NEWS & UPDATES
New Longview Location & Extended Business Hours for Bossier City
It finally happened! With your support and patronage, our DATCS Longview location got too big for its premises and we had to move to a bigger office! So from now on, if you’re looking for the best drug testing and compliance services available, you will need to go to 4000 North Hwy 259, Longview, TX 75605. The entrance to our new facility is directly past Enterprise Rent-A-Center. Contact our customer service team with any questions: 903-234-1136. DATCS is also pleased to announce that our Bossier, Louisiana office will be extending their business hours to better accommodate our customers’ needs. Beginning January 1, 2019 our Bossier office will be open from 7 am to 5:30 pm Monday through Friday. We hope that you will take advantage of our longer hours and we look forward to assisting you! If you have any questions, one of our dedicated Bossier teammates will be glad to help you; just call 318-212-1125.
Policy Updates Are Critical
Now, more than ever, clearly defined policies and procedures are critical for employers. The policy decision must consider DOT fitness for duty as well as the possible accommodations that an employer can make in these times when prescription drug abuse impacts millions of Americans from all socioeconomic, political, age, gender, and ethnicity groups. Policies need to be reviewed and updated to address an employee’s use of legally prescribed and over-the-counter drugs that may affect their ability to perform his/her job duties or potentially expose other employees or the public to danger. An example of suggested language addressing legally prescribed and over-the-counter drugs. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs are not prohibited when taken in standard dosage and/or according to a physician’s prescription. Any employee taking prescribed or over-the-counter medications will be responsible for consulting the prescribing physician and/or pharmacist to ascertain...
How Does a DER Handle the “Safety Concern” Noted by a MRO on a Test Result Caused by Prescription Drugs?
MRO’s are adding on negative test results “safety concerns” which have confused lots of DER’s on how to handle a safety concern. On January 1, 2018, DOT regulatory updates went into effect covering many aspects of DOT-mandated testing, but most significant was the addition of four semi-synthetic opioids: hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone, and oxymorphone. When a MRO on a negative test puts into his/her notes that there is a “safety concern”, an employer is not required to do anything based on Part 40 rule language. In fact, the phrase “safety concern” does not appear in Part 40 or any of the DOT agency regulations. As a practical matter, an employer should “resolve” a safety concern reported on a negative test by the MRO as a way to limit liability for accidents/incidents that may be related to an employee’s unsafe performance of safety-sensitive duties. The two recommended ways to resolve or address MRO reports of safety concern are: 1. Obtain a statement...
Services in Texarkana, Texas and Arkansas
Drug and Alcohol Screening Services for Organizations in Texarkana, TX and Texarkana, AR Any businessowner understands that your enterprise is liable for the actions and behaviors of all your employees. If an individual is working under the influence, they pose a risk to your business’ reputation, and more importantly, the safety and well-being of the rest of your staff. Prevent workplace substance-related incidents with the services offered by DATCS. Our exceptional drug testing services in Texarkana can be randomly scheduled or completed before hire to ensure that you are employing high quality and dependable workers. We use the latest, most reliable urine and hair and nail testing with the ability to detect synthetic urine. Our experts at DATCS also perform alcohol screening services for organizations in the Texarkana, TX and Texarkana, AR area for pre-employment testing and random workplace screenings. Texarkana, TX and Texarkana, AR Department of Transportation Pre-Employment...
Shreveport, Louisiana Services
Drug and Alcohol Testing Services in Shreveport DATCS supplies you with trustworthy reports that will give you the opportunity to safeguard your business, staff, and customers from incidences common to drug and alcohol abuse. Whether you are performing a random testing to ensure efficiency or are working towards addressing an existing issue, or you have an employee that's making dangerous mistakes or has a spotty attendance record, our Shreveport, LA alcohol and drug testing services will help you determine if substance abuse is playing a role, our drug testing services and alcohol testing for organizations will ensure that your employees are safe, and your company achieves success. Shreveport, Louisiana Department of Transportation Background Checking Services Are you a Shreveport, Louisiana organization dealing with higher than usual employee turnover rates or increased incident reports? You may be missing an important part of your employment screening process. DATCS offers...
Lawton, Oklahoma Services
Drug and Alcohol Testing Services in Lawton, Oklahoma Safety and security are two of the most important considerations for any business and that means ensuring that your employees are clear-headed and drug free, so they can be efficient and effective. Businesses and organizations that utilize DATCS’ alcohol and drug testing services in Lawton, Oklahoma don't have to just hope that their employees are doing the right thing—they’ll know. Whether it's an annual check-up for your team or a random test throughout the company, DATCS is your partner for smart substance abuse testing Lawton, Oklahoma Department of Transportation Background Checking Services There are several important steps in the hiring and onboarding process that directly impact the productivity and success of your overall company, including the employment screening process. A reliable background check uncovers which applicants are trustworthy and which applicants might be a poor choice for your organization. Our goal...
