Maritime Compliance News

Maritime currently has more than 4700 accredited sites certified to perform DOT collections. We assign members a collection site as close to your business location as possible. However, at times, you may need to find an alternate collection site. You may use the URLs below to find a new site.

Maritime uses two Lab Networks with separate Chain of Custody forms for each. When you order a test from us you will receive either a LabCorp or Quest Diagnostics Chain of Custody form or Electronic Authorization Form.  If you wish to go to an alternate collection site, please call us to make sure you are going to a site that can use your paperwork. Also, we are required to track which collection sites our members go to in case there is an issue with the collection.  If you go to an alternate site that is not in our network, you will be charged the collection fee for that site.

Please note: The collection sites listed in the site locators will only see individuals with a Federal Chain of Custody Form or Electronic Authorization Form.  Employees who walk in without the required paperwork will not be seen.  Employers may order a test and obtain the Chain of Custody form from Maritime by selecting “Needs Test” on our Update Crew page or on the company Add/Delete form provided to all member companies.

If you wish to find an alternate collection site and your Chain of Custody/Test Authorization is from LabCorp, please call 1-800-742-3944 or click on this link and paste it into your web browser:  http://www.labcorp.com/locator/

You will need to provide a zip code and a mileage range to search for a site. Click on the “Occupational urine drug screen collections” radio button and then on “SEARCH” once you’ve entered your zip code and range. 

If you wish to find an alternate site and your Chain of Custody/Test Authorization is from Quest Diagnostics for a 3rd Party site, please call 1-800-377-8448 or use this link: https://appointment.questdiagnostics.com/find-location/as-location-finder

If you are going to use the Quest Diagnostics site locator link, you will need to enter a zip code and select “Employer Drug Testing” and then select “Urine – Federally mandated” and then “Search.”   If you have an emailed Authorization form, please also choose “Electronic Order”

If you wish to find an alternate site and your Chain of Custody/Test Authorization is from Quest Diagnostics for a Patient Service Center, please call 1-800-377-8448 or use this link: https://appointment.questdiagnostics.com/find-location/as-location-finder
If you are going to use the Quest Diagnostics site locator link, you will need to enter a zip code and  select “Employer Drug Testing” and then select “Urine – Federally mandated” and then “Search.” If you have an emailed Authorization form, please also choose “Electronic Order”

PLEASE NOTE: If you are assigned to a Quest Diagnostics Patient Service Center, you must go to a Patient Service Center (PSC), you may not go to a site that is marked PREFERRED.  If you do so, you will be charged the collection fee.

On September 11, We remember those in the Maritime Industry who went to help.

USCG 2024 Random Rate for Marine Employers

The Coast Guard set the calendar year 2024 minimum drug testing rate at 50 percent of covered crewmembers.

The minimum random drug testing rate is effective January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.

Note: As a member company of The Maritime Consortium, Inc., the 50 percent testing rate does not necessarily mean 1/2 of your crew will be tested in a given year.  All Maritime Members belong to a single, approximately 10,000 employee pool.  By regulation, the random selection process is blind to us.  Therefore, members of any given company may or may not be selected and an employee could be selected multiple times.  Your membership fees cover the costs of any/all randoms your employees may be selected for.

The Coast Guard requires marine employers to establish random drug testing programs for covered crewmembers on inspected and uninspected vessels. Every marine employer is required to collect and maintain a record of drug testing program data for each calendar year, and submit this data by March of the following year to the Coast Guard in an annual Management Information System report.

The Coast Guard set the calendar year 2023 minimum drug testing rate at 50 percent of covered crewmembers.

The minimum random drug testing rate is effective January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.

Note: As a member company of The Maritime Consortium, Inc., the 50 percent testing rate does not necessarily mean 1/2 of your crew will be tested in a given year.  All Maritime Members belong to a single, approximately 10,000 employee pool.  By regulation, the random selection process is blind to us.  Therefore, members of any given company may or may not be selected and an employee could be selected multiple times.  Your membership fees cover the costs of any/all randoms your employees may be selected for.

The Coast Guard requires marine employers to establish random drug testing programs for covered crewmembers on inspected and uninspected vessels. Every marine employer is required to collect and maintain a record of drug testing program data for each calendar year, and submit this data by March 15th of the following year to the Coast Guard in an annual Management Information System report.

The Coast Guard Authorization Act increased the civil penalty for non-compliance with chemical drug testing to $7,500 per day. This penalty also applies to failure to conduct post-accident alcohol testing.

Another change provided by the Act requires procedures to ensure that after a serious marine casualty occurs, alcohol testing be conducted no later than two hours after the casualty occurs unless such testing cannot be completed because of safety concerns directly related to the casualty. This rule applies to crewmembers or other persons responsible for the operation or safety-sensitive functions of the vessel or vessels involved in the casualty. (For more information, see Serious Marine Incident.)

The Department of Transportation has issued guidance on drug and alcohol testing for federally regulated transportation workers, all modes may face challenges complying with regulations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please see the release:
https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/

Please don’t hesitate to contact the Maritime Consortium, if you have further questions.

Today, Jim Swart, the Director of the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance Office of the Department of Transportation issued a “Compliance Notice” relating to the recent initiative passed by some states to permit the use of marijuana for “recreational purposes.” The notice was issued due to recent inquiries to the DOT about whether these state initiatives will have an impact upon the DOT’s longstanding regulation about the use of marijuana by safety‐sensitive transportation employees – pilots, school bus drivers, truck drivers, train engineers, subway operators, aircraft maintenance personnel, transit fire‐armed security personnel, ship captains, and pipeline emergency response personnel, among others.

DOT “Recreational” Marijuana Notice Full Statement

Under drug testing regulations paralell to those for Marine Employers, the FAA has proposed $359,350.00 in civil penalties to GKN Aerospace Chem-Tronics for their alleged failure to pre-employment test or receive verified negative drug tests for 17 people hired to perform safety sensitive functions. Other irregularities were cited alleging improper testing or failure to random test several employees in accordance with DOT regulations.

All marine employers are urged to consider their drug testing program very carefully to ensure their compliance with the regulations. Ultimately it is you, the marine employer, who is responsible for ensuring that you are in compliance with the Coast Guard’s drug testing regulations.

FAA Press Release

On August 16, 2010, DOT published a final rule which will go into effect on
October 1, 2010. This rule affects anyone in a random drug testing program
mandated by the US Coast Guard.

The new regulation adds MDMA known on the street as Ecstasy to the list
of drugs screened for in DOT mandated drug tests.
For initial tests, the agency lowered the cutoff levels for detecting the
presence of cocaine and amphetamines, and heroin was added to the list.
Initial tests are the first tests done on samples. If a sample shows
positive results for illegal drugs, it is then put through a confirmation
test.

Drugs that will be screened for once the regulation goes into effect include:

• Marijuana
• Cocaine
• Opiate metabolites of codeine and/or morphine
• 6-Acetylmorphine, which is heroin
• Phencyclidine, commonly referred to as PCP
• Amphetamines of AMP and/or MAMP, such as speed
• MDMA, street name Ecstasy

Beginning October 1, any USCG mandated drug tests will automatically
incorporate the regulations. There are no additional actions required