Drug and Alcohol Testing Consortiums - What are they and why do we need them?

A consortium is simply a group of independent businesses that join together for a common purpose. In this case, the intent is to provide an opportunity to satisfy the federal drug and alcohol testing laws. Heavy fines are imposed for those who are required to belong to some kind of program, but neglect to do so.

In life today our individual safety often rests in someone else’s hands. We expect to go through the business of living, unharmed. Unfortunately, sometimes we interact with people who are in positions that may injure us. It could be another driver, a coworker, a store clerk or a waiter. Usually, it’s not an intentional act. More likely, it’s through a person’s negligence that accidents occur.

Sometimes, the negligence is because someone is using illegal drugs or had too much to drink. That’s where the drug and alcohol testing consortiums come in. The goal of these testing programs is to weed out drug and alcohol users before they can become a danger to others.

For example, CDL truck drivers with their own authority, USCG licensed captains and their crew on charter boats, train operators, pilots, airplane mechanics, manufacturers and many other kinds of companies all have positions of safety sensitive responsibility. That is where errors on their jobs can result in injury to another person. These individuals and groups must belong to a program that meets the government’s strict testing requirements. Consortiums like the one run by www.DrugTestingConsortium.com  will determine where and when a person is to go for the required random testing. They will also certify that the results are accurate and report them to the proper authorities.

These programs are not the perfect answer to eliminating work place accidents. But, they are required by law and help to keep us all safer.  And since joining a drug testing consortium is not a very expensive procedure, they appear to be a good idea for all of us.