipment operators, but can be applied to any and all positions including the executive suite. It is a common practice for employers to require a drug test from employees that are hurt on the job, or whose behavior suggests active use. But notification in advance of such situations is strongly advised (posted signage, employee handbooks, pre-employment paperwork, etc.). But what is the efficacy of testing for marijuana use? Urinalysis and blood tests generally identify recent use; hair analysis, which is more expensive and used less frequently, can identify use as far back as two months prior to the test. A urinalysis is most frequently used. It does not detect the actual presence of active marijuana in the system, but rather detects the inactive marijuana metabolite (THC-COOH) indicating there has been marijuana ingested in preceding days and weeks. For the infrequent user, this metabolite is generally out of their system within several hours. For the regular user, the metabolite can be detected for a longer period preceding the test. So to recap: You can test for marijuana use as a condition of employment and you are advised to communicate the policy clearly. ...read more

Substance abuse is widespread, including among the employed.Employers can make a difference with drug-free policies and employee testing. America’s opioid crisis shows no sign of abatement: In 2016, 42,200 deaths were attributed to abuse of pharmaceutical opioids, synthetic versions of opioids, and heroin. Overall drug deaths for the year numbered 63,600 – up from 52,400 total in 2015, according to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those deaths represent only a fraction of ongoing illegal drug use. The American Society of Addiction Medicine, a non-profit organization, says that 20.5 million Americans over the age of 12 have a substance abuse disorder– only 2.6 million of whom use prescription pain relievers or heroin, with the remainder using substances that include marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamines and other types of prescription drugs. For employers, this means that a meaningful portion of the labor pool uses drugs in some form or fashion with regularity. This can incur hazards and costs in the workplace – and is a primary reason why companies have workplace drug and alcohol policies and mandatory employee drug testing programs. Drug and alcohol abuse can be expensive. Worker’s compensation claims due to a substance-related injury or death can accompany extensive legal liabilities for your company if there are injuries to third parties. By some estimates, this costs U.S. employers in excess of $81 billion dollars a year because about 70 percent of users are employed. While significant progress has been made with the majority of companies adopting strong drug and alcohol policies, the battle is far from over. It continues to require an ongoing effort, and success minded employers now have a variety of tools at their disposal to help in dealing with the problem. Identifying the problem is the first step in helping users get treatment and remove hazardous individuals from the workplace. Post accident testing can be an added layer of protection for your company. Federal surveys show that in the last year 24% of workers questioned admitted to drinking at least once during the workday, and 16% of emergency room patients injured while at work tested positive for alcohol when given a breathalyzer test. What steps can employers take? There are several: By adopting strong drug and alcohol policies in the workplace, companies are experience positive It starts at the top, with company leadership establishing a commitment and funding the programmatic tools for eliminating workplace substance abuse. Along with these policies, companies engage testing services to screen potential employees with pre-employment drug and alcohol testing. Company supervisors can now receive “reasonable suspicion” drug and alcohol training that prepares and enables them to identify potential problems among current workers in the Companies have also found that utilizing random drug testing in the workplace helps keep their workforce healthy and productive, maximizing growth and Employees who are involved with drug and alcohol abuse are less productive and less reliable. Along with having trouble showing up to work on time, they take more unscheduled days off. And co-workers who have to pick up the slack can be resentful, creating a company-wide morale problem. Substance abusers change jobs more often, and this becomes an added expense due to the time required to train replacements for the employee you lose. To be clear, it’s not just drugs: Employees with an alcohol problem are nearly three times more likely to have injury related absences than employees who don’t abuse alcohol. This is a problem that is too expensive to ignore. Consider establishing a drug-free workplace in policy and practice, perhaps with the guidance of specialists. ...read more

