The Associated General Contractors of Northwest Ohio, Inc. (AGC) has joined with local trade associations, the local building trades and major users of construction services to form the Northwest Ohio Great Lakes Construction Alliance (NWOGLCA). The mission of the Alliance is to reduce the overall cost of construction while encouraging additional development. One way in which the Alliance hopes to accomplish this mission is by utilizing a substance abuse program that will include initial, random, annual, for cause and post-accident screening.

The Alliance’s Substance Abuse Policy states in part, “Striving to make a zero injury career a reality remains the primary goal of the Alliance. A workplace unencumbered by the influences of illegal drugs and alcohol is necessary to assure this goal.”

The Substance Abuse Policy is to be used to conduct screen for illegal drugs, substances and alcohol on unionized construction projects. The policy will apply to all employees and potential employees of contractors, subcontractors at all tiers, including bargaining unit and non-bargaining unit employees.

There will be a single Medical Review Officer (MRO) for the entire area covered by the NWOGLCA Substance Abuse Policy. The MRO will be the sole individual who has access to employee medical records and drug screening results. The use of the sole MRO will protect the confidentiality of the employee’s record.

This substance abuse program will utilize an Identification Card for entry onto job sites. Only employees who have been issued an appropriate identification card or are in the process of being issued a card and who are current with the NWOGLCA policy may be employed on a project requiring this policy.

There are six instances for screening in the policy. They are:

• Initial drug screening: for all potential employees of contractors at all tiers...who are not current with the NWOGLCA policy.
• Random screening: 25% of the workforce employed on NWOGLCA Substance Abuse Policy jobs shall be tested at random.
• Periodic screening: all employees will be tested a minimum of once every 12 months to maintain their status as “current with the policy.”
• Screening for cause: all employees may be tested...when a reasonable suspicion exists that the employee appears to be under the influence of illegal drugs or substances and/or alcohol.
• Post accident screening: an employee with a chargeable accident shall be required to submit to post-accident screening.
• MRO-Directed screening: after a positive test, employees are subject to unannounced screenings...as directed by the discretion of the MRO.

With the implementation of the substance abuse policy, the NWOGLCA has shown another example of what the construction industry in this area has to offer – positive labor/management relations. This relationship is only strengthened by the involvement of the construction users and the development of the Alliance and it bodes well for the future of the industry.