Drug testing is a method use by employers to determine whether or not their employees are using drugs. Employers can detect recent drug or alcohol usage by testing employees for drugs.
Employers have the flexibility to test their employees for drug or alcohol use wherever state laws allow it. Universities have already started drug testing. Because nowadays young people have a high tendency of using drugs. And to prevent drug-using universities are taking initiatives of drug testing.
Employers utilize drug testing to see if their employees are using illegal substances. By testing employees for drugs, employers can discover recent drug or alcohol use. Employers have the freedom to test their employees for drug or alcohol usage in any state where state laws permit it.
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When do companies administer drug tests?
Prior to employment – Drug testing is conducted prior to the hiring of candidates in order to avoid recruiting persons who use drugs. It occurs after the applicant has received the offer letter. If the candidates do not pass the test, they will not be hired.
Because candidates are aware that drug tests are coming, they can begin abstaining from using drugs many days ahead of time. As a result, companies may perform exams without prior notice.
Reasonable suspicion – If indications and symptoms of drug misuse are noticed in an employee, employers may perform drug tests to see if they are using drugs. It’s critical to have a clear understanding of which actions warrant drug or alcohol testing. Employees who are suspected of taking drugs should not report to work until the findings are received.
After a workplace accident –
A drug test may be undertake after a workplace accident to evaluate if drugs or alcohol were a role in the incidence of the event. It’s critical to have certain criteria in place to determine whether or not a test will be undertaken, as well as how and who will review it.
Deaths, acute injuries, and property damage are examples of such criteria. Even while a post-accident drug test can detect drug or alcohol usage, it can’t show that it was the cause of the accident.
Periodic Testing – Testing should be do on a regular basis or once a year, especially if the task requires physical labor. Employees can prepare for this form of testing by ceasing to take drugs ahead of time because it is normally scheduled at a later date.
Random testing-Employers may run a test on randomly selected persons without warning. Computers make the selection, ensuring that each employee gets an equal opportunity to test.
Return to do duty-A return-to-duty test may be administerator if an employee has test positive in the past and has complete drug treatment and is ready to return to work. This form of testing can also be use by employers to assess employees who have been absent for an extend period of time.
How is drug testing conducted –
The urine test-The most prevalent method of drug testing is urine testing. It can be carry out in a doctor’s office or even at work. An employee or applicant’s sample is obtain and send for testing.
A urine test will reveal if a person’s urine has any drug residues. Even after the effects of the medication have worn off, remnants or metabolites persist in the body.
Because alcohol leaves the body so fast, urine tests are ineffective in detecting alcohol consumption. They are mostly use.
To detect illegal and prescribe drug residues in a person’s body:
Breath test– When you drink alcohol, it enters the stomach and small intestine. It is absorb into the bloodstream and carried through the body to the brain and lungs. exhale when exhaling The breath alcohol test measures the amount of alcohol you exhale. The device uses this measurement to estimate your blood alcohol level. This level is know as the BAC or blood alcohol level and can rise within 15 minutes of drinking. BAC typically peaks about an hour after drinking alcohol.
Blood test-Blood tests determine the precise quantity of drugs or alcohol in the body. Because most drugs travel swiftly from the bloodstream to the urine, there is a brief detection time. However, they are reasonably accurate in determining the presence of drugs or alcohol in a person.
Blood tests are the only means to detect the use of intoxicating drugs in situations of accidental injury or death.
Hair test- Hair tests, like urine tests, do not offer proof of current consumption. They simply reveal whether or not medicine has been use previously. It offers a longer detection period since drug use may be track back up to 90 days. Furthermore, hair testing is unable to detect alcohol consumption. Furthermore, because it is the least invasive kind of drug testing, there are no concerns about privacy.
Factors Affecting Alcohol Detection Timing-
Several factors affect the time at which alcohol is detect. The more alcohol you drink, the longer it takes your body to break down. alcohol stays in your body also depends on how quickly you drink it. The faster you drink, the harder it is for your body to absorb and break down alcohol.
What if the result is false positive?
A drug or alcohol tester can give you a false-positive result even if you don’t drink alcohol. Many household products, such as mouthwash and hand sanitizer, contain alcohol. If you use these products, some drug and alcohol testing devices may detect them and confuse them with alcohol.
So as we know now that drug tests can detect alcohol so we all need to be very careful about our habits. . The drug-free workplace program addresses the health and safety risks associated with substance abuse. Employers must educate their employees about the risks of drug and alcohol abuse. Employers may only enforce a drug-free workplace policy in accordance with state law.
Finally, by creating drug-free jobs, employers can contribute to safer and healthier communities.
