Coast Guard Regulations for Alcohol Screening Test

From Chematics, Manufacturers of Alco-Screen and Alco-Screen 2 (DOT Approved) Alcohol Test Strips Screening Tests 

U.S. COAST GUARD REGULATIONS AND THE  ALCO-SCREEN 02 SALIVA ALCOHOL SCREENING TEST

The Regulation:

Coast Guard regulation, effective June 20, 2006 adds new alcohol testing requirements following a Serious Marine Incident.  The new Coast Guard rule requires that employees involved in a Serious Marine Incident be tested for alcohol within two hours of the incident.  The Coast Guard defines a Serious Marine Incident as follows:

• The loss of one or more lives;
• The injury of a passenger or other non-crewmember requiring more than first aid;
• The injury of a crewmember requiring more than first aid and rendering them unfit to perform routine vessel duties;
• Property damage initially estimated at $100,000 or more;
• Actual or constructive total loss of any self-propelled, inspected vessel;
• The discharge of 10,000 gallons of oil or more into the navigable waters; or
• The release of a reportable quantity of a hazardous substance into the navigable waters or the environment.

The new rule also requires that commercial vessels have an alcohol testing device on board, and authorizes the use of certain saliva alcohol testing devices to conduct the test.  The Alco-Screen 02 meets the requirements for conducting alcohol testing under this new Coast Guard rule.

The Serious Marine Incident rule requires that persons conducting the alcohol test be trained to use the alcohol testing device. 

Employees covered by the Coast Guard Serious Marine Incident rule should also be aware of the following revisions to the new rule effective June 20, 2006.

Employees who must take an alcohol test after a Serious Marine Incident may not consume alcohol for eight hours following the incident or until their alcohol test is completed. 

An employee, who refuses to provide a blood, breath, saliva, or urine, must be removed from safety-sensitive duties as soon as practical. 

Refusal to take an alcohol test is a rule violation and may subject the individual to suspension and revocation proceedings, and/or a civil penalty.

The Alco-Screen 02 saliva alcohol screening test:  

• The Alco-Screen 02 is a simple, cost-effective 4-minute screening device to determine the presence of alcohol in saliva above 0.02% and meets all requirements for the new Coast Guards regulation requiring alcohol testing following a Serious Marine Incident.
• The Alco-Screen 02 saliva alcohol test device consists of a plastic strip with a reactive pad at the tip.  The reactive pad contains enzymes that react with alcohol to create a distinct colored line across the pad to indicate a positive test.
• Each Alco-Screen 02 device comes packaged in a foil envelope.  Each package is stamped with a lot number and an expiration date.  The lot number identifies when each devices was manufactured.

For more information regarding the regulation or the Alco-Screen 02, click here,    or call 1-877-929-4633.

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