FAA Says High Drug-Positive Rate For Maintenance Workers...
The survey, which is posted at ARSA's Web site, has a form for certificated repair stations and another form for non-certificated maintenance subcontractors. ARSA says participation is critical to its efforts to prevent the extension of drug and alcohol testing requirements. The deadline to participate is June 18. The FAA says the proposed changes are necessary because airlines are outsourcing more and more maintenance, and there is a high drug-positive rate for maintenance workers. About half of all positive drug- and alcohol-test results reported by aviation employers are for maintenance workers, the FAA said. "If we do not require the testing of all employees who perform safety-sensitive functions directly or by contract (including by subcontract at any tier) for an employer, we would omit from testing employees in the aviation industry who have demonstrated a significant history of illegal drug use and alcohol misuse," the FAA said. "Therefore, we believe this proposal is in the interest of aviation safety." The FAA is accepting comments on the proposal until Aug. 16 at its Web site; type in Docket No. FAA-2002-11301.

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