A study of opioid overdose cases from the past 10 years points to a history of previous addiction, mental illness and having other chronic diseases among the strongest predictors of which overdose patients are most at risk for death or other serious complications.

The Department’s drug and alcohol testing regulation, 49 CFR Part 40, provides the specific requirements for when and how to obtain written employee authorization to disclose drug and alcohol testing information.

Fatal accidents involving stoned drivers have soared in the state of Washington since marijuana was legalized there, according to a study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. But it's difficult to determine whether a high-on-pot driver is too impaired to drive, according to a separate study from the same group.

DOT is determined to keep America’s airlines the safest in the world.  It is with that thought in mind that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, issued a final rule on May 13, 2016, prohibiting the carriage of battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices (e.g. e-cigarettes, e-cigs, e-cigars, e-pipes, personal vaporizers, electronic nicotine delivery systems) in checked baggage.  This includes prohibiting the charging of such devices and batteries aboard aircraft.

• Join NSC and thousands of organizations across the country as we work to raise awareness of what it takes to stay SafeForLife. Observed annually in June, National Safety Month focuses on reducing leading causes of injury and death at work, on the roads and in our homes and communities. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Probuphine, the first buprenorphine implant for the maintenance treatment of opioid dependence. Probuphine is designed to provide a constant, low-level dose of buprenorphine for six months in patients who are already stable on low-to-moderate doses of other forms of buprenorphine, as part of a complete treatment program. Read More

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale's birthday. These permanent dates enhance planning and position National Nurses Week as an established recognition event. As of 1998, May 8 was designated as National Student Nurses Day, to be celebrated annually. And as of 2003, National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurses Week each year.

The FMCSA Portal provides single sign-on access to FMCSA systems via a single password and user ID. It enables Federal, State, and industry users to access the Agency's existing information systems with a single set of credentials and have easy access to safety data about the companies regulated by the FMCSA.   Motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, intermodal equipment providers, and cargo tank facilities will have secure access to their company information on file with the F

Improving the way opioids are prescribed through clinical practice guidelines can ensure patients have access to safer, more effective chronic pain treatment while reducing the number of people who misuse, abuse, or overdose from these drugs.

Do you employ safety-sensitive employees who must take drug and alcohol tests regulated by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT)? 

Most organizations conduct prevention activities throughout the year, culminating in a community-wide event during National Prevention Week. If there are circumstances that make scheduling an event at the end of May difficult, there are other ways to participate. For example, you may choose to hold events during another week in May leading up to National Prevention Week instead. You might also consider scheduling prevention activities before or after the third week of May to accommodate the needs of your community.

The FMCSA Contact Center serves customers via phone, electronic (email, web form, chat), fax and print mail. The Office of Registration and Safety Information’s mission is to provide the best registration and operating authority customer service possible to the CMV industry and to external and internal partners, with a focus that raises the bar for entry into the motor carrier industry.

Each April since 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.

Join AAOHN in Jacksonville, FL, April 11-14, 2016, for an intensive four-day conference filled with continuing education, networking and professional development. Our 2016 conference theme is "Leading the Future: Endless Possibilities in Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing," and, as an attendee, you can learn current and cutting-edge best practices and explore the latest technology and resources to improve the management of your occupational and environmental health and safety practice.

Over the last few years, DOT has issued historic consumer rules protecting the rights of the flying public.  And today, we took one more step toward ensuring better treatment of passengers by finalizing a ruletha

Kidney Action Day is a free, fun-filled, family-friendly event with a serious purpose: helping people understand their risk for kidney disease and how to prevent it. 

Although some states have legalized “medical” or recreational use of cannabis, illicit use remains more common. These investigators analyzed the proportion of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and other cannabinoids in 37,606 samples of cannabis plants seized by the U.S.

For fifty years the Department of Transportation has been working to ensure that the nation’s transportation system is safe, efficient, accessible, and environmentally friendly.

Throughout February, you can expect events highlighting the role of transportation in opportunity. Look for feature profiles of DOT employees whose work advances the Department's opportunity goals.

President Lyndon B. Johnson declared the first American Heart Month in 1964. Ever since then, the month of February has been dedicated to cardiovascular health.

The delivery of SAP services is a challenging endeavor. The SAP is a multi-tasking polymath who applies in-depth knowledge of addictionology, psychology, social work, complex federal regulations, legal contingencies, treatment options and substance use testing to the business of helping an individual successfully comply with DOT return to duty requirements. It’s a lot of work and a lot of responsibility.  What can easily get lost in the complexity of the job is the fact that lives are being saved. Every day.

The FMCSA monitors and ensures compliance with regulations governing both safety (all carriers) and commerce (for-hire carriers). Companies may find they are subject to both registration requirements (USDOT Number and MC Number) or either one separately. FMCSA has launched a phased rollout of the Unified Registration System (URS).

People experiment with drugs for many different reasons. Many first try drugs out of curiosity, to have a good time, because friends are doing it, or in an effort to improve athletic performance or ease another problem, such as stress, anxiety, or depression. Use doesn’t automatically lead to abuse, and there is no specific level at which drug use moves from casual to problematic. It varies by individual. Drug abuse and addiction is less about the amount of substance consumed or the frequency, and more to do with the consequences of drug use.

The USDA has free online app called SuperTracker. It tracks your food, your physical activity, you can look up recipes and count calories. It's a fun free way to test out whether or not you like tracking your food and exercise. So many of us start off the new year by signing up with a gym, or new fitness program and then we are locked into it for months, when we really are ready to drop out after several days. So instead, check this out first.