MIS Roll-up Data Elements Explained
Quick Links: Drug Testing Data Alcohol Testing Data
This section summarizes the drug testing results for all covered employees to include applicants). The table in this section requires drug test data by test type and by result. The categories of test types are: Pre-Employment; Random; Post-Accident; Reasonable Suspicion/Cause; Return-to-Duty, and Follow-up.
*Note* FRA does not perform USDOT Post-Accident testing and therefore does not report these tests to the MIS system.
The categories of type of results are: Total Number of Test Results [excluding cancelled tests]; Verified Negative; Verified Positive; Positive for Marijuana; Positive for Cocaine; Positive for PCP; Positive for Opiates; Positive for Amphetamines; Refusals due to Adulterated, Substituted, Shy Bladder with No Medical Explanation, and Other Refusals to Submit to Testing; and Cancelled Results.
Assumptions: Reporting instructions state to report all "pre-employment" testing data regardless of whether an applicant was hired or not.
Column 1. Total Number of Test Results
This column is the total number of test results in each testing category during the entire reporting year. This is calculated by counting the number of test results as the number of testing events resulting in negative, positive, and refusal results. Cancelled tests are not included in this total.
Example: A employer that conducted fifty pre-employment tests would enter "50" on the Pre-employment Row. If it conducted one hundred random tests, "100" would be entered on the Random Row. If that employer did no post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, or follow-up tests, those categories will be filled with a "0" (zero).
Column 2. Verified Negative Results
This column is the number of tests in each testing category that the Medical Review Officer (MRO) reported as negative. Negative-dilute results are not included if, the employee underwent a second collection; the second test result is the test of record, this second test result would be included.
Example: If forty-seven of the employer's fifty pre-employment tests were reported negative, "47" would be entered in Column 2 on the Pre-employment Row. If ninety of the employer's one hundred random test results were reported negative, "90" would be entered in Column 2 on the Random Row. Because the employer did no other testing, a "0" (zero) should be put in those other categories.
Column 3. Verified Positive Results ~For One or More Drugs
This column is the number of tests in each testing category that the MRO reported as positive for one or more drugs. When the MRO reports a test positive for two drugs, it would count as one positive test.
Example: If one of the fifty pre-employment tests was positive for two drugs, "1" would be entered in Column 3 on the Pre-employment Row. If four of the employer's one hundred random test results were reported positive (three for one drug and one for two drugs), "4" would be entered in Column 3 on the Random Row.
Columns 4 through 8. Positive (for specific drugs)
These columns are the total of by-drug data for which specimens were reported positive by the MRO.
Example: The pre-employment positive test reported by the MRO was positive for marijuana, "1" would be entered in Column 4 on the Pre-employment Row. If three of the four positive results for random testing were reported by the MRO to be positive for marijuana, "3" would be entered in Column 4 on the Random Row. If one of the four positive results for random testing was reported positive for both PCP and opiates, "1" would be entered in Column 6 on the Random Row and "1" would be entered in Column 7 of the Random Row.]
Assumptions: Column 1 should equal the sum of Columns 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Specimen results that were cancelled are not included in this total. So, Column 1 = Column 2 + Column 3 + Column 9 + Column 10 + Column 11 + Column 12.
An MRO may report that a specimen is positive for more than one drug. When that happens, to use the employer example above (i.e., one random test was positive for both PCP and opiates), the positive results should be recorded in the appropriate columns - PCP and opiates in this case. There is no expectation for Columns 4 through 8 numbers to add up to the numbers in Column 3 when multiple positives are reported.
Columns 9 through 12. Refusal Results
The refusal section is divided into four refusal groups: Adulterated; Substituted; Shy Bladder ~With No Medical Explanation; and Other Refusals to Submit to Testing. The MRO reports two of these refusal types - adulterated and substituted specimen results - because of laboratory test findings.
When an individual does not provide enough urine at the collection site, the MRO conducts or causes to have conducted a medical evaluation to determine if there exists a medical reason for the person's inability to provide the appropriate amount of urine. If (there is no medical reason to support the inability, the MRO reports the result to the employer as a refusal to test: Refusals of this type are reported in the "Shy Bladder ~ With No Medical Explanation" category.
Additional reasons exist for a test to be considered a refusal, a full list of refusals is described in 49 CFR Part 40.
Column 9. Adulterated
This column is the number of tests reported by the MRO as refusals because the specimens were adulterated.
Adulterated specimen: A specimen that has been altered, as evidenced by test results showing either a substance that is not a normal constituent for that type of specimen or showing an abnormal concentration of an endogenous substance.
