Category: Industry News

When you drive for a living, you can’t expect to use drugs or alcohol to get yourself through your shift. As long as your shifts may be, you have to get yourself in the right physical and mental shape to handle them without any accidents. Alcohol testing helps employers decide who belongs on the team, so read ahead and see how alcohol testing works.

The Process
There are a couple of ways that alcohol testing can work, but the most common method is to analyze the subject’s urine. Your alcohol testing professional will have the employee step into a bathroom and give a urine sample that you can test for a multitude of drugs, including alcohol. The breathalyzers that police officers use when testing drivers for alcohol aren’t used so frequently in the workplace.

What It Does for the Company
Alcohol doesn’t stay in the system for very long compared to other drugs, so if it’s found during a pre-employment drug test, it could be a sign to take note of. No commercial driver should have any alcohol in his or her system while driving a vehicle. By testing your applicants for alcohol, you can tell which ones will pose a threat to your company and which ones will be more appropriate for the job.

How It Helps the Public
Drunk driving has become a serious threat and an unfortunate problem on the road. It causes needless injuries, fatalities, and damages, and businesses should put protective measures in place to limit the effects. By alcohol testing each of your employees during pre-employment screening and on a random basis, you can make the roads safer for everyone.

Are you looking for alcohol testing, so you can safely round out your team? Call HDS Safety Services at (520) 622-0419 so we can help. Our drug and alcohol testing services will help you screen your employees and find the best people for the job.

Business is always competitive, but the stakes are higher when you work on the road. Veteran drivers know how to avoid accidents and damages on the road, but new hires aren’t always as savvy. Keep reading for some tips on choosing qualified drivers for your business.

Run Background Checks
When you hire someone to work on your team, you acknowledge that the person will represent your company. If you want to keep your company’s name in good standing and your business on track, you should find out as much as you can about anyone you bring on board. Background checks give you some insight that can help you decide if a person is going to be an asset or a setback to your company. Use these checks to guide your decisions so you can keep moving ahead.

Use Drug Screening
Drug use hurts everyone, and your company and your clients are no exception. If you hire someone who can’t do his or her job because of a drug problem, you’ll still be held accountable for your late deliveries and any other mishaps that may happen. That’s why it’s a good idea to screen your new hires for drugs before you hire them. It’s also mandated by the DOT.

Hire Professionals
You might not have the time to screen each individual employee before hiring, but you can hire another company to get the job done. Work with a company that specializes in pre-employment qualifications to make sure you’re picking the best candidate out of the pool to add to your team of professionals.

Every commercial driving company in the industry should have qualified drivers, and at HDS Safety Services, we can help you choose the best people for your team. Give us a call at (520) 622-0419 or browse through our website if you’d like to learn about our company.

Drivers need to record their hours, and they do so with an electronic log device. As much as you trust your drivers, it helps to have an objective third party look over the electronic logs. This helps businesses carry on effectively and gives upper management some insight as to how employees are handling their duties. Here’s a brief look at ELD auditing services.

The Basics
ELD stands for electronic log device, which is what drivers use to keep track of their hours while they’re on the road. Drivers have to follow strict rules when it comes to the amount of time per day they spend driving. Spending too much consecutive time on the road can be dangerous and illegal. If drivers aren’t spending enough time driving throughout the day or night on the road, the process will take longer, and business will be held up. ELD auditing ensures that your driver’s record and report their hours of service accurately, so you can get an objective view of your crew’s progress.

Who Needs Them
If you have to record your hours of duty, you probably need to have an electronic log device. Take note that this doesn’t apply to drivers with Automatic On-Board Recording Devices. Drivers who engage in interstate commerce may also be required to have an electronic log device.

Exemptions
Not everyone needs to use electronic log devices to record their time on the job. Short-haul drivers can use time cards rather than ELD, and so can those who drive vehicles in a driveaway-towaway operation. Many vehicles that were built before the year 2000 can’t handle electronic log devices, so drivers of these vehicles are exempt as well.

Do you have questions about ELD auditing services? Call HDS Safety Services at (520) 622-0419. Check out our website to learn about our business and the services we can provide.

