Random drug and alcohol testing at the TTC

The TTC is implementing random drug and alcohol testing as part of its comprehensive commitment to safety. Moving to this level of testing is also in response to an increased concern about the impacts of drugs and alcohol on the workplace.

Random testing applies to all employees who have been deemed to be in a designated position (safety sensitive, specified management and designated executive).

All employees are required to report to work fit for duty regardless of whether or not you are eligible for testing. All employees are subject to the TTC policies regarding workplace conduct and collective agreement where applicable.

Employees will be selected for testing at random by a computer program that is run by the TTC's third party Fitness for Duty provider, DriverCheck Inc. The TTC has no input into who is selected for testing. Each week, the randomly selected list of employees will be provided to the TTC's FFD Group within the Human Resources department.

The FFD policy defines safety sensitive positions as those that play a direct role in a job function where performance could be impacted by drug and alcohol use. This means anything from causing a significant incident to a failure to adequately respond to an incident, affecting the health, safety or security of employees, the public, property or the environment. All employees, including managers and supervisors, who may be required to perform safety sensitive duties – even temporarily – are included in this category.

Specified management positions are ones considered to be risk-sensitive because that person has significant involvement in decisions or actions that directly affect safe operations. This includes all individuals who directly supervise individuals who hold a safety sensitive position.

Designated executive positions are held by senior management, including, but not limited to department heads and above.

The designation process typically takes place when a job description is updated. The updated job description and position assessment form that has been filled out by the department is provided to the FFD Group for review and consideration. The FFD Group then provides a designation recommendation and justification to the Safety Department. A designation will be agreed upon between the FFD Group and the Safety Department and written confirmation will be sent to compensation.

The management at your work location has information about your position and its designation. The Fitness for Duty website has a list of all designated positions at the TTC.

Additional questions about position designations can be directed to the Program Lead - Fitness for Duty at 416-206-3169 or the Program Assistant – Fitness for Duty at 416-397-8896.

Human Resources administers the Fitness for Duty policy. Specifically, the Program Lead and the Program Assistant, or their designate, are responsible for consistent administration of the policy and will:

• resolve any questions of interpretation
• co-ordinate development and delivery of employee education and supervisor training programs
• schedule and co-ordinate all forms of testing, including the random program.

Each employee will be notified by a member of their management team that they have been selected for a random drug and alcohol test.

The vast majority of random drug and alcohol tests will be administered at the work location of the selected employee. In some instances, employees may be required to travel to another TTC location or travel to clinics located around the city to have their random test administered. This will be factored into the employee's regular shift and they will be paid for this time.

Employees who are selected to undergo an alcohol test will be expected to provide a breath sample for analysis in an Evidential Breath Testing Device or breathalyzer.

Samples will always be collected by a certified breath alcohol technician. The employee will immediately receive a printed copy of the result. The results will also be provided to the Medical Review Officer at DriverCheck to report compliance or non-compliance to the Fitness for Duty Program Lead.

Random drug testing is conducted using a non-invasive oral fluid test. It is the same technology and process currently used for the post-incident and reasonable cause testing at the TTC. Participants will be required to place an oral fluid collection pad in their mouth between their lower gums and cheek.

'Chain of custody' is the process and documentation that exists to protect the integrity of your sample when it is collected, transported, analyzed and reported. Chain of custody starts when you provide your oral fluid sample collection; each oral fluid sample is assigned a specimen ID. After collection, both the collector and the employee confirm that the specimen ID matches the forms and the seals that are affixed to the sample vial. A copy of the chain of custody form is sent with the sample to the laboratory. It is documented on this form every time the sample changes location and records who handled the sample.

Confidentiality is maintained throughout the process and the lab never knows the tested individual's name, only the specimen ID and their initials on the vial seals.

Random testing does not assume that the employee is impaired. If impairment is suspected during the testing process, then reasonable cause procedures are enacted.

Provided there is no reasonable cause, employees who are fully compliant with the breath alcohol test and who provide an oral fluid sample for drug testing will be returned to the workplace immediately.