Approximately one in 30 employees has drugs in their system at this very point, with the number increasing each year. This is a worrying trend for business owners, yet mention workplace testing to a large proportion of employers and you see them shudder. So why are employers afraid to test their employees?

 

Reasons for not testing include the fear that it might alienate their workforce or cause them to lose key members of staff if they are found to test positive.

Whilst drug testing is mandatory for in the rail and maritime industries, why would employers want to incur additional costs and increased workload of incorporating drug testing into their workplace if they don’t legally have to?  ‘Human Rights’ means individuals can do what they want in their free time, but what if an employee’s recreational activities put your company at risk? Can you afford to risk your business and reputation?

Now the technical bit. Drug testing is the technical analysis of a biological specimen – for example urine, hair, blood, breath, sweat, or oral fluid/saliva – to determine whether any specified parent drug or their metabolites are present or absent from the sample collected.  

The main reason for workplace drug testing is to detect drugs prohibited by law which can cause changes to employee’s behaviour and abilities which, in turn, could cause risks to the health and safety of themselves, their colleagues and the general public.

For all businesses there is endless legislation and paperwork to complete without thinking about new policies to incorporate.  It is often considered easier to ignore something that is not seen as a major problem.  

Picture the scenario: A driver comes in to work after a weekend of partying, drives a company vehicle to a site, has an accident on the way (possibly injuring someone) and rights off your vehicle?  Positive drugs and alcohol tests can invalidate business insurance, costing the company thousands of pounds in compensation and possible legal cases to face.

Random drug testing can act as a deterrent to a workforce – if employees know there is a possibility of regular testing they may think twice before taking recreational drugs; or inform management if they think they’re not fit for work – taking a more responsible approach.

The main methods used for workplace testing are non-invasive – typically urine or oral fluid testing.  The key is ease of collection and making the process as non-intrusive as possible.

Each method of testing provides different information depending on requirements – identifying usage within the last 24 hours up to historical use over the last 12 months. 

Some employers favour hair testing for pre-employment screening as this gives a longer detection period of drug use; anywhere from 7 days to 12 months, depending on length of hair.  

Urine testing typically provides a history of usage within the last four to seven days. (Not inclusive – personal metabolism can vary this number.)

For on-going random testing it is recommended to use either urine or oral fluid testing. The latter gives a picture of any substances taken in the last 24-48 hours.

With no accurate figures present, it is estimated that at least 115 companies in Ireland are testing their employees for drugs. Amounting to approximately 2300 workers being tested every month – 27,600 employees every year. This is big business and can cost anywhere between £30 and £90 per test depending on the drugs tested for.

Anglia DNA Services offers workplace drug and alcohol testing throughout Ireland and the UK, with transparent pricing and sample collection services.  Results are clear and easy to understand, and there is an online facility for ease of use.