The creation and maintenance of a compliant drug and alcohol testing policy are essential for employers hoping to maintain a safe and productive workplace in addition to protecting themselves against costly litigation.
Companies perform pre-employment drug tests to determine if a prospective hire uses illicit substances or abuses prescription medication. Most workplaces are affected by substance abuse to some degree (either directly or indirectly). Conducting pre-employment drug tests can help you make better hiring decisions.
Performing a pre-employment drug test can help employers identify drug users before they hire them. If employees are found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it could harm the company's reputation. Drug tests can also help reduce absenteeism and turnover, prevent on-the-job drug use, and lower workers' compensation rates.
The wrong type of employee could create liability issues for employers. Many companies are also looking to maintain safe workplaces by hiring a productive and efficient workforce. Drug tests can help them in that effort.
Many driving-related jobs also require drug tests either pre-hire or while on the job to help reduce the risk of accidents and injuries. Employees under the influence of drugs or alcohol could cause injuries, accidents, and other problems.
If employees handle money, drug testing is an excellent way to help decide whether to hire. Theft in the workplace can be caused by drug addiction, so employers must watch out for fraud, embezzlement, and other types of financial crime.
The most common drug testing methods are urine tests, hair testing, and saliva testing.
Urine testing is the most common testing method. It can help detect use typically in the previous one to three days. The results show if drug metabolites are present in an individual's urine.
The donor provides a urine sample collection at a collection site. Once provided, it is properly labeled and sent off to be tested. Once results are complete they are sent to the Medical Review Officer (MRO) to review (if applicable).
Orange Tree Screening offers instant and lab urine testing depending on what the client needs.
Hair testing has a broader detection window than urine testing. Using hair testing means individuals may still test positive if they used drugs even if they abstained for several days before being tested. Unlike urine drug tests, which may only detect drug use within the past two to three days, hair tests can detect drugs for up to 90 days. Compared with urine testing, hair testing provides nearly twice the number of positives due to its longer detection window.
A hair sample is taken, typically from the scalp, at a collection site and sent to a laboratory to be tested. Once results are complete they are sent to the Medical Review Officer (MRO) to review (if applicable).
A saliva test, also known as an oral fluid test, collects a sample of saliva from inside the donor's mouth. Drugs are usually detectable in an oral fluid sample within minutes after usage and remain detectable for up to 24 hours after use, making oral fluid testing ideal for detecting recent use.
For a Saliva (Oral Fluid) test, a tester will swab the mouth to collect saliva. Oral fluid collections, do not require the use of an off-site collection facility. An on-site oral fluid collection can be conducted by a trained employee.
Breath Alcohol tests will detect the amount of alcohol in a person's blood when they are tested. Employers often use them to see if someone is intoxicated on the job. The person taking the test will blow into a device. The device will immediately give the blood alcohol concentration (BAC), just as it does for law enforcement officers making a traffic stop.
Companies that the US Department of Transportation regulates will often use the BAT tests.
This depends on the drug testing panel ordered. Each panel tests for a specific set of drugs and their metabolites. While a 5-panel drug test is the most common, employers can also choose from 7, 9, or 10- panel drug tests.
Orange Tree can provide expanded and custom panels to best meet your drug testing needs.
Orange Tree offers a full suite of drug testing solutions. We can help you consider and assess how these different solutions align with your business goals and policy.
We provide a single-order background and drug testing experience for you and your candidates. The process begins with a text and allows the candidate to schedule a testing location convenient for them. Our mobile-friendly CandidateConnect® platform also reduces turnaround time by a day.
Schedule a free consultation to get answers directly from Orange Tree's subject matter experts.