Blog
Creating Work-Life Balance as a Busy DOT Medical Examiner
As a medical professional, you understand how important it is to maintain a healthy balance between the many priorities in your life. You’ve seen how constant access to remote work and emails is blurring the lines between work and home and the impact that stress has...
9 Things You Need to Know About DOT Random Drug Testing
The Department of Transportation requires regular, random drug tests. These tests help make sure employees are not operating a vehicle under the influence. However, random drug testing is only valid if it follows DOT regulations. Whether you want to complete your DOT...
Taking the Mystery out of Choosing a Breath Alcohol Testing Device
With over 100 devices listed on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) list of approved devices, choosing the right breath alcohol testing equipment can be daunting. To simplify things for you, we’ve compiled a list of things to consider when...
Don’t Get Derailed by DOT Record-Keeping Requirements: How to Stay on Track
Navigating the complexities of Department of Transportation record-keeping requirements is no easy task. The DOT has strict guidelines governing the way that transportation companies operate. These rules are in place to keep drivers and citizens safe, but because they...
Can I Return to Commercial Driving After a Heart Attack?
It is an unfortunate truth that truck drivers and commercial drivers in the United States are at a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease than the general population. If you are a commercial driver and you have a heart condition or have experienced a...
A Comprehensive Guide to Alcohol Screening
Companies may choose to conduct alcohol screening for various reasons. For some federally regulated workers, governing organizations mandate random alcohol screening. For other organizations, alcohol testing is more likely to be conducted after an accident, when there...
Why Positive Drug Tests Aren’t Always the End of the Road
As you will learn in the course of your DOT urine collection certification, urine drug tests occasionally come back positive even though the donor isn't using any illicit drugs. Sometimes, the drug tests pick up other prescription medications making it appear as if...
How an Employer Can Assess the Proficiency of a Specimen Collector
Your business's reputation is defined by the proficiency of your staff. Drug testing specimen collectors and Breath Alcohol Technicians (BATs) get training according to the Department of Transportation's regulations, so a DOT certification course is a solid indicator...
Starting Your Own DOT Drug Testing Business
So, you’ve decided to open your own drug testing business. There are multiple arenas where your services will be needed, from worried parents with wayward teens to truck drivers hauling goods across the nation. Here are some things to keep in mind moving toward that...
Can You Pass a DOT Medical Exam With a Heart Murmur?
A normal heart rhythm, as heard through a stethoscope, has two distinct beats. A whooshing sound can indicate a heart murmur. Blood may be passing through the heart in an atypical fashion. It may be a condition you were born with or a sign of disease. The type of...
Recent Posts
Commercial Driving and Mental Illness: What Are the Rules?
When you think about the most dangerous jobs, commercial driving might not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, among US workers, truck drivers experience the third highest fatality rate, with the majority of those fatalities occurring in highway accidents....
Managing Testing Anxiety For Your DOT Medical Examiner Certification
You’ve been preparing for weeks, yet as you walk into the building for your DOT certification exam, your heart begins to race, your palms get sweaty, and you suddenly can’t remember anything you studied. While you can expect some...
6 Steps to Get Back to Driving After a Failed DOT Drug or Alcohol Test
If you are a commercial driver, failing an official drug test is a big deal that will put your career on hold. The good news is that you can return to work after a failed drug test if you follow the six steps below. Who Needs to Complete the DOT Return-to-Duty...
Avoiding the Legal Pitfalls of DOT Physical Exams for Physicians
Doctors who perform physical exams for commercial drivers need to be aware of their increased legal liability. Because of Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, medical professionals performing DOT exams have unique legal exposure. Claims against medical...
Shy Lung? 5 Surprising Causes of Insufficient Breath Samples
Two key criteria must be met when using breath alcohol testing equipment, also known as evidential breath testers (or EBTs), to capture a breath sample. First, the test subject must provide a minimum volume of breath. (Between 1200 ccs and 1300 ccs, depending on the...