Drug Testing In The Workplace

Drug Testing in the Workplace

Drug abuse in the workplace is a very serious challenge faced by employers. The reason that drug abuse within the workplace is so serious is because it can negatively affect the company itself, the employee that is abusing the drugs, and fellow co-workers within that area. Even though we have not found the answer to completely eliminate drug abuse and bringing drugs into the workplace, drug testing is one of the most effective methods for employers to eliminate the potential harm that employees could bring into the workplace. Many variables are at risk when dealing with drug abuse in the workplace such as the quality and productivity of the goods and services offered by the company, the liability of the company

regarding the quality of the product, and the safety of the workers that are present in the workplace which are at risk of being effected by workers whom abuse drugs. Drug testing should be enforced in the workplace because without drug testing, it opens up an area for the company to be held liable for the actions of workers that are under the influence of drugs, and ultimately costing the company sufficient economic losses.
There are many types of drug tests that are issued to employees such as urine tests, hair follicle tests, sweat tests, saliva tests, and even blood tests. These different tests are used for different applications, based upon what that specific employer wants to achieve in the tests. Different tests cost different amounts of money and also show different time frames of past drug use. A urine test is the most frequently because it is the easiest, quickest, and cheapest test to get immediate results. A urine test usually costs an average of $50-$80. According to the Micro Distributing Company, “The STAT Cup is FDA approved, eliminates urine exposure, requires no steps to activate, the results are shown in 1-2 minutes, and it tests up to 12 different drugs.”
The hair test is the next most frequently used and also the most accurate. It is not necessarily the easiest and the cheapest drug test that employers can offer due to the price ranging from $100 all the way up to $650. Companies that have jobs which require a zero tolerance on any drugs, and have positions which have high safety clearances and high quality goods are more likely to pay the extra and provide a hair follicle test to the employees due to the fact that “hair tests are nearly impossible to cheat, users cannot “cleanup” quickly, users cannot use special shampoos to beat it, body hair can go back from 180-360 days, and hair tests can pick up multiple uses over time, unlike urine tests which only picks up a single use” (Rosenthal, 2015).
Sweat tests are the next frequently used method of drug testing, but this method is mainly used in the criminal justice system to monitor individuals who are on probation. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse,
Chemical analysis of human sweat may become an effective method of monitoring drug use over extended periods, according to NIDA researchers. Sweat, collected over several days or weeks in patches worn on the skin, is a sensitive indicator of heroin and cocaine use, according to Division of Intramural Research investigators at NIDA's Addiction Research Center in Baltimore (Swan).
With the patch being present on the arm of the individual being tested, it will allow the constant monitoring of drug use, instead of taking a urine test 3-4 times within a week. This method of testing is a proven way to monitor drug use, but the results are usually shown after 7-10 days of wearing the patch. A sweat patch usually costs an average of $40 a patch and can detect up to 7 different types of drugs at once. As for the accuracy of the sweat patch, “The sweat can be collected only in limited quantities, there may not be sufficient specimen for repeat or confirmatory testing. Sweat is less susceptible to tampering or adulteration than is urine. The accuracy of sweat testing is not standardized. Its accuracy remains somewhat controversial” (Watson).
Blood and saliva drug tests are the last two tests that employers use on employees.

Blood and saliva tests are usually presented at random, and the test is used to reveal workers that are currently under suspicion of being under the influence of drugs while present in the workplace. Tests like these are usually presented by the employees due to suspicion of being under the influence of drugs while being present in the workplace. As for the blood test, the examiner extracts a small amount of blood from the employee, the sample is inspected, and the results are then returned within 24 hours. Swabbing a sample of saliva from the mouth is the method in which the sample collector uses to perform a saliva test. The results from a saliva test can be retrieved instantly, with a waiting time of an average of 10 minutes. Blood and saliva tests are the most accurate out of all of the tests, but the reason they are not the most frequently used is because the tests only show accurate results of drug use between 6 and 22 hours. The cost to perform a blood test on an employee usually runs around $275 a test, and the saliva tests usually costing approximately $10 a test.

Liability is one of the main reasons behind drug testing employees. Statistics from recent studies on drug abuse by American workers, workplace drug and alcohol abuse may potentially cost U.S. businesses an estimated $100 billion each year and smaller businesses are more vulnerable to drug use in the workplace but drug tested

less than larger businesses” (Rosen). According to McLean Insurance Agency,
Drug testing should be a critical part of every employers safety program. The good news is that with advances in testing technology – such as saliva testing – employers can implement a quality drug testing program very efficiently in terms of time and money. In the area of safety, the rewards are considerable: you can protect your company against an OSHA fine, and your employees know that their co-workers do not have a substance abuse problem that could put them, customers, or the quality of work at risk (Megill).
Drug testing is an important act to take when having the position of an employer and being held responsible for the actions of the employees in the workplace. Even though a simple drug test may cost the company a few hundred dollars per test, the results will ultimately reduce the risk of casualties on the jobsite, and also lawsuits and job related problems regarding the product itself, or the interactions between employees. According to the national institute on Drug Abuse, data shows that substance abusers are almost four times more likely to be involved in workplace accidents (Megill). Studies have also shown that the general business liability insurance that most companies carry isn’t enough on its own to protect against the cost that could drain cash flow and bankrupt the business. (Megill). Drug testing is a proven method to reducing the risk of accidents happening on the jobsite and helps businesses in the long run by eliminating those possible hazards. “In addition, a survey by the National Cocaine Helpline revealed that 75% of addicts used drugs on the job and 64% admitted that drugs had adversely affected job performance. Even if your employees don’t fall into the 18-to-25-year-old age range, drug testing is essential” (Megill). Without the enforcement of drug testing, it exposes an opportunity for issues dealing with safety, liability on the company, and also economic costs that the company has to pay. Even though drug testing does not eliminate the use of drugs completely, it shows an example of the effort put forth in hopes of eliminating drug use in the presence of the workers.
The quality of work has shown to decrease with the absence of drug testing in workplaces all over the nation.

Companies that do not require drug testing are more likely to have less productivity in their company due workplace accidents and fatalities. In National Drug-Free Workplace Alliance, it states that 33% less productivity will cost the average business $7,000 annually (NDWA). All the while, causing the quality of products to decrease and cost the company money from all the down side affects from the production loss. Some problems that employers and co-workers have to deal with by interacting with a worker that is under the influence would include carelessness, reduced productivity, decreased work quality, poor judgment, increased mistakes, and difficulty following instructions. These irresponsible actions impose the risk of possible fatalities or people in the workplace getting injured. With an individual that is under the influence of drugs, it is also common for those people to not even show up, take extended lunch breaks, and have no sense of dependability. A company should not have to face this problem by having irresponsible individuals interacting throughout the workplace, and these problems will be majorly reduced, if not, eliminated with the assistance of standardized drug

testing.
In conclusion, the advantages of required drug testing pre-employment and random testing prior to employment improve productivity, attendance, maintains a safe workplace, while reducing workplace accidents and fatalities. The different tests are based upon the mandatory requirements that are presented by the employers towards the employees. These drug tests ensure safety to the consumers whom the company might be working with, while also making the consumers happy by providing a great product, environment, and workplace to employees.