Workplace Drug Testing

Why do employers perform drug testing in the workplace? There are many reasons but primarily drug testing is used by organizations to avoid hiring new employees that may pose risks in the workplace, create a safe work environment, support employee health and safety, comply with governmental or industry mandated regulations, address acute workplace drug use problems, and demonstrate social responsibility.

Employers that conduct drug testing typically do so at, or following, pre-determined circumstances. They may include pre-employment, post-accident, and reasonable suspicion testing. Some employers also utilize random, periodic, and return-to-work testing to further act as a deterrent for the use of drugs.

The methods of testing may include obtaining specimens from donors’ urine, blood, hair, sweat, and saliva, among others. Urine drug screening is the most reliable and accurate method that allows for a split specimen for verification purposes.

In all cases, a confirmation process for specimens that initially react to the presence of drugs and/or alcohol should be performed by a Medical Review Officer (MRO), a medical doctor who is trained in the handling of specimens and identifying the presence of drugs.

Does your company or organization utilize drug testing? If so, what types of testing do they perform? If not, why not? How do you feel about it?