SECON is a division of CEC that conducts comprehensive drug testing and screening services worldwide. The company is a 24/7 operation and is on call for the Gulf of Mexico region which includes offshore drilling platforms. SECON’s staff perform collections and on-site testing services for major oil companies, aviation clients, transportation and construction industries. They also perform for-cause and post-accident collections nationwide. In the high risk world of offshore drilling, safety concerns are of utmost importance for the crew, the environment, and product integrity.

SECON: Safety First

West Caldwell, NJ June 17 -

As an orange sun rises over a heliport hanger, the Sikorsky S-92 sits on the tarmac waiting for its passengers. The plump, 12-seat helicopter was built for long distance passenger transports and has a range of approximately 800 miles which makes it the perfect helicopter for the day’s mission. The S-92 is taking SECON employee Leroy Dugas to an offshore oil rig, one of over 4,000 that dot the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. As Leroy boards the helicopter, he says hello to the other passengers that include a well-trained drug inspection K9 and his handler.

The job today for Leroy Dugas is to ensure safety and security on an offshore oil rig by providing drug testing services for rig workers and a contraband inspection of the entire facility utilizing a narcotic detector K9 team. These services are often procured by energy companies that operate oil rigs in order to comply with federal safety regulations and to meet their own robust internal safety policies.

Federal offshore oil production in the Gulf of Mexico makes up a significant part of the total U.S. crude oil production—over 17% by some estimates. As gasoline prices have dropped, some production in the Gulf has slowed though the region still maintains a very large offshore workforce. The Gulf Coast also has a high concentration of other energy related services and contains over 45% of total U.S. petroleum refining capacity and 51% of the total U.S. natural gas processing plant capacity.

Working on offshore oil rigs is extremely dangerous work. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) ) and U.S Coast Guard (USCG) say that rig workers are exposed to several work related hazards including struck-by, caught-in, and caught-between accidents, explosions and fires, falls, confined spaces accidents, ergonomic hazards, high pressure lines and equipment, electrical and other hazardous energy, and machine hazards. Given this long list of hazards and potential accidents, it’s no wonder that companies that operate these rigs have a zero tolerance approach to alcohol and substance use and abuse.

Tim Gibson, Director of Health Safety & Environment at Diamond Offshore says that drug testing its workers plays a critical role in ensuring the safety of the individuals that work on offshore drilling rigs. Diamond Offshore has a fleet of 35 offshore drilling rigs around the world, consisting of 24 semisubmersibles, five dynamically positioned drillships, and six jack-ups.

“Safety is a major priority in our industry and especially at our company. To maintain a safe workplace anywhere, you need to have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to people working under the influence of drugs and alcohol,” said Gibson.

Gibson adds that in addition to pre-employment and a strong random drug screening program, offshore Safety Department Representatives are also trained to observe any irregular behavior that may indicate substance or alcohol use. If a worker is suspected of being under the influence, Gibson said, the company has strict policies and procedures to quickly address the matter and determine whether the employee is suitable for continued employment.

Diamond Offshore contracts with SECON to provide its random drug screening tests. SECON workers will often fly offshore to a rig to drug test employees. Other times, SECON staff station themselves at a heliport or boat dock to test crews as they return from and depart to offshore rigs.

“The safety and security of our offshore fleet is crucial to our ability to grow our business. We value our partnership with SECON and know that their capabilities allow us to quickly, efficiently, and accurately meet our offshore drug testing needs,” said Gibson.

The ride on the S-92 today will be a long one - 150 miles to the rig, where the S-92 sets down. Upon arrival Leroy meets with the director of safety on the rig who walks him through the safety protocols specific to their operation.

Today, the energy company that operates the rig has required that all of its occupants get tested with nine panel urine screens. A nine panel test looks for specific metabolites of methamphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, marijuana, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine, methadone, and propoxyphene. As he sets up his equipment, the K9 inspector and his handler sweep the rig looking for illegal narcotics and alcohol. The K9 services are subcontracted by SECON.

“The presence of a SECON employee on an offshore oil rig sends a strong message to its workers that substance use and abuse in this field will not be tolerated. We provide a valuable service to ensure safety standards are met and also act as a deterrent,” said Christian Brugman, Operations Manager at SECON.

When the collections are completed, the SECON representative returns to land and the samples are picked up or delivered to the SAMHSA certified laboratory located in New Orleans. On this trip Leroy is able to return when done, but there are other times when representatives have to remain on board for an extended period due to weather conditions after completing their sampling.

SECON was established and incorporated in 1981 as a K9 search company. Upon the enactment of federal Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, SECON began offering on-site drug testing collections, on-site breath alcohol testing, and detector dog team searches to existing clients. Since that time, SECON has grown to a fully integrated provider of comprehensive drug testing and specimen collection services for criminal justice, government and professional service clients.

SECON maintains its headquarters in Lafayette, Louisiana, with an additional service center in Houma. SECON’s client base covers a wide range of industries and services including oil & gas, manufacturing, construction, criminal justice, and transportation. SECON also provides services to all levels of government (local, state, and federal).

SECON personnel have provided collection services for national and international clients since 1982. Company officials have testified before congressional committees, state and civil service hearings, and regularly advise courts as experts in sample collections. SECON maintains highly trained staff, including a Lab Director and two additional employees that are C-SAPA (Certified Substance Abuse Program Administrator), of which there are less than 250 nationally.

Community Education Centers, Inc. (CEC) is the leading provider of offender reentry, in-prison treatment and jail management services in America, operating in 16 states and the Commonwealth of Bermuda. CEC provides a full range of therapeutic residential and non-residential reentry services with a documented record of reducing recidivism.