Oklahoma City Services
Drug and Alcohol Testing Services in Oklahoma City It only takes one drug or alcohol related incident to derail a contract or damage your organization’s public image. The investment in professional Oklahoma City drug and alcohol testing through DATCS is a smart first step towards ensuring your workforce is always performing at their best. Whether you're looking to onboard the best of the best, maintaining oversight for a drug-free workplace, or getting to the core of an existing issue, our fast, professional drug and alcohol testing services are the right way to do it. No employer wants to find out via an "incident" that one of their employees is under the influence, that's why it's important to secure reliable drug testing services in Oklahoma City, as well as alcohol testing for organizations in and around the area. Oklahoma City Department of Transportation Background Checking Services As a member of the National Association of Professional Background Services, DATCS offers...
Deadline for Usage of Old/Expired Custody & Control Forms
Employers, DER’S, Collectors, laboratories, OR Medical Review Officers (MRO’s) may not use “old CCF forms for DOT mandated drug test after June 30, 2018. DOT revised Federal Custody and Control Form will be the only accepted CCF for a valid DOT drug test after June 30, 2018. What is the difference? The ‘old’ CCF is the one that has been used under the DOT-regulated program since 2010. The revised CCF includes the following changes: · In Step 1D: o Removal of the checkbox, the letters “DOT” and hash line in front of the text “Specify DOT Agency” · In Step 5A: o Addition of four new analysts: oxycodone (OXYC), oxymorphone (OXYM), hydrocodone (HYC), and hydromorphone (HYM), o Removal of the analyte methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA). What if the `old’ CCF is inadvertently used after June 30, 2018? For this flaw to be corrected you must provide a signed...
New Braunsfels, Texas Services
Drug and Alcohol Testing Services in New Braunsfels, Texas Knowing that your workforce is ready, willing, and able to do their jobs is essential to your company's success. Employees that are under the influence of drugs and alcohol aren't just a danger to themselves, they're also a potential liability for the sober and clean employees that work alongside them. To ensure safety and professionalism, your business can't afford the accidents and potential damages that come with substance abuse and addiction - that's why you need DATCS to safeguard your day to day operations with fast, reliable drug and alcohol testing services in New Braunfels, Texas. New Braunsfels Department of Transportation Background Checking Services Substance abuse on and off the job can create a major liability for employers. Organizations need to know that they are hiring reliable employees and that starts with the employment screening process. We offer credible background checking services that will insure you...
Fatigued Driving
Carriers and drivers tend to believe that Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations are stacked against them and, in some cases, make fatigue and speeding problems worse. It takes effort for drivers and dispatchers to track hours on and off the road and appropriately schedule trips. What benefit is there to the carrier to comply with these regulations? Reduced costs Getting caught with HOS violations at a roadside inspection is expensive. The carrier is not only subject to fines, but also can lose revenue by having drivers placed out-of-service. Improved driver retention Drivers dislike driving tired. They don’t like being placed out-ofservice—especially when this impacts their income. This can lead to a lack of job satisfaction and eventually increased driver turnover. Crashes avoided Fatigue is believed to be a top contributing factor to crashes.
Prescription Misuse Epidemic
As one of the nation’s leading safety advocates, the National Safety Council (NSC) spotlights issues in an effort to “eliminate preventable deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy.” The organization has identified prescription drug misuse as one of its key safety issues because of the alarming rise in addiction rates, ER visits, overdoses, and fatalities. Dr. Don Teater, Medical Advisor for the National Safety Council, has emphatically stated, “Painkillers don’t kill pain. They kill people.” This public safety issue also weighs heavily on the workplace, impacting more than 70 percent of U.S. employers. According to research published in The Clinical Journal of Pain, the nonmedical use of prescription opioids cost the United States approximately $42 billion dollars in lost productivity in 2006. Five drugs in particular, OxyContin®, oxycodone, hydrocodone, propoxyphene, and methadone, accounted for two-thirds of the...
Collector Errors & Affidavits
Designated Employer Representatives (DERs) who review drug and alcohol paperwork will occasionally notice errors on Custody and Control Forms (CCFs) and Alcohol Testing Forms (ATFs). Some need to be corrected by affidavit from the collector or technician who committed the error, or the test must be cancelled, per §40.203 and §40.269. The following errors require correction by affidavit. 1. The collector’s signature is omitted on Step 4 of the CCF. 2. The technician does not sign the ATF. 3. The employee’s signature is omitted on Step 5 of the CCF, unless the reason for the missing signature is noted on the remarks line of the CCF. 4. The employee’s signature is omitted from Step 4 of the ATF for an alcohol test with a confirmed result of 0.02 or greater, and the technician did not make a remark to explain why the signature is missing. 5. A Non-Federal or expired form is used. For the first four items above, the...
Alcohol Testing Procedures
Find this and many other informative articles in our quarterly newsletter, out now! Breath alcohol tests are performed at DATCS by having the donor blow forcefully into the Evidential Breath Testing (EBT) device’s mouthpiece for at least 6 seconds or until the EBT indicates that an adequate amount of breath has been attained. If the result is less than 0.02, the test is considered negative. If the result is 0.02 or greater, a confirmation test must be performed after a waiting period of at least 15 minutes. The confirmation test must be completed within 30 minutes from the completion of the original screening test. A new mouthpiece must be used and the EBT must be tested to assure proper registering. The BAT (Breath Alcohol Technician) shall report all results to the employer in a confidential manner. This report may be in writing, in person, by telephone or electronic means. If the result is positive, the BAT must ensure immediate reporting of the results to the employer to...
