Advice on joining a drug testing Consortium

[Captain Graham]

Hello All,

I would like some advice on joining a drug testing Consortium.
For those who do not know, a drug testing Consortium does random drug tests and many employers in the marine industry require you to be a member of one.

Is there any difference between them?
I travel a lot for business so I was thinking one that have testing facilities all around the country would be best.

Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

[boatman61]

I have been following your threads and you do seem to be going way over the top for what your considering doing re deliveries etc.. some of the biggest drunks I have seen have been sailing instructors.. will the next thread be for alcohol testing centres..
I have never been asked to provide evidence that I am drug free and only asked about my alcohol use on a couple of occasions.. folks seem more concerned as to whether I smoke and if I do so below decks (never, even on my own boat) than drugs or alcohol abuse.
To be frank if you are liable to use either while on a job or on a voyage you are fool and a liability..
I don't mean a glass of wine or a beer with a meal.. but more than that, then it can become a problem.

[WSMFP]

The USCG requires drug testing membership so not sure what all the alchohol related comments are about but what ever. I'm a member of APCA which is based in St. Pete. They notify you via email and you can visit any quest diagnostics location. It's $85 a year.


https://apcadrugtesting.com/

[wedivebc]

I am a professional marine engineer, I work for the Department of National Defense on a weapons test range and I am not subject to drug test although if any marine industry job should be it would be mine.

[belizesailor]

Such services already exist. What would you accomplish, or do better, by creating anoher one?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by WSMFP

The USCG requires drug testing membership so not sure what all the alchohol related comments are about but what ever. I'm a member of APCA which is based in St. Pete. They notify you via email and you can visit any quest diagnostics location. It's $85 a year.


https://apcadrugtesting.com/

Because alcohol comes under the same 'Do not Drive, Do not operate heavy machinery' etc that Classed and Prescription Drugs come under.. open to prosecution if caught.. aka DUI.
Or is boozing on the job USCG approved.???

[Captain Graham]

Originally Posted by WSMFP

The USCG requires drug testing membership so not sure what all the alchohol related comments are about but what ever. I'm a member of APCA which is based in St. Pete. They notify you via email and you can visit any quest diagnostics location. It's $85 a year.


https://apcadrugtesting.com/

Thank you for answering my question.
I will look into APCA.

[Captain Graham]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Such services already exist. What would you accomplish, or do better, by creating anoher one?

I do not understand your post, I am not starting a drug testing business.
Maybe you posted this to the wrong thread.

[Bill O]

Since drug testing/screening and analyses for drugs was in my professional past, could offer a little advice. Some of these are obvious:


1. Look for a testing group that is monitored/certified by outside proficiency testing. Not all do this extra step. (potentially could add extra annual fees to you)
2. How long have they been in business and the experience of the scientists (# of years) in drug testing.
3. Do research to determine if the have many false positives in their testing. They aren't going to publicize this fact and you'll need to dig on line for legal cases against them.
4. Program fees/cost and what you get. Obviously they vary.


Bill O.

[Snore]

I too am in the APCA consortium. Like boatie said, there are a lot of guys who drink and run boats. Some even smoke marijuana recreationally and take a chance on the test.

It's all fun and games until things go bad-- and then...


Ya know at this point I think you owe some of us a drink... Or two.... or three

[CaptTom]

Another good one is Maritime Cosortium Inc. They've been around forever and I've been very satisfied with their services.

[JasonS]

My better half and I are also APCA members. They're professional, communicate well, and annual cost is extremely reasonable. Testing is typically done at Quest Diagnostics so you're likely to have a center close by.

[Cpt Mark]

If you are doing deliveries those rules do not apply as I read them. They are only for commercial operations involving paying passengers or transportation of products, towing etc.

I wouldn't bother with it. Your call.

I never have had anyone ask me if I or my crew used any type of drug. I have had clients after a detailed walk through of their boat show me the most important part of the boat, an extremely well stocked liquor cabinet LOL. My reputation was zero tolerance on drugs and little to no alcohol on board. I never had an issue.

As a Captain on a tour boat I had a guest slip and fall, broke her leg. This was on a dry deck, 55' catamaran in flat calm water, no wakes. It was a horrible break but I radioed the Coast Guard immediately for medical assistance. They told me to come into the office the next morning and fill out an accident report. I showed up and the guy was furious I waited so long. I calmly told him I was doing as instructed the night before. It's all on tape. He immediately apologized, handed me paperwork and then told me my crew and I had to go get drug tested that day. I argued, unsuccessfully, that it was a slip and fall blah blah blah. They have a box to check so there you go.

You are wayyyy overthinking this.

[roland stockham]

This seems wierd and somewhat redundant. In the past I have done drug testing for a US company in the UK. The key points where that subjects where picked at random, given no notice and that we could prove chain of custerdy throughout the process. Unless the consortium is going to turn up unanounced at you workplace don't see how they can acieve any of those standards. Asking you to go into a lab within a specific time frame defeats any test for water soluble drugslike anphetamines. That would seam to make the test legally invalid and pretty much a waste of money. Would be intersted in how this works

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Another good one is Maritime Cosortium Inc. They've been around forever and I've been very satisfied with their services.

I am also using these guys, no problems so far.
Required for running my charter boat business, also need an alcohol tester onboard and numerous USCG forms in case of accidents, incidents, fuel spill, etc.

To make sure everything was 100% right, I invited the USCG to come and inspect my operation, examine me and the paperwork, etc.
Like drawing friendly fire, but came out 100% and learned stuff during the examination: 4 Officers showed up, some of them was in training so the lead guy had to be very “in-depth”

Here is the link if anybody wants to invite the USCG for a visit over tea and biscuits: UPV Examination USCG charter boat regulations, A site to help Charter Boat Captains stay in compliance with the latest regulations, All UPV Charterboat 6 pack requirements

Link to my charter operation: OdinCharters| WireFrame Home