Company Allegedly Violated DOT's Drug And Alcohol Testing Program

The FAA is proposing a civil penalty of $1,025,000 against San Antonio Aerospace LP for violating the Department of Transportation's Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing programs. The company was renamed ST Aerospace San Antonio in November 2009 and is a subsidiary of Singapore Technologies Aerospace, Ltd.; however, the alleged violations occurred before the company changed its name.

The FAA alleges San Antonio Aerospace failed to conduct required pre-employment drug tests and receive verified negative drug test results before hiring 90 people to perform safety-sensitive functions, a violation of federal safety regulations. Twenty-five of the employees performed safety-sensitive work before the results of their drug tests were known. The violations occurred between March 24, 2007 and May 8, 2008. "Required pre-employment drug testing is an important part of the government's effort to ensure safety at all levels of transportation," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "We take these violations very seriously."

The FAA alleges San Antonio Aerospace did not administer pre-employment drug tests to 62 workers and did not receive verified negative results prior to the date those workers were hired. Twenty-three of the workers performed safety-sensitive work before the tests were administered and before the company received verified negative results. Another 22 workers received the required pre-employment drug test, but the company did not receive verified negative results until after those workers were hired. Two of those workers performed safety-sensitive tasks before the company received verified negative results. Another six workers took their pre-employment drug tests on the day they were hired.

"Safety is compromised when our regulations are skirted or ignored," said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. "The traveling public has to be confident that the people who perform work on their planes are complying with those regulations."

San Antonio Aerospace has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA's enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

FMI: www.faa.gov