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Friday, 19 December, 2008

2009 Drug And Alcohol Testing Rates Announced

 

December 19, 2008

What’s at Issue
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released the 2009 anti-drug and alcohol misuse prevention program testing rates for personnel engaged in specified safety-sensitive aviation activities.


Why It’s Important
Using test history data for the two programs, the FAA adjusts the testing rates annually to reflect the percentage of covered employees that tested positive.  The testing rates determine how many employees require random testing each calendar year.


Major Provisions
In determining testing rates, the FAA studies the positive test rates for the preceding calendar year.  The 2009 testing rates for the aviation industry are the lowest allowed by law and reflect the extremely low rates of positive results in drug and alcohol testing occurring in the aviation industry.

Random Drug Testing Rate
Effective for the year 2009, the minimum annual percentage rate for random drug testing for covered aviation industry employees remains at 25 percent.

Random Alcohol Testing Rate
Also effective for 2009, the minimum annual percentage rate for random alcohol testing for covered aviation industry employees remains at 10 percent.


NATA Position
The association encourages affected members to review their current drug and alcohol testing policies to ensure that they are in compliance with these testing requirements.


Status
The rates are effective for tests conducted January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2009.


Staff Contact:
Jacqueline Rosser
Director, Regulatory Affairs
jrosser@nata.aero

To download a PDF copy of this Regulatory Report, please click here.

For general press inquiries, contact Shannon Chambers at 703-298-1347 or schambers@nata.aero

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has been the voice of aviation business for more than 80 years. Representing nearly 3,700 aviation businesses, NATA’s member companies provide a broad range of services to general aviation, the airlines and the military and NATA serves as the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies.