Designated Employer Representatives (DERs) have a lot on their plate.
Between coordinating testing, enforcing policies and managing crews day-to-day, much of the responsibility of a compliant testing program falls on a site’s DER.
The hardest part of the role, however, isn’t completing routine administrative tasks – it’s trying to direct and enforce a program on a crew that doesn’t understand why or how that program works.
A drug and alcohol testing program can only be genuinely effective if employees know exactly what is expected of them. Not only does this promote a safer work environment, it also makes your job as a DER much easier.
Program education reduces friction on the job site, empowers compliance, and helps employees feel prepared and respected.
Having informed employees who truly understand your testing program helps make the tough parts of leadership both manageable and rewarding. It directly affects compliance grades by eliminating confusion and gray areas. After all, what good does a program do if the people following it don’t know the rules?
What should employees know about their program?
It’s unrealistic to expect every crew member to know, and retain, the ins-and-outs of their drug and alcohol testing program as well as the DER does. Employees have plenty to focus on within their own daily tasks and personal lives.
However, there is a standard of understanding that should apply to everyone on a jobsite. At minimum, employees and supervisors need to understand why the program exists, what is expected of them, and what happens when those expectations are not met.
Broken down, the basic facts your crew should know are:
Why, when, and where?
What are the reasons for a test being administered? What kinds of tests are they? Where does testing occur?
What are the key components of testing coordination?
What service agents does the program work with (MROs, SAPs)? What do they do? What laboratory do we work with? Where are our collection sites, and how do they operate?
What should they expect from the testing process?
What is required of me during a test? Who do I report to? How are tests administered? What should I know before going in for specimen collection or breath alcohol test?
What are the results of a failed test?
What measures are taken if I don’t pass a test? What if I refuse a test? What does the process look like, and how can I expect my job to be affected?
Who should they reach out to?
How can I reach my company’s DER or EAP if I have questions? How can I best prepare for a test – both during the testing process and while waiting for results?
These are the essentials – but the more an employee understands about testing procedures and policies, the better equipped they are to participate appropriately. Discussing the reasoning behind the requirements of your company’s program and staying open to questions from your crew takes workplace education a step further.
What educational resources are available?
As a DER, you can’t be expected to navigate daily duties on top of single-handedly instructing your team on the company drug and alcohol testing program. However, you should be able to direct employees towards educational tools and resources.
So, how can employees supplement their understanding?
Your company’s written drug and alcohol policy.
The written drug and alcohol testing program that your company enforces should be the foundation of your educational efforts. Employees should be able to easily access the policy—whether electronically, in hard copy or through another company resource—and should acknowledge that they have received it.
PTC provides contractors with a comprehensive DOT drug testing plan that aligns company goals with regulatory requirements. Making sure your employees are familiar with it, and know where to find it, is essential to fostering an informed work culture.
Online training for employees and supervisors.
PTC provides training programs for both employees and supervisors.
Programs designed for employees cover the basics of what is tested, and how substances affect performance and safety at work.
Programs designed for supervisors build upon that by training supervisors on recognizing signs of impairment and meeting DOT requirements.
These programs are carefully structured to cover the details of program operations and regulatory texts, filling in any understanding gaps and removing some of the educational burden from the DER.
Company safety meetings.
Gathering your crew for periodic safety meetings is an opportunity to blend your company’s specific policies with general substance abuse information, and open the floor for questions on both.
These meetings can be conducted quarterly, semiannually, or annually as part of your overall safety program. By making substance abuse resources known and underscoring program requirements, staff meetings can reinforce that a drug and alcohol program is not solely about identifying violations—it’s part of a broader commitment to employee safety and well-being.
As a DER, you can also support employees by sharing information on your company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and materials from local providers who can assist with substance abuse concerns.
Education as an Investment
A strong drug and alcohol testing program creates a shared understanding of responsibilities across the organization.
When employees know what to expect and supervisors know how to respond, program consistency is strengthened and DERs reinforce the connection between substance abuse prevention, regulatory compliance, and workplace safety.
Education should not be an afterthought to a drug and alcohol testing program. It should be one of its foundations.
Pipeline Testing Consortium (PTC) administers DOT and non-DOT testing programs across the oil and gas and trucking industries. Contact us today for more information on all of our services.