Drugs in Focus: Smiles
In a world this size, it is very easy to underestimate the number of harmful and highly addictive drugs that thrive on our streets, as well as drugs that are just now gaining public awareness. Each week, we'll examine harmful and/or illegal drugs of all forms, shapes, and sizes. There are some you may be familiar with, but there will likely be a surprise or two along the way. This week, we turn our focus to the synthetic hallucinogen 2C-1, also known as Smiles. A synthetic hallucinogenic otherwise known as 2C-I, it's most often sold as a powder, which can be mixed with candy or chocolate before ingesting. Like its synthetic predecessors, such as K-2 and bath salts, smiles seems to appeal to a younger demographic—half of those exposed to it in 2011 were teenagers, according to the American Association of Poison Control. (source: The Fix) 2C-I is part of the 2C family of drugs, a group of closely related molecules that have psychedelic effects. Along with the...
Happy Valentine’s Day
From all of us at DATCS, we hope you have a safe and wonderful Valentine's Day in the workplace and at home!
Drugs in Focus: Rohypnol
In a world this size, it is very easy to underestimate the number of harmful and highly addictive drugs that thrive on our streets, as well as drugs that are just now gaining public awareness. Each week, we'll examine harmful and/or illegal drugs of all forms, shapes, and sizes. There are some you may be familiar with, but there will likely be a surprise or two along the way. This week, we'll be looking at a small yet powerful benzodiazepine known as Rohypnol and its troubling impact on teens and young adults. STREET NAMES Circles, Date Rape Drug, Forget Pill, Forget-Me Pill, La Rocha, Lunch Money, Mexican Valium, Mind Eraser, Pingus, R2, Reynolds, Rib, Roach, Roach 2, Roaches, Roachies, Roapies, Rochas Dos, Roofies, Rope, Rophies, Row-Shay, Ruffies, Trip-and-Fall, Wolfies COMMERCIAL NAMES Flunitrazepam, Rohypnol® Rohypnol comes in tablet form, which is legally prescribed to patients in more than 50 countries as an anxiety supressant and sleep aid (with the exception of the United...
Memorial Day
Closed in observance of Memorial Day. DATCS willopen Tuesday, May 30, at normal business hours. “Memorial Day isn’t just about honoring veterans, its honoring those who lost their lives. Veterans had the fortune of coming home. For us, that’s a reminder of when we come home we still have a responsibility to serve. It’s a continuation of service that honors our country and those who fell defending it.” – Pete Hegseth
National Police Week : DATCS supports Police all over the nation!
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Currently, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge on Washington, DC to participate in a number of planned events which honor those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice. The Memorial Service began in 1982 as a gathering in Senate Park of approximately 120 survivors and supporters of law enforcement. Decades later, the event, more commonly known as National Police Week, has grown to a series of events which attracts thousands of survivors and law enforcement officers to our Nation's Capital each year. The National Peace Officers' Memorial Service, which is sponsored by the Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, is one in a series of events which includes the Candlelight Vigil, which is sponsored by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) and seminars...
Taking Back Unused Prescription Drugs
Prescription Drug Take-Back DayThis federal program provides secure take-back locations for anyone to turn in their unused prescription medications, no strings attached. On Saturday, April 29, thousands of locations around the country will collect staggering amounts of prescribed and over-the-counter drugs for safe disposal. Read more about how this initiative is helping to combat prescription drug misuse. Cannabinol State LawsMarijuana, specifically cannabinol (CBD), has gained popularity for its potential medicinal value. Today, sixteen states have low THC/high CBD laws. Employers should stay informed about how state marijuana laws differ and their impact on workplace drug testing. See our table for state-by-state laws. Breaking the Cycle with Drug CourtsDrug courts provide participants a way to break the cycle of addiction, crime, and prison. Do they work? The National Association of Drug Court Professionals...
Recovering From Addiction: The Best Tips On How To Be Safe And Healthy
Starting your life over after battling an addiction can feel like it’s just that: starting over. It’s a difficult transition, and many people in recovery find themselves facing relapse under the weight of coping with it all. It’s important to remember that this process is a lengthy one, and that nothing will happen overnight. That’s why it’s imperative that you give yourself some time to heal and learn how to manage your expectations. Here are a few tips on how to stay safe and healthy after living with addiction. Take it slow You may feel as though you’ve moved on to a new chapter and are ready to take on the world, and that’s wonderful! However, it’s important to remember that recovery takes time. Removing yourself from the addiction is only the first step, and there may be days when you don’t feel like yourself. It’s a normal part of getting healthy, but it can make some individuals feel sad or edge into depression. Take things slowly and don’t jump into anything...
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