ShieldHow many boxes can your
program actually check?
A compliant drug-free workplace program has twelve distinct components. Most organizations operate with six or fewer.
Scroll to audit yours.
Scroll through each pillar.
Watch your score in real time.
Each pillar explains what auditors look for, the most common failure points, and what a compliant version looks like.
Your program score updates as you review each pillar.
Written Policy
What it is
A documented, signed policy distributed to every employee stating prohibited substances, consequences, and testing triggers.
Supervisor Training
What it is
Supervisors must be trained to identify reasonable-suspicion indicators — behavioral, physical, and performance-based — before requesting a test.
Employee Education
What it is
Every covered employee must receive education on the dangers of substance abuse, company policy specifics, and available assistance resources.
EAP Referral
What it is
An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) must be identified and communicated to employees before any testing is conducted.
Testing Protocols
What it is
Defined triggers for pre-employment, random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, and follow-up testing.
Chain of Custody
What it is
The documented, unbroken transfer of a specimen from collection to laboratory analysis — every hand that touches it, timestamped.
MRO Review
What it is
A licensed Medical Review Officer reviews all non-negative results, contacts donors, and issues final verified results to the employer.
Return-to-Duty
What it is
After a violation, employees must complete SAP evaluation, prescribed treatment, and a return-to-duty test before resuming safety-sensitive functions.
Record Retention
What it is
Federal regulations require specific retention periods for test results, training records, and policy documents — ranging from 1 to 5 years.
DOT Categories
What it is
If any employees perform DOT safety-sensitive functions (CDL drivers, pipeline operators, transit workers), a separate DOT-compliant program is mandatory.
State-Law Alignment
What it is
Thirty-eight states have enacted marijuana laws that affect employer testing rights, accommodation requirements, and adverse action procedures.
Annual Audit
What it is
A systematic annual review of the entire program — testing rates, vendor performance, supervisor compliance, policy currency, and record completeness.
Three industries. Three different
reasons the program had to be right.
across all clients
"We had a DOT compliance audit scheduled for March. Shield came in January, found four critical gaps we didn't know existed, and we sailed through."
"After our third failed random screen in 18 months, our broker put us on notice. Shield rebuilt the program from written policy to MRO contract. Premium dropped at next renewal."
"We needed a student-athlete testing policy that could survive a parent challenge and a state audit simultaneously. Shield drafted something that held up to both."
Run Your Free
Compliance Audit
A 4-minute guided diagnostic. Tell us your organization size, industry, testing volume, and policy age. We map your gaps against all 12 pillars and tell you exactly where you stand.
- No form. No sales call required to start.
- Results delivered immediately — pillar by pillar.
- Specific remediation steps, not generic recommendations.
Covers all 12 pillars · Industry-specific · Instant results
Download the 12-Pillar Checklist PDF
The same checklist our consultants use on Day 1 of every engagement. Print it. Put it in a binder. Check the boxes yourself.