b'FOGHORNFOCUS: SAFETYDangerous Drug Use Levels:A Rising Concern for Mariners, Maritime Industry and the U.S. Coast GuardBy Patrick J. Mannion, U.S. Coast GuardT he modern maritime industry is a complex and chal- known safety risk to life, property and the environment. In lenging environment for employers and for mariners.order to identify these users and remove them from safety-Operating a passenger vessel requires an expansivesensitive positions, the most effective tool available to marine knowledge spanning a wide-range of issues. In our modernemployers, sponsoring organizations and the Coast Guard is industry, it is not enough to be an excellent mariner whosedrug testing. skills have been honed by years at sea. Today, passengerCoast Guard regulations (33 CFR Part 95, 46 CFR Parts vessel operators must also be knowledgeable about4 and Part 16) establish clear and uniform standards for law, finance, insurance,drug and alcohol testing. personnel management,The Coast Guard has notThey serve to provide marketing, and complianceclear guidance to mariners, with safety regulations. Allyet finalized the 2018marine employers, sponsor-of this while producing aMIS reporting year data,ing organizations and Coast profit. It is no easy task andbut there are indicationsGuard personnel on how becomes more difficult asthat the Positivity-Rateand when drug and alcohol the years go by.will remain above testing should occur. These In early 2019 the U.S.regulations apply the Coast Guard returned the1 percent and require theCoast Guards strategy of Minimum Random DrugCoast Guard to continuedeterring, detecting and Testing Rate (random rate)the 50 percent random removing dangerous drug to 50 percent, leaving manytesting rate for 2020.users from safety-sensitive employers and mariners topositions aboard a vessel. question why, and worryIt has been said that, that it will raise compli- safety regulations will ance costs. This article addresses these concerns to promoteachieve little unless the mariners and industry believe in a better understanding of why the maritime workforce drugand apply them. In my experience as the leading Coast testing efforts will require greater attention to stem the risingGuard advocate and regulator for drug and alcohol testing, tide of dangerous drug use. mariners and industry believe strongly in the value of drug For over 160 years, the Coast Guard, in its many variants,testing regulations. The proof is in the historical record. has served as a regulatory oversight agency for the maritimeCoast Guard regulation 46 CFR Part 16.230(f)(1) permits industry in order to promote maritime safety. Credentialingthe reduction of the random rate whenever the Positivity-of mariners, vessel inspections, navigation safety, and marineRate falls below 1 percent. The rates of dangerous drug casualty investigations continue to be core missions of theabuse in the maritime industry dropped precipitously from Coast Guard. Lesser known, but no less critical in advancingthe 8 percent drug test failure rate commonly found in the maritime safety, is the mission of the Coast Guards Drugearly 1990s to a record low of 0.7 percent in 2013. That record and Alcohol Prevention and Investigation Division (DAPI).stands as testament to what is possible when the Coast DAPI exists to deter, detect and remove dangerous drugGuard works in partnership with mariners and industry to users from serving in safety-sensitive positions aboard areduce dangerous drug use. In recognition of industrys com-vessel. Dangerous drug or alcohol use by crewmembers is amitment and efforts to prevent dangerous drug use in the maritime workforce, the Coast Guard reduced the Minimum Random Testing Rate from 50 percent to 25 percent in 2015. This was welcome news for us all. About the AuthorSo, why did the Coast Guard return to a 50 percent Patrick Mannion is a Master of Towing-Unlimited andrandom rate? The simple answer is that the Coast Guard Master 1600-Oceans. He currently serves as theraised the Minimum Random Testing Rate because data U.S. Coast Guard Drug and Alcohol Prevention andreported to the Coast Guard by marine employers and spon-Investigation Program Manager.soring organizations indicates dangerous drug use within the existing maritime workforce is on the rise. 18 AUGUST 2019FOGHORN'