Fines Proposed For GKN Aerospace Chem-Tronics, Inc., Circor Aerospace, Inc., Woodward, Inc

The FAA is proposing civil penalties against three California aircraft repair stations. GKN Aerospace Chem-Tronics, Inc., in El Cajon, Circor Aerospace, Inc. in Sylmar, and Woodward, Inc. in Santa Clarita, have all allegedly violated FAA drug and alcohol testing regulations.

The FAA alleges GKN failed to conduct required pre-employment drug tests and receive verified negative drug test results before hiring 17 people to perform safety-sensitive functions. The alleged violations took place between May and December, 2011. The FAA also alleges the company failed to test four randomly-selected individuals for alcohol use in January, April and July, 2011; failed to carry out all the required drug and alcohol testing for two employees as part of the return-to-duty process; and conducted inappropriate post-accident drug testing for two employees. The proposed penalty is $359,350.
 
The FAA discovered the alleged violations during an inspection of GKN’s testing program, Jan. 23-27, 2012.
 
The agency's proposed fine against Circor is for failure to conduct required pre-employment drug tests and receive verified negative drug test results before hiring 29 people to perform safety-sensitive aircraft maintenance work. The FAA also alleges the company failed to include two individuals in its random drug and alcohol testing pool.
 
The FAA discovered the alleged violations during a December 2011 inspection of Circor’s antidrug and alcohol misuse prevention program. The alleged violations took place between September 2010 and December 2011. That proposed penalty is  $205,250.
 
The third company is Woodward HRT, which the FAA says failed to conduct the required tests before transferring or hiring 12 people to perform safety-sensitive aircraft maintenance work, and that the company failed to include six individuals in its random drug and alcohol testing pool.
 
Other alleged violations include failing to administer a return-to-duty drug test to one employee after he completed a substance abuse treatment program. The company’s testing firm also allegedly used an expired intoximeter bottle to perform calibration checks on a breath-testing device.
 
The FAA discovered the alleged violations during an inspection of Woodward’s required drug and alcohol testing program April 9-13, 2012. The alleged violations took place between August 2010 and March 2012. The agency is seeking a penalty of $246,450 against the company.
 
All three companies have 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

FMI: www.faa.gov