Workplace Drug Testing

Posted on January 6, 2009 | Category: 21st Century Society, The workplace

Workplace Drug Testing

The misuse of Drugs Act (1971) makes it an offence for anyone to knowingly produce, supply or use controlled substances on their premises, unless those drugs have been prescribed by a doctor

Drugs misuse is a concern for everyone but especially if it is happening in the workplace. Not only is it hazardous to the user and in certain areas of work, those around them, for the employer it can cost them time and money, in absences and loss of productivity.

For these reasons some employers have taken it upon themselves to begin random drugs testing of their employees.

Under the Data Protection Act any monitoring of employees must be open and visible and part of the Business’s overall ‘Risk Assessment’ policy.

An employee does not have to take a test but if they refuse, after the employer has found grounds to do the test (after consultation with health and safety), it is possible that the employee will face disciplinary action.

There are 4 main tests at the moment:

1. Urine drug testing.
This can be done on-site and can be tested for a range of drugs within minutes. Different drugs are detectable in urine for different lengths of time,
The speed of this test is advantageous for an employer but the sample should be tested in a laboratory if a positive result will affect the status of an employee. Testing in the laboratory could take 2 – 5 days for a confirmation.

2. Hair testing.
Hair grows at about 1cm a month, so the advantage of testing hair for drug use can give a history of misuse for as long as the hair has been growing.
Hair testing takes longer than urine testing as it has to be processed in a laboratory before being tested. This can take up to 10 days.

3. Oral/Saliva Testing
This is not an exact science as there is no standardised processing test.
Unlike Hair and urine where drug use can be detected over days and months oral fluid and saliva can only be detected within hours.
A large amount of drugs needs to have been in the body to come through into the mouth in the quantities for testing

4 Drug testing wipes/swabs
These are useful by the fact that they don’t intrude on the person. They are used to wipe down a surface where drugs may have been used (door handle, tables, toilets) and results are immediate as the wipes change colour.

» Filed Under 21st Century Society, The workplace

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