Trucking companies work under strict regulations and monitoring from the DOT and DPS. That’s because the safety of the industry affects the safety of roads across the nation, so drivers need to keep accurate logs, maintain their vehicles and follow inspection requirements, avoid drug and alcohol use and comply with regular screenings and random drug tests. Driver logs are one feature of your business that the DOT will pay attention to during an inspection, so it can pay off to schedule regular log audits, which will keep your drivers and your business complaint.

How does log auditing work?
Log audits can occur monthly or quarterly for a small monthly fee. During audits, safety professionals at HDS Safety Services will identify any violations and bring them to your attention. To perform an audit, simply send copies of drivers’ logs via fax, mail, or email. Services are provided nationwide, but local businesses in Tucson can also bring their logs to the HDS office in person.

What happens when violations are found?
Any violations encountered will be noted on the logs, and suggestions will be provided to remedy these issues in future trips. This will allow you to fix problems before a DOT inspection, helping you stay prepared and compliant.

Why should you use professional auditing services?
Professional auditing services can pay for themselves when you consider the costs of potential liabilities and DOT fees for violating regulations. In addition, these audits can help to ensure that you know which rules and regulations your drivers are subject to and highlight any drivers who may not be meeting the standards of your company.

HDS Safety Services offers decades of experience in audits and pre-audits to protect you from DOT violations. If you want to learn more about our services, give us a call at (520) 622-0419. You can also browse our website for further reading.

Hiring unqualified workers can turn into a liability in any industry or job setting, but it can be especially dangerous on the road. Anyone who drives for a living must understand certain safety rules and abide by them in order to avoid injuries and damages. Keep reading and see if your drivers are qualified for work.

Knowing Why You Need Qualified Drivers
Everyone you hire should be capable of performing the duties outlined in the job description, but there’s an extra level of importance placed on drivers. This is because drivers interact with other motorists, passengers, and pedestrians, so they need to know how to stay safe. An unqualified driver is more likely to cause an accident on the road, which is a liability for your company. Make sure you only hire those who have proven themselves capable of taking on the responsibilities of the job.

Discovering Your Drivers’ Backgrounds
You can only tell so much about a person through an interview, so you might want to bring in the professionals if you’re vetting applicants for a driving position. You need to make sure any driver you hire is up to the task to keep everyone on the road safe and business moving. Driver qualification file service and management can be of help, and pre-employment qualification will ensure that you only hire drivers who can perform.

Finding a Compliance Company
There’s a lot to deal with when you own a business, which can make it difficult to stay on top of compliance. A compliance company can take care of that for you, so you can focus on the other aspects of your job. Choose one that has real experience in the industry, and make sure you find the right fit before making an agreement.

A competent workforce is integral to your business’s success, so call HDS Safety Services at (520) 622-0419 and see how we can help. Compliance and safety training is one of our specialties, and you can learn all about our services by checking out our website.

Every business needs a team of knowledgeable employees in order to sustain itself. For the business to grow, these employees need to be at the top of their game. Employee training makes the workplace safer and employees more comfortable, and there are many different ways to offer this training. Continue reading and invest in employee training to grow your business.

Safety Benefits
There is no formula that can eliminate accidents in the workplace, but there are steps you can put in place to make them less likely. Employee training is one example. When employees are fully trained to do their jobs, they are less likely to make mistakes. They are more confident in their abilities, and they aren’t as prone to panicking and making a mistake that they normally wouldn’t have. In this way, employee training helps keep the business moving forward.

Types of Employee Training
Employee training makes a real impact, and there are many ways you can go about it. Maintenance inspection and training, as well as driver training and education, are types of courses that will make employees safer, more comfortable, and more knowledgeable. If in-person training isn’t viable, you can even have your workers take online training courses.

Employee Comfort
Even if you’ve been at your job for years, you might forget things now and then. If you notice that this is happening to some of your employees, you might suggest that they take a refresher course. This is particularly helpful for people who have taken a leave of injury or have been otherwise sidelined. It also ensures that everyone is on the same page so the team can work in unison.

Your employees need to know what they’re doing, and HDS Safety Services’ employee training services can help. Check out our website or call us at 877-206-1282 to see how we can help you grow your business.

Accidents happen, but they shouldn’t happen more than occasionally. Drug testing can help supervisors understand the nature of the accident and make any necessary changes to keep the workplace safe and the team in good health. Keep reading for more on why employees need to be drug tested after on the job accidents.