Example: If one of the fifty pre-employment tests was adulterated, "1" would be entered in Column 9 of the Pre-employment Row.
Column 10. Substituted
This column is the number of tests reported by the MRO as refusals because the specimens were substituted.
Substituted specimen: A urine specimen with creatinine and specific gravity values that are so diminished or so divergent that they are not consistent with normal human urine.
Example: If one of the 100 random tests was substituted, "1" would be entered in Column 10 of the Random Row.
Column 11. Shy Bladder ~With No Medical Explanation
This column is the number of tests reported by the MRO as being a refusal because there was no legitimate medical reason for an insufficient amount of urine.
Example: If one of the 100 random tests was a refusal because of shy bladder, "1" would be entered in Column 11 of the Random Row.
Column 12. Other Refusals to Submit To Testing
This column is the count of refusals other than those already entered in Columns 9 through 11.
Example: If the employer entered "100" as the number of random specimens collected, however it had five employees who refused to be tested without submitting specimens: two did not show up at the collection site as directed; one refused to empty his pockets at the collection site; and two left the collection site rather than submit to a required directly observed collection. Because of these five refusal events, "5" would be entered in Column 11 of the Random Row.
Assumptions: Even though some testing events result in a refusal in which no urine was collected and sent to the laboratory, a "refusal" is still a final test result.
Therefore, the overall numbers for test results (in Column 1) will equal the total number of negative tests (Column 2); positives (Column 3); and refusals (Columns 9, 10, 11, and 12). All refusals are counted as a testing event for MIS purposes and for establishing random rates, even if no urine was collected.
Column 13. Cancelled Tests
This column is the number of tests in each testing category that the MRO reported as cancelled. Cancelled tests are not counted in Column 1 or in any other column.
Assumptions: If a specimen was initially reported positive, but the split failed to reconfirm, ultimately resulting in a cancelled test, it is not counted as a positive result (in Column 3).
Example: If a pre-employment test was reported cancelled, "1" would be entered in Column 13 on the Pre-employment Row. If three of the employer's random test results were reported cancelled, "3" would be entered in Column 13 on the Random Row.
This section summarizes the alcohol testing conducted for all covered employees (to include applicants). The table in this section requires alcohol test data by test type and by result. The categories of test types are: Pre-Employment; Random; Post-Accident; Reasonable Suspicion/Cause; Return-to-Duty, and Follow-up.
*Note* FRA does not perform USDOT Post-Accident testing and therefore does not report these tests to the MIS system.
PHMSA does not perform DOT Pre-Employment, or Random Alcohol testing and therefore does not report these tests to the MIS system.
The USCG does not perform USDOT alcohol testing, Ferryboat crew members are subject to random alcohol testing, and those results are reported under FTA.
The categories of results are: Number of Screening Test Results; Screening Tests with Results Below 0.02; Screening Tests with Results 0.02 Or Greater; Number of Confirmation Test Results; Confirmation Tests with Results 0.02 through 0.039; Confirmation Tests with Results 0.04 Or Greater; Refusals due to Shy Lung with No Medical Explanation, and Other Refusals to Submit to Testing; and Cancelled Results.
Column 1. Total Number of Screening Test Results
This column is the total number of screening test results in each testing category during the entire reporting year. This includes the number of screening test events with final screening results of below 0.02, of 0.02 through 0.039, of 0.04 or greater, and all refusals. Cancelled tests are not included in this total.
Example: A employer that conducted twenty pre-employment tests would enter "20" on the Pre-employment Row. If it conducted fifty random tests, "50" would be entered. If that employer did no post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, or follow-up tests, those categories will be filled with a "0" (zero).
Column 2. Screening Tests with Results Below 0.02
This column is the number of tests in each testing category that the BAT or STT reported as being below 0.02 on the screening test.
Example: If seventeen of the employer's twenty pre-employment screening tests were reported as being below 0.02, "17" would be entered in Column 2 on the Pre-employment Row. If forty-four of the employer's fifty random screening test results were reported as being below 0.02, "44" would be entered in Column 2 on the Random Row.
Column 3. Screening Tests with Results 0.02 or Greater
This column is the number of screening tests in each testing category that a BAT or STT reported as being 0.02 or greater on the screening test.
Example: If one of the twenty pre-employment tests was reported as being 0.02 or greater, "1" would be entered in Column 3 on the Pre-employment Row. If four of the employer's fifty random test results were reported as being 0.02 or greater, "4" would be entered in Column 3 on the Random Row.
