Repair station drug-testing obligations clarified

Under new FAA anti-drug and alcohol-misuse regulations, repair stations are responsible only for their own compliance, and not the compliance of their contractors, the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) determined. After the FAA on January 12 released clarifying regulations for its anti-drug and alcohol-misuse prevention program, the agency sent a letter to Alexandria, Va.-based ARSA confirming that repair stations are not responsible for ensuring that their contractors and subcontractors are included in such prevention programs. The agency said it intends to address the issue of contractor employees in a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking. ARSA said it “will continue to work closely with the FAA to ensure that the concerns of the aviation maintenance industry are communicated to those who will resolve this issue in the supplemental notice.”