2015 DATIA Conference

AlcoPro exhibited at the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry (DATIA) annual conference in Miami, FL earlier this month.  For those readers who don’t know about DATIA, the association is primarily focused on workplace drug and alcohol testing, with particular emphasis on the testing required by U.S. Dept. of Transportation regulations.

Here are a few highlights from the 2015 Annual Conference.

• The message from Patrice Kelly, Acting Director of the DOT Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy Compliance, was “We like safety!”  Ms. Kelly reiterated the Dept.’s position that despite the legalization of marijuana by several states, the drug remains illegal on the Federal level and DOT-covered employees are prohibited from having it in their system regardless of state laws.
• DATIA is spearheading an effort to coordinate the drug testing policies and procedures among different countries.  This is a growing need for multinational companies who operate not only in the USA but throughout the world.
• “Expert Testimony in Breath Alcohol Testing,” a presentation by Betye Bailey, Corporate Training Manager for Intoximeters, Inc. reinforced the importance of thorough, quality training and for refresher training.  The gist of Betye’s presentation:  perform the alcohol test correctly, and perform it the same way every time.  We were glad to hear that because that’s the goal of AlcoPro’s BAT and Collector training.
• Electronic signatures are on the way for Alcohol Testing Forms, although no one knows for sure when they will be approved.  Several vendors, including Intoximeters, exhibited prototypes of electronic Alcohol Testing Forms.

For those readers who offer drug and alcohol testing services for the workplace, DATIA can be a great resource.  For more information visit DATIA.org.