Breath alcohol testing is commonplace in workplaces, with its most basic tool being a handheld breath analyzing device. The goal is to save money and lives. Breath alcohol testingdevices – often referred to by one brand name, “Breathalyzer” ­– are used by policing agencies as well as companies that havedrug and alcohol policiesin place. Their use is almost always done in accordance with an established alcohol and drug-free workplace policy and implemented by a drug and alcohol testing service. These “breathalyzers” operate according to the biological response to alcohol consumption: When a person consumes alcohol, it is absorbed by the body and enters the bloodstream. As the blood passes through the lungs, trace amounts of alcohol are left behind and mix with the air in the lungs. The testing devices have a disposable mouthpiece that the test subject blows into, filling a chamber with a sample of their breath. The breath sample is then analyzed for any detectable alcohol content. This level is represented numerically, such as .080 BAC (which is the point at which a motorist can be considered under the influence and in violation of the law). BAC is an acronym that means Blood Alcohol Content or Blood Alcohol Concentration. The breath alcohol test is usually performed twice. The lower of the two readings is then considered the accurate reading when test results are documented for possible evidence in litigation or court proceedings (as in the case of law enforcement testing drivers under the influence). There are three main types of devices that are used: The Breathalyzer, the Intoxilyzer, and the Alco-Sensor. Each device uses a different technology to detect the evidence of recent alcohol consumption and possible intoxication. TheBreathalyzerunit has two vials in it that each contains a mixture of water, sulfuric acid, silver nitrate and potassium dichromate. When the test subject’s breath sample is mixed with the chemicals in one of the vials, it reacts to the alcohol in the breath sample and changes color. The color change in the reacted vial is then compared to the color of the unreacted vial by a photocell system within the device. The difference in the color change that is detected by the photocell system creates an electrical current that causes the needle of the device’s meter to move. There is a knob on the device that the operator then turns to move the needle backs to its starting point. The more alcohol content in the breath alcohol test sample, the more the knob must be turned to return the needle to the starting point. The level of alcohol is then read from the knob. TheIntoxilyzeruses infrared light; the ethanol alcohol molecule absorbs a specific wavelength of infrared light. This light is passed through the test sample inside the device. The light then hits a filter wheel that is specific for these wavelengths. The light passing through the filter is then detected by a photocell and converted into an electrical pulse. A microprocessor then interprets the pulses and determines the amount of light that was absorbed. This information is then calculated to determine the BAC level of the test subject. TheAlco-Sensoruses fuel-cell technology. The fuel cell inside the device has two platinum electrodes with an acid-electrolyte material between them. The alcohol in the test sample is oxidized by the first platinum electrode and creates an electrical current that passes through a wire to the second electrode. The more alcohol in the test sample, the greater the electrical current produced. An electrical-current meter measures the level of the current, and this information is then calculated by a microprocessor to determine the BAC level of the test subject. The use of alcohol testing devices can save employers money in lost productivity, injuries, damage to property, and other effects of poor judgment made under the influence of alcohol. They can also act as a deterrent and a means to identify employees who are in need of addiction treatment. ...read more

http://www.labsearch.com/ Labsearch is a leading UK based company into manufacturing of Laboratory equipment and also Provide listing Option to add your Lab Product and Company with us. We offer a wide range of products such as Autoclaves, Baths and Circulators, Benchtop Meter, Cabinets, Centrifuge, Cold Storage Room, COLORIMETER, Colony Counter, CO2 Incubator, Chillers, Chromatography, Freezers, Freeze Dryers, Fume Hood, Flame Photometer, Gel Documentation, Ice Makers, Incubator, Kjeldahl Systems, Lab Refrigerator-Freezer Combination, Laboratory Shaker, Muffle Furnace, Microscope, Moisture Analyzer, Microplate Reader & Washer, Microwave Digestion System, Oven, Oven Incubator, Polarimeter, Portable Meter, Peristaltic Pump, Petroleum Testing, Particle Size Analyzer, Rotary Evaporator, Refrigerators, Spectrometer, Spectrophotometer, Solar Powered Products, TOC Analyzer, Testers, Tube Furnace, Testing Instruments, Test Chamber, Thermal Cycler, Thermo-Shakers, Ultrasonic Cleaner, Vacuum Pump, Viscometer, Water Purification System.   We manufacture a complete range of Laboratory equipment with the highest quality standards to ensure reliability and consistency. The range we provide is available in varying sizes and specifications to suit the needs of the end user.  We believe in excelling and enduring a positive customer relationship. Our drive for excellence focusses on complete customer satisfaction.  We are ISO 9001:2008 Certified company and excel in delivering consistent authenticated quality products that comply with International Standards such as ISO 13845, along with CE, ASTM and GMP Certifications.  ...read more

