By Joe Reilly<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
This article originally appeared in the\u00a0September 2014<\/a>\u00a0issue of\u00a0Occupational Health & Safety<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Born some 30 years ago, drug testing in the workplace connects to occupational safety as a key component towards protecting the\u00a0safety,\u00a0health\u00a0and\u00a0welfare\u00a0of people engaged in\u00a0work or employment as well as the general public.\u00a0 Drug testing programs can contribute to the reduction of employee injury and illness related costs, including medical care, sick leave and disability benefit costs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A survey of human resource professionals recorded that companies with high workers\u2019 compensation incidence rates (more then 6%) reported a drop from 14% to 6% after implementing drug testing programs, an improvement of 57%.\u00a0 This survey from March 2011 was conducted by the Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA\u00a0merged with\u00a0NDASA<\/a>\u00a0in 2023) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) an annual survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported an estimated 23.9\u00a0million Americans aged 12 or older were current (past month) illicit drug users.\u00a0 This estimate represents 9.2\u00a0percent of the population aged 12 or older.\u00a0 8.9 percent of those employed full time reported use of illicit drugs, drug use is prevalent in our workplaces.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Drug testing programs provide a powerful deterrent to drug use on the job.\u00a0 Employers not drug testing will have more drug users employed then employers with drug testing programs and those employers not drug testing will experience more accidents and more workers compensation claims.\u00a0 Employers who are drug testing are committed to reducing occupational injuries and illnesses and to sending a clear signal they care about their employees.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It is important to distinguish between drug testing and drug testing programs, a comprehensive drug testing program or drug free workplace will include several additional components which will contribute to helping to improve safety while reducing OSHA recordables, injuries and worker\u2019s compensation claims.\u00a0 These drug free workplace components are critical to a successful program designed to be an effective part of a workplace safety plan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Drug Free Workplace Components<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Employers will typically conduct drug testing for pre-employment<\/a><\/strong> but often overlook other important drug testing types of drug testing including random, reasonable suspicion, post- accident, return to duty and follow up drug testing.\u00a0 An effective drug testing program will include all of these types.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Random drug testing is an effective deterrent to employee drug use.\u00a0\u00a0 Many employers overlook random drug testing.\u00a0 A pre-employment test is easy to beat for a drug user, they stop using drugs for a few days, employers with no random testing will never deter drug use for this employee and possibly never detect this employees\u2019 drug use.\u00a0 Employers not conducting random drug testing are taking a risk towards workplace accidents and other detrimental effects of maintaining a substance user on the payroll.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Reasonable suspicion drug testing<\/a><\/strong> is a critical safety measure, an employee may be impaired while working and must be taken out of their work position and the drug and\/or alcohol test will verify that the employee may have used drugs or alcohol while at work or before coming to work.\u00a0 Supervisor training is critical to a reasonable suspicion of drug and alcohol testing.\u00a0 A supervisor who has not had reasonable suspicion supervisor training will rarely confront a suspected drug or alcohol user for a confrontation and drug and alcohol test. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Although employers do sometimes look at post accident testing as an important part of their program, many times once the accident occurs overlook the need for the post accident drug and alcohol test.\u00a0 This can dramatically reduce the return on investment on a drug testing program. Post-Accident drug testing is an effective way to send a strong, zero-tolerance message to employees, reduce an employer\u2019s liability for drug-related workplace accidents and reduce an employer\u2019s claims experience and exposure.\u00a0 In many States a positive post-accident drug or alcohol test can lead to denial or reduction of workers\u2019 compensation benefits; this is typically referred to as the intoxication defense.\u00a0 The intoxication defense can be asserted in a workers compensation claim if there is evidence that the employee was intoxicated at the time of the accident, and if that intoxication \u201ccontributed\u201d to the cause of the accident. The intoxication defense begins with a positive drug or alcohol test result.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Return to duty and Follow Up drug testing are conducted on employees returning to work after a previous positive drug test or self-admission to a substance abuse program and after a treatment program.\u00a0 These employees must be monitored for deterrence and detection of future drug use or alcohol abuse.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Traditional drug testing programs have evolved over the years.\u00a0 Many are familiar with the standard five panel drug test which includes testing for marijuana, amphetamines, phencyclidine (PCP), cocaine, and opiates.\u00a0 Drug users are aware of this testing and many have moved on to other drugs typically not detected.\u00a0 Unfortunately Department of Transportation (DOT) regulated drug testing programs<\/a><\/strong> allow only the five panel drug test.\u00a0 However, employers not regulated by DOT should look at expanded testing panels.\u00a0 Company policies should be reviewed and updated to include additional drugs such as prescription opioid painkillers (such as hydrocodone, hydromorphone, and oxycodone), antidepressants (i.e., benzodiazepines) and others including Methamphetamine, Methadone, Barbiturates, Propoxyphene, Synthetic cannabinoids\u00a0(K2<\/a>,\u00a0Spice<\/a>) and bath salts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Other changes in drug testing include the specimen types, many programs now test with oral fluid or hair as opposed to urine.\u00a0 DOT regulated programs still require a urine test and State laws should be reviewed before starting any drug testing program, the particular differences between urine, hair and oral fluid are typically based on detection times.\u00a0\u00a0 Detection times vary depending on many factors, including drug potency, tolerance, fluid intake at time of test, method and frequency of marijuana use, body type, metabolism, exercise frequency and many others.\u00a0 Oral fluid testing has the shortest detection time around 1 \u2013 3 days, urine at 2 \u2013 5 days (sometimes longer for marijuana) and up to 90 days for hair testing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n As an employer are you taking every step necessary to provide a safe workplace.\u00a0 An employee who works under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work poses a serious safety risk to himself and those around him. Drug testing programs connect to safety. As an employer, you have both a right and an obligation to maintain a safe and healthy work environment. Enacting a clear drug testing policy to eliminate workplace substance abuse is an important step toward maintaining a safe work environment.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n +++++++++\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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