Drug Testing
DOT/ NON-DOT DRUG TESTING:
Urinalysis is the most common test type and used by federally mandated drug testing programs.
When an employer requests a drug test from an employee, the employee is instructed to go to a collection site. There, the employee’s urine is collected in a specially designed secure cup and sealed with a tamper resistant tape. The cup is then sent by express delivery service to a testing laboratory where it will be tested for several drugs. The first step at the testing site is to split the urine into two aliquots. One aliquot is first screened for drugs using an analyzer that performs immunoassay as the initial screen. If the urine screen is positive then another aliquot of the sample is used to confirm the findings by gas chromatography – mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) methodology. All test results are relayed to an MRO (Medical Review Office) where a medical physician reviews the results. If the result of the screen is negative, the MRO informs the employer that the employee is clean and has no detectable drug in the urine.
New regulations from the U.S. Department of Transportation are requiring that specimens which indicate a low temperature or show signs of adulteration be admitted with a second specimen from the donor, which is collected under direct observation. That is, the donor voids in full view of the collector or observer. The new regulations also require that the donor raise and lower clothing and turn around in front of the collector or observer to show that the donor is not in possession of any device or substance with intent to falsify the test. In several states, it is illegal to sell or possess such a device or substance.
Employers are required to test their DOT-regulated safety-sensitive employees for the following five controlled substances:
Marijuana
Cocaine
Opiates (opium and codeine derivatives)
Amphetamines (amphetamines and methamphetamines)
Phencyclidine (PCP)
ETG 80 Hour alcohol hair test
Drug and Alcohol Tests Required by the DOT:
1-Pre-Employment:
This is by far the most common type of drug test used by businesses. We are keeping our customers in compliance with the Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulations. Our priority is to keep the work place a safe place for everyone.
2- Post-Accident:
Post-incident drug testing is not a very commonly administered test compared to the others, but the financial ramifications of not testing employees after an accident (or other incident) on the job makes this test worthwhile for most businesses. The point of this test is not necessarily to cause the employee to lose his or her job, but rather to protect the company from liability in the event that the individual is under the influence at the time of the accident. If drugs or alcohol are detected in any significant quantity, the argument can be made in court that the individual was intoxicated on the job, and for that reason, the company should not be held liable for injuries sustained by the employee.
3- Random drug testing:
Random drug testing is the most effective format. In the USA, random drug testing is used by a growing number of corporations, drug rehab centers, prisons, the military, police and fire departments, government agencies, and more recently, schools. Currently, this method is used in 23 of the 50 United States. It may also be used on teens by their parents, or mandated to be performed at school. The goal of random testing is to discourage drug use among employees, inmates, or students by not telling anyone who or when or where they are to be tested in advance.