Random Drug Testing is Required by the Department of Transportation Both the California and U.S. Departments of Transportation require that some commercial licensed drivers be subjected to random drug testing. The reasons are simple: no operator of large vehicles should be doing so while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In California, this includes those individuals holding commercial licenses, which include classes A, B and C with a hazardous materials endorsement. The individuals who must be tested include the following: Individuals or employees of companies that own or lease commercial vehicles. Local, state and federal government employees. Civic organizations and churches with employees involved in transport. Private and for-hire motor carriers. Public employees in California who are subject to the CA DOT drug testing rules are at the Air Resources Board, California Conservation Corps, Franchise Tax Board, California Highway Patrol, and departments of Consumer Affairs, Corrections and Rehabilitation, Developmental Services, Education, Employment Development, Fish and Game, Food and Agriculture, Forestry, General Services, Mental Health, Motor Vehicles, Parks and Recreation, Veterans Affairs and Water Resources. The rules are applied in five situations: for reasonable suspicion, post-accident, pre-employment, return to duty (as when the driver took a leave of absence, including to seek rehabilitation) as well as random testing. Random testing of ten percent (10%) of all drivers per year are part of the federal rules for private employers. In addition to testing for alcohol, urine samples collected detect marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, opiates (such as heroin) and phencyclidine (PCP). A screening process ensures that medications are not misidentified as prohibited substances. In some organizations there are employees whose primary responsibilities are unrelated to the operation of motor vehicles yet they hold a commercial driver̢۪s license for special occasions or to serve as substitutes in employee absences. Those individuals are required to be included in the pool of individuals who are prescreened for those responsibilities, as well as be subject to the random testing program. Why random drug testing is necessary The clear and primary reason that random and other forms of drug testing are necessary is to prevent injuries and save lives on the streets and highways. But the net effect of employee drug testing goes further. A positive test result is not necessarily grounds for termination in many situations, allowing the employer to steer the employee toward treatment of substance abuse. Another benefit is that employers can reduce their own financial and moral liability when they randomly test for drugs and alcohol. A random test is the most fair and non-discriminatory means of applying testing rules. And to the employee, the imposition of a random drug testing rule enables him or her to know with certainty that they cannot engage in illegal recreational drug use in their off-hours. ...read more

Real Occupational Testing Services, Ontario-based providers of DNA testing and drug testing, has released a new state-of-the-art web site to showcase their wide offering advanced testing solutions. The web site, which goes live on April 25, aims to better reflect the company’s values of expertise, professionalism and warm, friendly service and its new onsite employee testing program. Ontario, CA. April 25, 2012 – Real Occupational Testing Services, the Southern California industry leaders in providing DNA testing as well as individual and employee drug testing services, has announced the release of their new state-of-the-art web site. According to their president, the Ontario-based testing company’s web site goes live on May 2 and “will better reflect the high quality and values of what our brand has evolved into over the past five years.” “Since we built our very first web site five years ago, our company has grown spectacularly,” said Chris Phelps, President and CEO of Real Occupational Testing Services. “Our advanced DNA testing technologies and programs rival the largest labs and clinics in the nation. We’ve become much more high tech, as it were, as we’ve increased our products and services to both individuals and workplaces.” Developed by BrightBulb Solutions, a boutique Internet marketing firm based in Los Angeles, the web site highlights the wide range of DNA products and services offered by Real Occupational in the areas of DNA testing, including such tests as paternity, maternity, grandparentage, avuncular, prenatal and immigration DNA testing. Short, and to-the-point explanations of each test are included along with frequently asked questions. Clients can schedule their appointments online or walk-ins are accommodated six days per week. While the need for DNA testing is becoming more understood and practiced, it is the drug testing services that, according to Phelps, is the company’s “bread and butter.” Real Occupational is the leading drug testing lab providing services in Riverside and San Bernardino counties and as far away as Los Angeles with the genesis of their on-site testing services that began last year. “We provide federal drug testing and hair and urine testing for individuals and teens as well as a host of large, local businesses and educational centers that have zero tolerance drug and alcohol policies and programs set up,” says Phelps. “For companies and schools and organizations that don’t have a drug-free workplace policy and program in place, we can assist them in designing and implementing them.” Real Occupational is the largest company in the Inland Empire offering California Department of Transportation testing, including administration of Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) medical examinations for commercial drivers with a class A or B drivers license. According to Phelps, though Real Occupational has grown in size and offerings, all of the small personal touches and focus on client service that is the foundation of the company remains. “The irony is that we work in an industry that is technical and sterile, but we’ve managed to keep perfecting the warmth and professionalism with which we treat our clients, on site or off site,” says Phelps. “Too often a small operation gets larger and loses the magic, but we’ve been intent on assuring that our service grows with the products and technology. We wanted our new web site to reflect that fact and I believe we accomplished that.” ...read more

