What Drug and Alcohol Training Does the Coast Guard Require for Marine Employers?

Under 46 CFR 16.401, a marine employer provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all crewmembers, and each EAP includes education and training on drug use for crewmembers and the employer's supervisory personnel. The employer may establish the EAP as part of its internal personnel services or contract with an entity that provides EAP services to crewmembers.

Under 16.401(b), the EAP training program is conducted for crewmembers and supervisory personnel and includes at least these elements:

• The effects and consequences of drug and alcohol use on personal health, safety and the work environment
• The manifestations and behavioral cues that may indicate drug and alcohol use and abuse
• Documentation of training given to crewmembers and the employer's supervisory personnel

Supervisory personnel receive at least 60 minutes of training under 16.401(b). The section does not set a minimum length for crewmember training.

Under 16.401(a), the EAP education program includes, at a minimum, display and distribution of informational material, of a community service hot-line telephone number for crewmember assistance and of the employer's policy on drug and alcohol use in the workplace.

Supervisor training rules for DOT agencies are covered in What Drug and Alcohol Training Does FTA Require for Transit Employers? and What Reasonable Cause Training Must FAA Supervisors Complete?.

Learn Laws® offers USCG Designated Employer Representative Training (DER), a course of about 2 hours for USCG designated employer representatives on marine drug and alcohol testing under 46 CFR Parts 4 and 16 and 49 CFR Part 40.

Designated Employer Representative Training is one of the services shown on a small number of MyDrugTesting.com trainer profiles.