DER TRAINING COURSE - PHMSA

DER Training Course for PHMSA is a 2-hour online training course that is geared toward PHMSA-regulated workplaces. Students who complete the course will understand and be able to confidently execute the responsibilities of the role.

Your emergency response team supervisor calls while you are en route to inspect a job site. He is concerned about the new hire.

He says that the new hire, Paul, came into work late today and has been sluggish and unfocused all morning. When asked, the supervisor says that Paul told him that he has been stressed and that his psychologist prescribed him some medication a few months ago that he hadn’t felt the need to take until now. Paul didn’t disclose the prescription in his physical because he wasn’t taking it at the time and that the prescription had expired anyway.

Not wanting to get too much private medical information, the supervisor left it at that and contacted you. The supervisor is concerned that someone could get seriously hurt if Paul is not on the top of his game, but he also doesn’t want to discriminate against a person with a legitimate medical issue. He adds that it has been really hard to find someone competent to fill this position having gone through four candidates in just two months so he doesn’t want to lose this employee if he can help it.

How do you handle the situation? Do you know where to find the answer?

Does it matter if the supervisor hasn’t taken the reasonable suspicion course yet?

Does it matter if the employee reported it to the MRO first?

Course Overview

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requires that covered organizations, including the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), designate one person with the responsibility to make formal decisions regarding the drug and alcohol testing program. This person is known as the Designated Employer Representative (DER). It is their responsibility to develop a complete understanding of all federal regulations so that any decisions made are fully compliant.

This online course will prepare the DER with all of the knowledge and tools necessary to be successful and confident in the role. In addition, trained DERs are more likely to avoid making costly mistakes that could result in fines, penalties, and/or employee lawsuits.

Learners will receive thorough instruction that includes what it means to be a DER, the roles and responsibilities, specific requirements to comply with PHMSA regulations, testing and training requirements, record retention guidelines, and more.

Students learn at their own pace with our comprehensive online training program that uses videos, documents, resources, and PowerPoint presentations. Reference materials and helpful guides are also provided to assist prospective DERs in succeeding as they embark on their career. A certificate of completion can be downloaded immediately after passing the online exam.

Obtain certification as a Designated Employer Representative for the PHMSA in as little as 2 hours. Those who complete this training are fully prepared to manage a DOT and PHMSA-compliant drug and alcohol free workplace policy within their organization.

In this DER training course geared toward PHMSA-regulated employers you will learn everything you need to know to become a DER including:

• What it means to be a DER;
• The roles and responsibilities of a DER;
• The requirements for a DOT Program under your specified agency;
• How to manage a drug and alcohol-free workplace program for DOT covered employees;
• The drug and alcohol testing process and how to handle problems in testing;
• Which regulations apply to your company and how to stay in compliance;
• How to select and monitor service agents;
• Training requirements for employees and supervisors;
• Which records must be kept and for how long; and
• Best practices to avoid a poor audit result.

You will also receive resources, reference materials, and helpful guides to help you while becoming a successful Designated Employer Representative.

• Successful Designated Employer Representative (DER) students will be able to manage a drug and alcohol free workplace policy within their organization including providing the necessary training to employees and making determinations of when to test and when a refusal should be determined.
• Successful students will be able to express an understanding of industry terms and the protocols involved with the DOT and PHMSA regulations by completing an online quiz with 75% or greater proficiency.