April 22, 2020 Update- InOut Labs will reopen for collections AND COVID-19 Antibody Testing.
March 21, 2020
InOut Labs is issuing the following statements regarding the continued operation of drug testing facilities during the COVID-19 crisis.
Drug testing is essential to public safety and business operations. Drug and alcohol testing is required by federal regulations for the transportation industry as described in 49 CFR Part 40 and drug, and alcohol testing must be completed per US Department of Transportation regulations for DOT agencies FMCSA, FAA, FTA, FRA and PHMSA.
Under the DOT’s Emergency Declaration Under 49 CFR § 390.23 No. 2020-002 (https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/emergency/emergency-declaration-under-49-cfr-ss-39023-no-2020-002):
Nothing contained in this Emergency Declaration shall be construed as an exemption from the controlled substances and alcohol use and testing requirements (49 CFR Part 382), the commercial driver’s license requirements (49 CFR Part 383), the financial responsibility (insurance) requirements (49 CFR Part 387), the hazardous material regulations (49 CFR Parts 100-180), applicable size and weight requirements, or any other portion of the regulations not specifically exempted under to 49 CFR § 390.23.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s “Shelter in Place” Executive Order, effective 3/21/20 at 5 pm CDT, specifically lists Essential Services. InOut Labs falls under at least two categories.
The Healthcare and Public Health Operations section of the Executive Order specifically lists “organizations collecting blood, platelets, plasma, and other necessary materials; … other healthcare facilities and suppliers and providers of any related and/or ancillary healthcare services …. Healthcare and Public Health Operations shall be construed broadly to avoid any impacts to the delivery of healthcare, broadly defined. ”
Further, the Essential Infrastructure section lists Transportation. InOut Labs is an official Service Agent to the transportation industry, providing drug and alcohol testing as required by federal regulations. Without participation in random drug and alcohol testing programs, regulated employers and their employees are not permitted to operate.
In addition, non-regulated employers are required to provide safe workplaces. Many of these employers consider employee drug testing to be a tool essential to providing a safe workplace. Taking this valuable tool away would jeopardize employees as well as the general public. Employee drug testing is essential for all employers who employ safety-sensitive workers.
Specimen collections for drug testing must be conducted in person, and cannot be conducted remotely. InOut Labs provides essential services and at this time, our office is open and ready to serve you.
In order to protect our own employees, as well as those we test, all InOut Labs staff are trained to interact with donors according to CDC recommendations for health workers. In our clinic, we are utilizing hospital-grade disinfectants to keep all spaces clean and ready for work. Hand sanitizer is available to all who enter, and available chairs in our waiting room are a minimum of 6 feet apart. No more than 5 people will be permitted inside at once.
InOut Labs is encouraging healthy employees to complete their random testing. We are also asking DERs to call and make appointments with collection sites to ensure that employees are getting in and out as quickly as possible and that the sites are taking appropriate measures to protect themselves and your employees.
Please check this page for any updates.
