How To Undertake A Workplace Drug Testing

By Michael Burns


It is recommendable for a company to conduct drug screening for its workers to ensure that they are reliable enough in their services. This should be done before new employees are hired and should be done to those who are established as well. Make sure that the company policies and state laws allow this kind of consideration to avoid infringing the rights of your employees. The following are essential guidelines for workplace drug testing to think through.

Take note of the different types of screening. There are three types of drug screening in a workplace. This includes pre-employment, post incidence and random. Pre-employment is done before an employee is hired. Post-incident is considered after an accident has incurred to an employee, and there are no proofs of mechanical failure or workplace failure. Random screening is done on an occasional basis to prevent any form of medication.

Explain as to why screening is important. Undertaking a substance abuse screening in a workplace can destroy the kind of relationship between the employers and employees. Therefore, one has to explain the benefits of such consideration to maintain a good relationship. The entire process is considered to safeguard the welfare of the workers and integrity of a company as well.

Take note of the methods used in this process. A screening provider can use a couple of methods to test the presence of drugs in an employee. One can use saliva, urine, hair, blood, and nails. Hair testing can indicate the presence of a drug for an extent of one year whereas the rest have a much-limited duration. They can detect drugs that were taken over a period of one to five days. Blood screening is highly disregarded since it is considered to be an invasive technique.

Consider the kind of drugs that are tested. Common drugs that are tested in a company include opiates such as heroin, codeine, and morphine. Besides testing is done to detect cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine. Alcohol is required to be tested as well. Reasonable suspicion can help one conclude whether one is on alcohol. This includes odors of alcohol, unusual behavior, slurred speech and unsteady walking.

Make sure that the rights of your employees are considered. The state does not direct companies to undertake this process although it expects companies to guarantee the safety of its employees. In that case, one has to explain the objectives of this procedure, explain how the procedure will be carried out and acquire consent from the employer. Such considerations are made to avoid infringing the rights of the respective workers.

Evaluate the screening provider you decide on. You need to rely on a professional screening provider to guarantee accurate results. An ideal professional is expected to have reliable industrial experience, have the right certification and capacity to use advanced technology. Besides that, you expect the professional to have a customized procedure to undertake this process. Such consideration is made to avoid a one-size fit all program which has few chances of achieving your goals.

Calculate the costs incurred. Undertaking this process in a company can incur a lot of costs. Therefore, compare different professionals to narrow down on one with the most affordable charges. Ensure that the respective expert can deliver excellent services despite the cheap pricing.




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