36 MAY 2019 • FOGHORN SAFETYMATTERS related offenses require the mariner to surrender his or her credential to the Coast Guard unless it has been lost, in which case the mariner submits an affidavit attesting to its loss in place of an actual MMC. In this case, the mariner submitted an affidavit falsely stating that his MMC was destroyed, but he retained the MMC and continued to seek and gain em- ployment until the 2017 collision inves- tigation.” Fortunately, the maritime industry has access to an online MMC verifica- tion tool located on the Coast Guard’s Homeport page https://homeport. uscg.mil/mmcv where a mariner’s credentials, including medical certifi- cates can be verified. An employer or prospective employer only needs the mariner’s MMC reference number and name to complete the inquiry. The data is updated at 0700 every day, so the in- formation is as accurate as possible. In another case, a mariner was recently convicted after his employer received what appeared to be a valid MMC from him but saw that his MMC was invalid during online verification. The concerned employer contacted the Coast Guard, where an investiga- tion determined the mariner was using a forged copy of an MMC after the National Maritime Center denied his application for renewal. Any discrepancies detected during the online verification process or other concerns regarding Coast Guard-issued mariner credentials and medical certifi- cates should be reported immediately to your local Coast Guard unit or to the Suspension and Revocation National Center of Expertise at SR-NCOE@uscg. mil or (304) 433-3700. Pre-employment Background Checks Beyond mariner competency and medical fitness for duty, adherence to federal drug testing requirements is something the prospective employer must verify. Marine employers are required to obtain drug and alcohol testing information on new crewmem- bers, credentialed or not, that will be working in a safety sensitive position. After obtaining an individual’s written consent, the marine employer must request specific drug and alcohol in- formation from all the individual’s previous Department of Transportation (DOT) employers in the last two years. Each request should have the em- ployee’s original signature. Ideally the requested information is received by the potential employer before the individual starts performing safety sensitive duties; however, a marine Complete control and steering systems for vessels of all types and sizes. +1 (604)572-3935 • Surrey, BC, Canada sales@kobelt.com • www.kobelt.com KOBELT MANUFACTURING CO.LTD.