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Feb 11, 2019 [Ayr, ON] –
Nov. 21, 2018 [Ayr, ON] – H.R.6: SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act
It’s been referred to as the single largest bill to combat the drug crisis in the history of the United States. In 2017, there were 3,987 deaths linked to the use of opioids in Canada, which represents 11 lives lost per day. Today, more than a staggering 115 people in the United States die each day after overdosing on opioids.
Federal Bill H.R.6, which is referred to as the “Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act” was signed into law on Oct. 24, 2018, by President Donald Trump in part of the ongoing conflict to stop and prevent the opioid epidemic in the United States.
H.R.6 includes Medicaid, Medicare and public health reforms to combat the opioid crisis through treatment and recovery programs, improving prevention and protecting communities against illicit synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl.
The most significant part of Bill H.R.6 for DOT-mandated alcohol and drug testing is Subtitle I—Fighting Opioid Abuse in Transportation. The Act outlines detailed requirements on the Departments of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Department of Transportation for rulemaking and implementation of changes to alcohol and drug testing in the transportation industries.
A summary of these requirements with timelines is detailed below:
Please see https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr6 for bill information and https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-115hr6enr/pdf/BILLS-115hr6enr.pdf for a PDF version of the bill.
If you have questions or would like more information regarding this article please email DriverCheck@DriverCheck.ca.
November 21st, 2018 | administratorAug 21, 2018 [Ayr, ON] – Fitness for Duty Summit (Oct 3 & 4) Work safe for the moments that matter.
We asked the DC team to think about the moments that matter most in their lives and the outcome was overwhelming. We all have reasons to work safe. What are yours?
This is why we work safe – Fitness for Duty Summit
Join us for our upcoming Fitness for Duty Summit and gain insight on a variety of topics including the pending legalization of cannabis for adult use (scheduled for October 17) and no defined test for impairment, the significant growth of medicinal cannabis authorizations (exceeding 300,000 patients), the opioid epidemic that has taken Canada by storm and mental health in the workplace.
The objective is to provide valuable information and resources to employers so that they can put actionable items in place to achieve safety in the workplace and ensure that everyone makes it home at the end of the workday.
To register for this event, please click here: Fitness for Duty Summit.
August 21st, 2018 | administrator
July 18, 2018 [Ayr, ON] – This week we sat down with Shelley Uvanile-Hesch, CEO of the Woman’s Trucking Federation of Canada (WTFC) to discuss WTFC’s goals of creating a network for women in the trucking industry, empowering women, expanding employment of women as well as improving & promoting training standards, safety around large commercial vehicles and promoting trucking as a viable career option for youth. We are incredibly proud to have Shelley as an industry partner!
July 18th, 2018 | administrator
July 6, 2018 [Ayr, ON] – Welcome to a new series we are calling “Client Impact”. Join us as we explore the ways DriverCheck impacts it’s industry partners, their staff, and their clients. This series is all about building a personal connection between our partners and the DC family, showing perspective and giving new meaning to our everyday roles, as well as showcasing companies that go the extra mile when it comes to health and safety.
Please enjoy & make sure you check out Jazz Aviation’s website to learn more about Jazz and their unbelievable company culture!
July 6th, 2018 | administrator
June 18, 2018 [Ayr, ON] – Meet Christine Quick. She is smart, kind and funny. Realistically, she should have been a comedian but instead, she decides to spend her days at DriverCheck as our Occupational Health Department Manager and we are so grateful! Keep watching to learn more about Christine, why she loves working at DC and her adorable pugs!
June 18th, 2018 | administrator
June 11, 2018 [AYR, ON] – In the arbitration decision of Lower Churchill Transmission Construction Employers’ Association representing Valard Construction v. IBEW Local 1620 (Tizzard Grievance), in Newfoundland, Arbitrator John Roil considered whether an employer violated the duty to accommodate in deciding not to place a medicinal cannabis user in a safety-sensitive role.
