I think that’s BS. What union “rule” supersedes federal law. I’m surprised the CG fell for it. Must have been kids.
I always refuse a drug test for at least 5 minutes or so until the piss test guy gets upset. Then I urinate and everybody is happy.
2 Likes
I’d disagree. I domt smoke but a friend in high school did. She was valedictorian and had solid a pluses throughout her high school career
dont know but a land based crane guy doesnt have a USCG ticket does he?
What are you disagreeing with?
I only know what is required by the CG for seaborne vessels.
That standards go down with pot
does drug testing by the USCG cover all people on a vessel or just ones with USCG tickets?
As far as I know, licensed and non-licensed, any body with an MMC or a license.
Huh?
The crane operators wouldn’t have an MMC and aren’t considered crew. That would be like CG boarding a cruise ship and someone insisting they test all the passengers
I think the status of crane operators & riggers are determined by the companies & USCG on a case by case basis. I have worked oil field seismic vessels & the non MMD carrying seismic staff were considered passengers & weren’t drug & alcohol tested with the ships crew. I also worked on scientific research vessels & the non MMC carrying research crew were considered offshore workers & were randomly drug tested with the rest of us. I’ve never heard of 3rd party longshoremen, stevadors or line handlers being drug tested by a vessel operator or USCG but I guess it could happen if their employers & unions were on site to give approval.
1 Like
If there is an injury onboard while the vessel is in port, even if the injured person does not hold a document, a test is supposed to be done to be submitted in 2692 b. Or so I was told once. The example given was an agent who hurt his foot on a car carrier’s ramp while carrying the mail aboard. The Coast Guard did not take kindly to the lack of prompt alcohol and drug testing before he went ashore to visit a doctor. It doesn’t make sense logically, but neither do half the things the Coast Guard wants us to do.
1 Like
Reading comprehension issues? I was referring to land based businesses lowering the drug testing standards because too many applicants failed the current drug tests. Some of the world’s smartest people smoke weed including some of my acquaintances. I simply don’t want them running around on my boat or operating a crane over my fragile cranium while impaired.
3 Likes
As I posted above, I only know what is required by the CG for seaborne vessels.
1 Like
That may have been a port policy that stated this. But I doubt it would have been a USCG policy. The rule only applies to a select set of transportation workers. And on a ship, that means a crew member (whether or not he holds an MMC).
But I’ve seen plenty of non-credentialed crew walk off the job when asked to submit by the company. Since no MMC, there is nothing to stop them from getting hired by another company.
If there was an accident and CG was involved, I have no idea what would happen if a crew member refused to be tested. Could they be jailed?
I think a crew member with a MMC or license would be putting that document in jeopardy but not jailed unless criminally charged and found guilty.
Concerning the supposed required drug/alcohol tests for anyone aboard involved in an accident for the 2692b form. Do you know if that is a CFR somewhere or did the facility/ship have an implied consent sign posted? I’ve seen a lot of “implied consent” placards over the years but I would guess they were posted in less than half of the facilities & gangplanks that I crossed. If I was at a post office, bank, car dealership or Taco Bell conducting business & a manager tried to prevent me from leaving to hang around for a required drug test I would probably laugh at them as I was walking out the door. I don’t use drugs, I’m happy for the random drug tests for mariners to weed out loose cannons but feel somewhat offended at the personal freedoms that I think we are slowly giving away.
4 Likes
It’s a conundrum.
Thomas Jefferson in a famous quote said, albeit in simpler times : “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
As @Steamer said in another post, to paraphrase " What the hell is happening to this country?"
I think the answer is globalism.
4 Likes
I think the point was more that the vessels master was responsible for not testing all concerned parties in a reportable injury. Nothing was going to happen to the agent if he tested positive (at least with regards to the coast guard) but the master would be deemed negligent in not doing a proper report. It has stuck with me for years and I treat every possible 2692 like one that will sink my career if not covered from all angles. You can’t be faulted for doing too much in their eyes. Only too little.
2 Likes