Substance abuse by employees is a severe problem faced by employers. It affects the attendance, morale, and safety of employees. Even worse, it can lead to reduced productivity and increased health care costs as well. That’s perhaps why most employers are so keen to implement employee drug testing. But when exactly should one seek a drug testing service?

To give you an idea of when drug testing should take place, we have compiled some necessary information on different drug test situations. Read on.

When Do You Need a Drug Testing Service?

There are many reasons why an employer would want to perform hair, blood, or urine drug test. These include, among other things, complying with regulatory standards, maintaining a safe workplace, or establishing the cause of an accident.

Below are potential situations when one would require a drug testing service.

When Conducting a Comprehensive Background Check

Depending on the company policy and state law, new/potential hires may undergo pre-employment screening for drug and alcohol use as part of the interview process. This is often done before the signing of a contract or as a hiring contingency. For that reason, hiring is usually contingent upon passing the drug and alcohol tests.

Pre-employment drug testing is helpful for several reasons. Not only does it help decrease tardiness and workplace drug abuse, but it can potentially prevent workplace violence as well. As a result, employers see increased safety and health of employees at the workplace.

When There’s a Reasonable Suspicion/Cause

Cause drug testing, commonly referred to as reasonable suspicion testing, is carried out when there are enough reasons to suspect an employee of drug abuse. Usually, the reasonable cause is based upon direct observation, either by another employee or a supervisor. Some common indicators that you need to perform this drug screening include:

• Physical evidence of illegal drugs
• Patterns of abnormal or erratic behavior
• Confusion or disorientation
• Inability to complete routine tasks

Random Drug Testing

Random testing refers to undertaking a drug test without a prior warning. It is often implemented in a bid to mitigate any attempts by employees to cheat on drug tests.

The selection process for this test must be random, where each employee has equal chances of being selected for the drug test. Using a computer-based random-number generator is the most common mode of selection.

The good thing about random testing is that it can help ensure that employees remain drug and alcohol-free throughout their tenure.

After an Accident at Workplace

After a workplace accident, employers may carry out a post-accident drug test to determine whether it has anything to do with the use of drugs or alcohol. The employer must know when and how a post-accident drug test should be implemented. More importantly, the company’s drug-testing policy must communicate the details clearly.

As a requirement by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), however, post-accident drug testing cannot be undertaken at the slightest opportunity. Instead, it should only occur if there is reasonable suspicion that the use of drugs or alcohol induced the accident.

Need Help?

Are you seeking a drug testing service anywhere in the United States? Need assistance with your company’s drug testing policy? Soteria Screening Laboratories is here to help. We have drug and alcohol testing sites throughout the country.

Our testing programs include all the options you need, from urine drug test to blood drug test, and anything in between. Best of all, we customize your ideal program to comply with federal/state requirements and suit your testing needs. Want to learn more about drug testing at Soteria Screening Laboratories? Give us a call at (202) 679-6670.