The grievor, Tizzard, in this case, had osteoarthritis and Crohn’s disease and had been medically authorized to use cannabis from a medical clinic that authorizes cannabis. The referral to this clinic was made after other treatment methods had been attempted without success (including prescribed cannabinoid Nabilone). The Arbitrator was satisfied that all alternative treatment options had been trialed and exhausted and that “accommodation could not reasonably be found in this case by changing the Grievor’s medication”.
Tizzard was authorized 1.5g a day of less than 20% THC at first (which was later increased to 22% THC). He stated that he would consume this each evening and reported no signs of feelings of impairment in the morning.
In 2015, the grievor began working at the Project as a Utility Person. When he was authorized to begin using medical cannabis in 2016, he advised his supervisor who took no issue with the use of cannabis in the evening. The grievor ceased working there in 2016 due to a shortage of work. He then became aware of a Labourer position with another employer, Valard, on the Project. His acceptance was subject to a satisfactory drug and alcohol test.
Valard sought additional information from the Grievor’s physician about his authorization. That labourer position was canceled but another position for an Assembler became available and Tizzard again applied, but did not get the job.
Through an investigation process, a letter was sent to his authorizing physician and he was asked to see a SAP to rule out substance use disorder presumably. Tizzard advised that they laughed at him and advised he did not have an addiction he had a ‘prescription’. He did attempt to discontinue his cannabis use for 5 months.
Similar to what we often see from physicians authorizing cannabis, the physician advised not to drive or operate machinery for 4 hours after inhalation and 6 hours after ingestion. She also advised that the significant effect was gone in about 2 hours and that she did not feel that the “level of impairment remaining the next day would affect his job performance”
The Arbitrator concluded that the project is a safety-sensitive workplace.
The Arbitrator held it would constitute undue hardship to accommodate the Grievor.
This was based on the medical and pharmacological evidence, which he concluded the following:
The Arbitrator held the grievor could not perform the workplace positions without potentially impacting the safety of the workplace. He also noted his assessment was based on these two roles only as there was no evidence called to suggest there were other positions of a non-safety sensitive nature that may have been appropriate. On the issue of the safety risk, the arbitrator stated:
“The safety hazard that would be introduced into the workplace here by residual impairment arising from the Grievor’s daily evening use of cannabis product could not be ameliorated by remedial or monitoring processes. Consequently, undue hardship, in terms of unacceptable increased safety risk, would result to the Employer if it put the Grievor to work. As previously stated, if the Employer cannot measure impairment, it cannot manage risk.”
Medical cannabis is expected to continue to grow for many reasons. One of which is that many patients with medical cannabis authorizations who test positive on a roadside test are exempt from prosecution in a number of European countries. If this indeed occurs in Canada, we will most certainly expect a continuing upward trend in the number of authorizations for Cannabis.
What this Arbitration tells us is that cannabis impairment can last for 24 hours and if an employee is using daily, this will pose a safety risk in a safety sensitive workplace. Safety is paramount and all employers must investigate each and every employee using medical cannabis in a safety sensitive role. DriverCheck’s Medical Cannabis Review Program can help you! Contact cannabis@DriverCheck.ca
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June 11th, 2018 | administratorJune 1, 2018 [Ayr, ON] – In this video, Executive Director of the CFL Alumni Association (CFL AA), Leo Ezerins tells us why the CFL AA has partnered with the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation and how the partnership has inspired the CFL AA to lead healthier lives while inspiring others. For simple health, tips visit DontChangeMuch.ca/CFL/
June 1st, 2018 | administrator
April 13, 2018 [Ayr, ON] – People all over the world put on their best jerseys April 12/18 in support of the recent Humboldt Broncos tragedy. DriverCheck was no exception. As a small town business, this hits home for us all. All staff wore yellow, green or their favorite jersey to show their love. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this tragedy.
April 13th, 2018 | administratorApril 4, 2018 [Ayr, ON] – We catch up with Leo Ezerins, Executive Director of the CFL Alumni Association and former Grey Cup champion to discuss life after football and how the CFL Alumni Association supports their members during the big life transition.
April 4th, 2018 | administrator
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