FAA Proposes Drug/Alcohol Testing at Foreign Maintenance Facilities

[Glenn Quagmire]

WASHINGTON The Federal Aviation Administration today announced it is seeking comments on an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) that would require drug and alcohol testing of maintenance personnel who work on aircraft operated by U.S. air carriers (Part 121) in facilities outside the United States.

http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=15954

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

It is about time. This may drive some work back to the United States if it is enforceable.

 

[xUT]

WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Overdue.
This should have been done since day 1.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

The Dole administration did not want it.

 

[Knotbuyinit]

When you say "drug testing", are you talking about the random drug testing that takes place now via urinalysis that does not determine if you are impaired on the job or not? The current DOT, FAA drug tests are a joke. Just look at the protocol, 1) remove you from your safety sensitive position 2) pee in a bottle 3) send you back to your safety sensitive position, then 4) wait two days until the verdict comes in.
 
Wow, we all should feel safe now huh?     

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

That is why there is also "reasonable suspicion" testing in the DOT Regulations. Are you suggesting that the airline should remove anyone until the test comes back? That says even more that you are guilty before proving yourself innocent.

There are other testing methods that give a quick pass/fail result with higher threshold values. You can then send it on to have it tested with GC. All airline's programs and methods are not identical. As long as the plan is approved by the DOT, they are good to go. The DOT reviews them and oversees them often.

As for the foreign testing, it will be interesting to watch who comments on the new proposed rule (changes). Watch for the IATA and other lobbying groups weigh in. I am sure you will see The AMFA, and other unions also comment.

It would be nice if a grass roots effort was started to have all who hold Airman ratings to send in comments.

 

[Knotbuyinit]

You and your FAA counterparts need to catch up to the 21st century. There are swabs that will detect the presents of illegal drugs in your saliva. Prohibited drugs can be carried in your saliva for 8 - 10 hours.  If you test positive, they take urine and send you home, if negative you go back to work.  Already being done, works well, and no 4th issues.  

 

[delldude]

Dole probably saw US telling a foreign company what to do would have to be negotiated and a hassle.
Should be done though.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

You and your FAA counterparts need to catch up to the 21st century. There are swabs that will detect the presents of illegal drugs in your saliva. Prohibited drugs can be carried in your saliva for 8 - 10 hours.  If you test positive, they take urine and send you home, if negative you go back to work.  Already being done, works well, and no 4th issues.

If it was less expensive and proven, airlines would have implemented it. You seem to be conflicted here. What is exactly your point?

Congress passed the "Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991"

If you choose to work in covered industries, it is the law.

 

[delldude]

Under the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988 , FAA started drug testing certain personnel in 1990.
 
Was discussion on alcohol testing, then  a couple aces from NWA flew cross country faced and booze testing was a bingo, mandated in the
 
Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

As an A&P, I was drug tested starting in 1988. At NWA, I was tested on New Year's Day morning three times.

 

[delldude]

I got tested in 87 pre hire......there was alot of consternation over threshold levels and second chances at UAir.....United supposedly was the model but UAir went with first chance last chance.
 
One of the biggest concerns was toot and pilots......LOL
 
Seems UAir BOD was real concerned about pilots and stews flying down Fla to their condos and snorting for a three day weekend and coming back still high......they set the threshold for toot real real low. A few mechs fell into the trap.
 
Three times, one day....that was when they had to show numbers early in the game. I think it was a certain percentage of the work force had to be tested the first year.
 
Dude I worked with in support shops mouthed off a lot and usually got called every week or so which he made a big big deal over....guess what?   The calls kept coming.  LOL

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

I meant to post that I was tested on New Year's Day, three years in a row. They liked to make their numbers early the year. It just seemed like they were trying to pop people for New Year's Eve partying.

Funny thing about testing, weed is the one that hangs around the longest while heroin has the shortest life.

 

[delldude]

There were concerns on the IAM side about second hand smoke relating to that. The threshold for weed at UAir was reasonably high and I knew several would smoke one if swapped off or vacation for seven days or so maybe once a month. Still that was crazy.
 
Toot supposedly was gone in 48 hours more or less and they were worried about weekend abuse, so the level was terribly low.....and you couldn't argue you accidentally ingested some like second hand smoke at a party. Still, quite a few mechs found on Monday the hard way.

 

[xUT]

Most of the times at the SFO MOC was the random BAC after lunch.
Kind of silly since you only had 30 min and can't go off base.
Not like we could sit in the parking lot and knock a few back for lunch...