Column 4. Number of Confirmation Test Results
This column is the number of confirmation tests that were conducted by a BAT as a result of the screening tests that were found to be 0.02 or greater. All screening tests of 0.02 or greater should have resulted in confirmation tests. The number of tests in Column 3 and Column 4 should be the same.
Assumptions: Although a confirmation test is required when a result greater than 0.02 occurs, sometimes these tests do not transpire. The number reported in Column 4 must be the number of confirmation tests that were actually performed.
Example: If the one pre-employment screening test reported as 0.02 or greater had a subsequent confirmation test performed by a BAT, "1"would be entered in Column 4 on the Pre-employment Row. If three of the four random screening tests that were found to be 0.02 or greater had a subsequent confirmation test performed by a BAT, "3" would be entered in Column 4 on the Random Row.
Column 5. Confirmation Tests with Results 0.02 Through 0.039
This column is the number of confirmation tests that were conducted by a BAT that led to results that were 0.02 through 0.039.
Example: If the one pre-employment confirmation test yielded a result of 0.042, Column 5 of the Pre-employment Row should be filled with a "0" (zero). If two of the random confirmation tests yielded results of 0.03 and 0.032, "2" would be entered in Column 5 of the Random Row.
Column 6. Confirmation Tests with Results 0.04 or Greater
This column is the number of confirmation tests that were conducted by a BAT that led to results that were 0.04 or greater.
Example: Because the one pre-employment confirmation test yielded a result of 0.042, "1" would be entered in Column 6 of the Pre-employment Row. If one of the random confirmation tests yielded a result of 0.04, "1" would be entered in Column 6 of the Random Row.
Assumptions: Column 1 should equal the sum of Columns 2, 3, 7, and 8. The number of screening tests results should reflect the number of screening tests conducted regardless of the result (below 0.02 or at or above 0.02, plus refusals to test), unless of course, the tests were cancelled. Column 1 = Column 2 + Column 3 + Column 7 + Column 8.
There is no requirement for confirmation tests after a result below 0.02, as such it is not recorded on the MIS. If a test that screened 0.02 or greater went to a confirmation test; and that confirmation test yielded a result below 0.02, there is no place for that confirmed result to be entered. If a confirmation test was completed but not listed in either Column 5 or Column 6, the assumption is that the result was below 0.02.
In addition, if the confirmation test ended up being cancelled, it is not included in Columns 1, 3, or 4.
Columns 7 and 8. Refusal Results
The refusal section is divided into two refusal groups: “Shy Lung ~ With No Medical Explanation”; and “Other Refusals to Submit to Testing”. When an individual does not provide enough breath at the test site, the employee is required to have a medical evaluation to determine if there exists a medical reason for the person's inability to provide the appropriate amount of breath. If there is no medical reason to support the inability as reported by the examining physician, the employer calls the result a refusal to test: Refusals of this type are reported in the "Shy Lung ~ With No Medical Explanation" category.
Additional reasons exist for a test to be considered a refusal, a full list of refusals is described in 49 CFR Part 40.
Column 7. Shy Lung ~With No Medical Explanation
This column is the number of tests in which there is no medical reason to support the employee's inability to provide an adequate breath as reported by the examining physician; subsequently, the employer will label this result a refusal to test.
Example: If one of the 50 random tests was a refusal because of shy lung~ with no medical explanation, "1" would be entered in Column 7 of the Random Row.
Column 8. Other Refusals to Submit to Testing
This column is the number of refusals other than those already entered in Columns 7.
Example: The employer entered "50" as the number of random specimens collected, however it had one employee who did not show up at the testing site as directed. Because of this one refusal event, "1" would be entered in Column 8 of the Random Row.
Assumptions: Even though some testing events result in a refusal in which no breath (or saliva) was tested, a "refusal" is still a final test result. Therefore, the overall numbers for screening tests(in Column 1) will equal the total number of screening tests with results below 0.02 (Column 2); screening tests with results 0.02 or greater (Column 3); and refusals(Columns 7 and 8). All refusals are counted as a testing event for MIS purposes and for establishing random rates, even if no breath or saliva was tested.
Column 9. Cancelled Tests
This column is the number of tests in each testing category that the BAT or STT reported as cancelled. Cancelled tests are not reported in Column 1 or in any other column other than Column 9.
Assumptions: Alcohol screening or confirmation result greater than .02 are not reported in any column, other than Column 9, if the test was ultimately cancelled for some reason (e.g., a required air blank was not performed).
Example: If a pre-employment test was reported cancelled, "1" would be entered in Column 9 on the Pre-Employment Row. If three of the employer's random test results were reported cancelled, "3" would be entered in Column 13 on the Random Row.