Who would not want to create a safe, healthy and productive working environment for your employees? Maintaining a safe working environment has become the top priority to many employers, not just because it is a good practice but also because the law requires it. In addition to the company’s interest, government regulations compel employers to take necessary action against drug usage. Meanwhile, modern workplaces have observed the emergence of drug and alcohol misuse by workers inside and outside the offices.
You will be surprised to know that almost every workplace accounts for at least a couple of drug and alcohol abuse incidences. For this reason, most companies have taken a step forward and have made drug and alcohol testing mandatory in their offices. With the rising number of incidences of misconduct at offices that resulted from drug and alcohol abuse, conducting such tests will help easily screen those who require rehabilitation help. Additionally, random testing will help make workplaces safer for everyone.
The testing methods vary based on the samples collected to conduct the test. These tests can be performed using saliva, blood, urine, hair, and breath samples. And depending on the convenience of the individual and the accuracy required, the sample is collected from individuals and is evaluated for the presence of drugs or alcohol. And here is brief information about each method:
1. Saliva Test
The saliva test is the most convenient and commonly used method for testing an individual for drugs and alcohol. In this testing method, the samples are easily collected without discomfort to the employees; this is why most companies always prefer this method over others. This method is less expensive and offers instant checks onsite or offsite. Moreover, samples can be collected anywhere, even in the office. Your staff need not visit any laboratory to provide their examples. Besides, the results are accurate and reliable.
2. Blood Test
A blood test is an answer for obtaining the most precise and authentic results. You can even find out the amount of drug intake using blood tests. These tests are done only by qualified technicians as the blood samples must be collected from the individuals carefully. However, this test is a bit expensive, and it is recommended to perform in serious offences or when detailed results are required.
3. Urine Test
Urine test is inexpensive compared to all other testing methods when done in laboratories. Home-based screening kits are also available these days to perform urine tests for drug and alcohol abuse; these are easy to use and provide results within minutes. However, you will have to buy an individual kit for every employee, making the process quite expensive.
4. Hair Test
A hair test is another highly reliable test that can trace even minute amounts of drugs in a person’s body. The hair samples can be collected from any part of the body, apart from the scalp. And for performing these tests, you would need around 100 strands of hair from an individual’s body. This type of test is reliable as there is no chance of sample adulteration, but drug and alcohol testing using hair samples can be costly.
5. Breath Test
A breath test is a test that is conducted mainly for alcohol detection. Breathalysers are used for testing that gives accurate and instant results. Here, there is no need to collecting of specimens, and this kind of testing can be done anytime and anywhere.
These are the five popular testing methods used widely to trace drug and alcohol abuse in people. So, according to your requirement and convenience, you can use any of the above methods to conduct tests and make your workplace safer.