Understanding the Incident

No matter how much you trust an employee, it’s important to find out the real details surrounding a workplace accident. If a drug test reveals that one of the employees involved in the incident was using non-prescribed or illegal drugs, then this presents a few problems. Not only did this person violate your trust by using the drugs in the first place, but the use of that drug may have also contributed to the accident.

Maintaining a Safe Workplace

Even if you’re amazing at your job, you should never take the risk of doing it on drugs. If you have any suspicion that drug use was a factor that may have caused or facilitated the accident, it’s important to take action. Everyone deserves to work in a safe space, and accidents that occur due to employee drug use do not promote that idea, which can be detrimental to overall morale. Holding team members responsible for their actions is essential if you want to maintain a level playing field.

Keeping Employees Healthy

As upset as you might be about an accident on the job, you should still care for your employees if they are facing drug problems. If you find out that one of your employees has been using drugs—whether or not it was the cause of the accident—you should take the opportunity to encourage him or her to get help.

Are you looking to implement a drug testing policy for your employees? Contact the professionals at HDS Safety Services or head over to our website. You can also call us at (520) 622-0419 to find out how our drug testing and compliance auditing services work.

Hazardous materials are inherently dangerous, but sometimes it’s the nature of your job to deal with them. Practicing hazmat safety protects the work environment and your employees. Thorough training can help your employees stay safe and keep your operation DOT compliant. Feel free to read ahead if you’d like a closer look at hazmat safety.

Keeping a Safe Workplace

Every industry deals with its own kinds of safety hazards, and most have different ways of keeping the workplace safe. From commercial kitchen fires to construction accidents, there are always going to be problems to avoid. If you work with hazardous materials, the danger is part of the job. However, you can work with a safety and compliance company to make sure your workplace is as safe as it can be.

Training Your Employees

If you’re handling dangerous materials, you need to be confident in your ability to do so. Make sure that every new employee that you hire gets the training he or she needs to deal with hazardous materials comfortably. If there are any signs of discomfort, go over any problems that the person might have.

Being DOT Compliant

When work takes you on the road, it’s not just one workplace that you need to keep safe. Remember that your actions can affect anyone else who happens to be in your vicinity on the road. This is why the Department of Transportation holds drivers to strict rules that govern their behavior on and off the road, as well as the policies that the business itself holds. If your company deals with hazardous materials and you want to be DOT compliant, you will need your employees to be knowledgeable and safe.

If you need any help being safe when handling hazardous materials, call HDS Safety Services at (520) 622-0419. Our services include DOT compliance consulting and alcohol and drug testing. You can always check out our website if you’d like to learn more about our business.

When workers are required to use heavy machinery on the job, it is very important that they are completely sober when they arrive for their shifts. If one of your employees has recently gotten into an accident while on the job, you may want to schedule mandatory drug testing services. Drug testing can help you determine whether the accident was partially caused by drug use, and will also allow you to take the appropriate actions. Let’s take a look at why employees need to be drug tested after on the job accidents.

Determine Cause of Accident

While some accidents may be caused by malfunctioning machinery or operator error, other workplace issues could be the result of drug use. By testing your workers after an on the job accident, you will be able to know for sure whether drugs or alcohol played a role in causing the incident.

Gather Accurate Accident Data

Depending on the rules and regulations in your specific industry, you may be required to file a report after a workplace accident. Mandatory drug testing after an incident will allow you to include accurate data in your reporting. When you write your report, you should be sure to note that the worker was under the influence during the incident.

Offer Appropriate Consequences or Services

With mandatory drug testing, you will be able to determine whether your employee is experiencing substance abuse problems. After you receive the results of the drug test, you will have the knowledge that you need to take action. Depending on your workplace rules, you may offer counseling, rehab, or ultimately decide to terminate the worker.

At HDS Safety Services, we can assist you with all of your workplace drug testings. Since 1985, we have provided the Tucson area with drug screening services, DOT regulation consulting, and other safety services. To schedule an employee drug test with one of our technicians, give us a call at (520) 622-0419 and we will be happy to set up a testing date.