How Confidentiality is Ensured in Employee Drug Testing Privacy concerns have always pervaded the matter of workplace employee drug testing. The courts now define the rules and methods have adjusted appropriately. In California and throughout the United States, employee drug testing has become more the norm than the exception. Testing workers’ urine or hair samples for evidence of use of illegal and abuse of prescription drugs began in the 1980s and has steadily increased. But along with its use has come concern for privacy and confidentiality. This has been addressed by the courts and in workplace policies that are used by both public and private employers. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the need for safety overrides the privacy rights of employees, as long as proper notice is given to those individuals who are to be tested. Also, the search must not be unreasonable. This translates into applying testing with fairness to all employees and to those for whom there is some suspicion of use and impairment. The law also states that testing results cannot be indiscriminately divulged – the privacy provision that has been a concern since the very beginning of employee drug testing. Since 1987, all federal agencies and contractors have required testing of workers for possible substance abuse, usually as a condition of employment (after a job offer is made but before the employee begins working). Most state and local governments, including the state of California, have adopted this practice. Nationwide, about 60 percent of large (500+ employees) private employers also conduct some degree of employee drug testing. For both types of employees, the rules on drug test confidentiality are as follows: All information obtained in a drug test is confidential to the employee and the person or persons whose job is to deal with employee drug testing and results. If the employee consents for drug test results to be given to other parties, they need to state in writing who is authorized to receive it, the purpose of their receiving it, what exactly is to be shared, the time duration that access is granted, and that the information is not to be made public. An employee whose confidentiality is compromised can sue those responsible (the employer, an individual or the testing laboratory). Individuals who knowingly violate employee drug test results privacy can be charged with a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail. In other words, the law is clear that confidentiality is to be maintained in very specific ways at all times. ...read more

Assuring compliance with the new and stringent 2014 DOT requirements, Real Occupational Testing Services has announced the addition of two Certified Medical Examiners on staff to administer DOT exams in-house. Real Occupational is a regional provider of DOT physicals, serving the Riverside and San Bernardino Counties as well as the San Gabriel Valley and Inland Empire. May 15, 2014 - Ontario, CA – Answering the mandate by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that all DOT exams be performed by a certified medical examiner, Ontario-based Real Occupational Testing Services has announced the addition of two certified examiners who will be administering the screenings. The addition of Real Occupational to the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners further distinguishes the company as a leader in employee, Federal and DOT testing and employee screening in the Inland Empire and San Gabriel Valley. Previously, commercial truck drivers regulated by the DOT were required to pass a pre-employment medical exam each year, which included a drug test and physical. The new, more-stringent requirements are, according to the CEO of Real Occupational “an extremely important step to force the industry to do more to assure public safety by assuring the health of drivers.” The goal is to decrease the number of accidents and fatalities involving commercial drivers of semi trucks. “The current regulations need attention,” stated Chris Phelps, President and CEO of Real Occupational. “It has become vulnerable to fraud and as a result has stopped being effective in ensuring that commercial drivers are healthy enough to drive, as well as ensuring that those same drivers are not abusing prohibited substances.” “The new training makes certain that examiners are highly trained and aware of the unique issues facing drivers, especially older drivers, who drive ten hours a day or more. The exams should specifically address those issues and now they will,” added Phelps. Even as the May 21, 2014 deadline approaches for testing service companies to comply with the new requirements, only about 30% of the goal of adding 40,000 certified medical examiners to the registry has been reached. This, according to Phelps, indicates that there will be a “mass shortage” of certified testing sites to perform DOT exams and physicals. “By the looming deadline, Real Occupational will be one of a very few registered certified sites in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties for commercial drivers to receive their exams and be recertified so they can continue to work,” said Phelps. “Our two physicians, Dr. Gary Wall and Dr. Gary Yang will be available full time and committed to providing the level of personal service and expertise that has made Real Occupational the Southern California industry leader in employee testing.” Appointments for DOT physicals and exams can be made by calling the testing clinic at 1-800-690-4362. Walk in appointments are accepted. The testing clinic is open on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Real Occupational Testing Services provides employee drug testing and training to employers in Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties, with a focus on the transportation industry, including DOT exams and DMV medical exams, as well as services for local schools, trucking companies and professional offices. ...read more