Answer

What constitutes an individual’s need for DOT testing? Does any employee that walks on a pipeline site require a DOT test?

According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) 49 CFR Part 199 defines a covered employee as the following:   “Covered employee: A person who performs work on a pipeline or liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility an operation, maintenance, or emergency-response function.”   The official DOT document has been attached below for further review. Anything specific or additional requirements beyond this would need to be confirmed by the company operating the pipeline you’re performing work on.

According to the FMCSA, “Drivers who perform only FTA-regulated safety-sensitive functions are exempt from Part 382, including the Clearinghouse requirements, as are their employers. These drivers and employers are subject only to the alcohol and/or controlled substances testing requirements of Part 655. On the other hand, FTA-regulated entities that employ drivers who also perform FMCSA-regulated safety-sensitive functions must comply with the relevant alcohol and/or controlled substances testing requirements of Part 382.”

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA), each vehicle should carry a log to track Spotted Lanternfly inspection or control measure activities and must keep those records for two years.

The following are examples of logs that you can use:

Form Example A

Form Example B

Form Example C

As of last year, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture no longer distributes stickers or window hangs, instead a paper permit must be kept in the vehicle at all times.