[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR219.601]

[Page 230-231]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
       CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
                             TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 219--CONTROL OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE--Table of Contents
 
           Subpart G--Random Alcohol and Drug Testing Programs
 
Sec. 219.601  Railroad random drug testing programs.


    (a) Submission. Each railroad must submit for FRA approval a random 
testing program meeting the requirements of this subpart. A railroad 
commencing operations must submit such a program not later than 30 days 
prior to such commencement. The program must be submitted to the 
Associate Administrator for Safety, FRA, for review and approval by the 
FRA Administrator. If, after approval, a railroad desires to amend the 
random testing program implemented under this subpart, the railroad must 
file with FRA a notice of such amendment at least 30 days prior to the 
intended effective date of such action. A railroad already subject to 
this subpart that becomes subject to this subpart with respect to one or 
more additional employees must amend its program not later than 60 days 
after these employees become subject to this subpart and file with FRA a 
notice of such amendment at least 30 days prior to the intended 
effective date of such action. A program responsive to the requirements 
of this section or any amendment to the program may not be implemented 
prior to approval.
    (b) Form of programs. Random testing programs submitted by or on 
behalf of each railroad under this subpart must meet the following 
criteria, and the railroad and its managers, supervisors, officials and 
other employees and agents must conform to such criteria in implementing 
the program:
    (1) Selection of covered employees for testing must be made by a 
method employing objective, neutral criteria which ensure that every 
covered employee has a substantially equal statistical chance of being 
selected within a specified time frame. The method may not permit 
subjective factors to play a role in selection, i.e., no employee may be 
selected as the result of the exercise of discretion by the railroad. 
The selection method must be capable of verification with respect to the 
randomness of the selection process, and any records necessary to 
document random selection must be retained for not less than 24 months 
from the date upon which the particular specimens were collected.
    (2)(i) The program must select for testing a sufficient number of 
employees so that, during the first 12 months--
    (A) The random testing program is spread reasonably through the 12-
month period.
    (B) [Reserved]
    (ii) During the subsequent 12-month period, the program must select 
for testing a sufficient number of employees so that the number of tests 
conducted will equal at least 50 percent of the number of covered 
employees. Annualized percentage rates must be determined by reference 
to the total number of covered employees employed by the railroad at the 
beginning of the particular twelve-month period or by an alternate 
method specified in the plan approved by the Associate Administrator for 
Safety, FRA. If the railroad conducts random testing through a 
consortium, the annual rate may be calculated for each individual 
employer or for the total number of covered employees subject to random 
testing by the consortium.
    (3) Railroad random testing programs must ensure to the maximum 
extent practicable that each employee perceives the possibility that a 
random test may be required on any day the employee reports for work.
    (4) Notice of an employee's selection may not be provided until the 
duty

[[Page 231]]

tour in which testing is to be conducted, and then only so far in 
advance as is reasonably necessary to ensure the employee's presence at 
the time and place set for testing.
    (5) The program must include testing procedures and safeguards, and 
procedures for action based on positive test results, consistent with 
this part.
    (6) An employee must be subject to testing only while on duty. Only 
employees who perform covered service for the railroad are subject to 
testing under this part. In the case of employees who during some duty 
tours perform covered service and during others do not, the railroad 
program must specify the extent to which, and the circumstances under 
which they are to be subject to testing. To the extent practical within 
the limitations of this part and in the context of the railroad's 
operations, the railroad program must provide that employees are subject 
to the possibility of random testing on any day they actually perform 
covered service.
    (7) Each time an employee is notified for random drug testing the 
employee will be informed that selection was made on a random basis.
    (c) Approval. The Associate Administrator for Safety, FRA, will 
notify the railroad in writing whether the program is approved as 
consistent with the criteria set forth in this part. If the Associate 
Administrator for Safety determines that the program does not conform to 
those criteria, the Associate Administrator for Safety will inform the 
railroad of any matters preventing approval of the program, with 
specific explanation as to necessary revisions. The railroad must 
resubmit its program with the required revisions within 30 days of such 
notice. Failure to resubmit the program with the necessary revisions 
will be considered a failure to implement a program under this subpart.
    (d) Implementation. (1) No later than 45 days prior to commencement 
of random testing, the railroad must publish to each of its covered 
employees, individually, a written notice that he or she will be subject 
to random drug testing under this part. Such notice must state the date 
for commencement of the program, must state that the selection of 
employees for testing will be on a strictly random basis, must describe 
the consequences of a determination that the employee has violated 
Sec. 219.102 or any applicable railroad rule, and must inform the 
employee of the employee's rights under subpart E of this part. A copy 
of the notice must be provided to each new covered employee on or before 
the employee's initial date of service. Since knowledge of Federal law 
is presumed, nothing in this paragraph (d)(1) creates a defense to a 
violation of Sec. 219.102.
    (2) A railroad commencing operations must submit a random testing 
program 60 days after doing so. The railroad must implement its approved 
random testing program not later than the expiration of 60 days from 
approval by the Administrator.