The Builders' Association: Builders' Association unveils drug-testing program

Miles Boyer is manager of the Southern Division of The Builders' Association.

Established in 1887, The Builders' Association has served the building construction industry for more than 100 years. The primary purpose of the association is to provide services of value to its membership and to represent the members' interests to the best of its ability.

Over the years, the association has developed important services, including labor relations, governmental affairs, workers' compensation and health insurance, electronic plan room, safety training and consulting, and a wide range of education and training services. The association continues to update and add new services to meet the needs of its members.

The association recently developed the Mo-Kan Construction Industry Substance Abuse Program, a new drug- and alcohol-testing program designed to reduce substance abuse throughout the industry.

Contractor and union officials are highly optimistic the program will achieve its objectives. "This program will lower the risk of accidents and injuries, save costs, improve productivity and encourage employees who do test positive to seek treatment," said Don Greenwell, a member of The Builders' Association staff and chairman of the CISAP Trust Fund.

"CISAP's inclusion of random drug testing is an improvement over predictable testing done annually or before the employee begins work on a project," said Jim Miller, assistant vice president/safety director, J.E. Dunn Construction Company.

CISAP is expected to have a positive impact on insurance premiums. Hoot Gibson, director of the Builders' Association Self-Insurers' Fund, said, "Workplace accidents that involve drugs or alcohol are still a significant problem in the construction community. This program will have a tremendous impact in reducing workplace accidents."

Greenwell added, "We intend for CISAP to be a model program nationally."

A number of local unions have already entered into the CISAP agreement. They include Laborers Locals 264 and 1290 (Kansas City area) and 676 (Springfield); Operating Engineers Local 101 (Kansas City and Springfield areas); Bricklayers Local 15 (Kansas City area); Teamsters Local 541 (Kansas City area); and Cement Masons and Plasterers Local 518 (Springfield).

Additional unions are expected to sign on in the future. To participate in the program, the employer must be signatory to a collective bargaining agreement.

A multi-employer, multi-craft Taft-Hartley Trust Fund has been established for CISAP contributions. O.B.A. Midwest Limited is the fund administrator.

As program administrator, Corporate Care, a health care organization, will manage the random selection of names and a network for the collection of specimens. A medical review officer hired by the program administrator will verify any positive test results.

Funding by participating employers commenced on April 1, 2003. Initial testing of all employee participants began in September 2003. CISAP ID cards will be issued to all employees.

Following a positive drug test, the employee will not be released to work for any participating employer until return-to-work testing has been conducted and the employee has tested negative. In-depth training and information for the various parties will be managed by the CISAP Trust Fund.

Additional information about the CISAP program can be obtained from The Builders' Association.