Drug and alcohol use can dramatically affect the health, safety, and overall performance of your workers. By implementing a workplace drug testing program, you can make sure that your employees are not abusing illegal substances. To help your workers get back on track after a drug or alcohol violation, you may want to provide them with support through a workplace rehabilitation program. Here is a look at some factors to consider when you are creating a workplace rehab program for your business.

Create Evaluation Standards

In order to create an effective workplace rehabilitation program, you will need to make sure that you are evaluating your employees using consistent standards. Routine drug and alcohol testing can provide you with important information about whether or not your workers are using substances. Once you have set up a testing and evaluation program, you will be in a better position to help.

Focus On Alternative Actions

Rather than immediately offering negative consequences, such as termination, for employees that are found abusing drugs or alcohol, you may want to focus on alternative courses of action. By diverting your workers to a rehabilitation program, you can provide them with an opportunity to improve their health, get sober, and return to work.

Work with a Reputable Organization

Creating a workplace rehabilitation program requires careful planning and consideration. If you do not have experience with treating drug and alcohol issues, it is a good idea to reach out to a reputable organization that specializes in rehabilitation. With help from a team of experts, you can create a rehabilitation program that gets results.

If you would like to implement drug and alcohol testing in your workplace, get in touch with HDS Safety Services. Our staff provides accurate drug and alcohol testing for businesses throughout the Tucson area, and we will be able to provide you with more information about how to deal with drug and alcohol violations in the workplace. Call us at (520) 622-0419 to learn more about our safety services.

In order to keep your focus on moving your business forward, you shouldn’t have to constantly worry about whether your team is being safe. By hiring trustworthy employees, you can put together a team of all stars who understand how important safety is in the workplace. Read on to find out why trucking companies need to follow DOT safety guidelines.

Hire Qualified Employees

Part of following DOT safety guidelines includes testing your employees for drugs and alcohol. This is also an important aspect of the hiring process in many industries. If you want to make sure you choose the best workers out of the applicant pool, you can do so by following these safety guidelines and only bringing clean, sober individuals on board. Keep in mind that you can also conduct drug and alcohol testing after a person has already been hired, which can be an effective technique.

Create an Effective Team

Even the best-meaning people can be liabilities if they don’t understand how to do their jobs. DOT safety guidelines recommend that you train your new employees to the best of your ability. When your employees are fully trained and competent in their duties, they’ll be more likely to stay safe on the job.

Recognize the Importance of Safety

Safety is particularly important for trucking companies, because drivers will share the road with countless other people. This means a slip up could lead to damages and injuries for workers as well as other drivers and pedestrians. By continuously reminding your employees how crucial it is to stay safe on the road, you can expect them to employ the right practices.

Trucking companies need to stay safe, and the team at HDS Safety Services is happy to help. If you’d like to find out exactly what we can do for you, go ahead and check out our website or call us at (520) 622-0419 for more information.

You always want to have the most capable team possible, and you can enhance your efficiency by making sure your employees get the proper training. There are all kinds of in-person and online training courses that can make your employees more comfortable on the job and keep the overall operation running smoothly. Read on to see if your employees could benefit with these training services.

Supervisor Reasonable Suspicion Training

As a supervisor, it’s your job to look after the team that you work with. Part of this responsibility includes detecting when an employee may be using drugs or alcohol. Supervisor Reasonable Suspicion training is an online course that familiarizes supervisors with the symptoms of drug and alcohol abuse. Anyone who is in charge of drivers should undergo this type of training so they can promote a healthy and productive work environment.

CDL Knowledge Test Review

Supervisor Reasonable Suspicion training is just one type of training service that can be conveniently completed online. A CDL knowledge test review is another online training course that can benefit your employees and strengthen your team. It’s always helpful to refresh your knowledge, and a CDL knowledge test review can do exactly that. This type of course is also great for those who are returning to the job after a hiatus.

Maintenance and Inspection Training

Some training services are a bit more hands-on, like maintenance and inspection training. Throughout this program, you will learn how to inspect your vehicle. This gives you some insider knowledge and can help you ensure that you always pass inspection, as well as pass an audit. Knowledge of proper maintenance and inspection protocol will also keep employees safer on the road.

If you think your employees could benefit from any of these training services, don’t wait to call HDS Safety Services at (520) 622-0419. You can also visit our website to learn all about our compliance and safety training services today.