Crafting an Effective Workplace Drug Testing Program: Strategies for Safety and Compliance

By Alison Adduono, Director of Marketing

These days most employers have some sort of workplace drug testing program but there are some that have yet to follow suit. Whether they are a brand-new business getting their feet wet or are a long-established business that never saw the need before, there may come a time that they need to set one up and here is a quick guide on how to do so.

Startling Statistics That Support a Workplace Drug Testing Program

There is a lot of data out there that supports the reasoning behind having workplace drug testing policies in place. Here are a few:

According to a study conducted by American Addiction Centers, approximately 22.5% of those surveyed admitted to drug or alcohol use during work.
The 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health Data, performed by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), found that 70.3M people (aged 12 years or older) had used an illicit drug within the past year.
Drug positivity in the workplace is at a 20-year high (no pun intended) according to Quest Diagnostics who reported that they saw a positivity rate of 5.7% in 9.8M workforce samples between 2022 and 2023.
Employees with substance abuse issues typically miss two more weeks of work annually than their peers who do not use drugs according to data reported by the National Safety Council (NSC).
Approximately 50% of employers currently conduct pre-employment testing.
The US Department of Labor reports that 65% of workplace accidents are the result of drug and/or alcohol abuse.

Goal For a Drug-Free Workplace

Ultimately the goal of any workplace drug testing program is to ensure a safe and productive workplace. An effective program also helps to:

boost employee morale
reduce absenteeism
focus on safety – minimize any workplace accidents, injuries and deaths
reduce worker’s compensation claims
reduction in theft (to enable drug purchase)

Checklist for a Workplace Drug Testing Program

As an employer there are several elements to consider when designing and setting up your workplace drug testing program. Those include:

Purpose/Goal – What do you hope to accomplish with your program? Craft your mission statement around that goal so you can clearly communicate it and your drug testing policies to your staff.

Scope – Who does this policy apply to? All of your employees (including contractors and volunteers)? Or are there exceptions?

Communication – Make sure all of the employees are made aware of your drug free workplace policy and all that it entails. Provide this information in writing. Since not everyone is that great about reading materials handed out by Human Resources…. consider also holding a training session in the event this is being implemented in an already established business that has not recently had a plan in place.

Education – Are your employees able to identify the signs of substance abuse and impairment? Provide resources and training.

Hours of Enforcement – At what times is the policy in force? Just during working hours? Are any hours such as business travel or while attending company-sponsored events offsite covered?

Policy Enforcement – Since everyone plays a part in contributing to a safe workplace environment all are integral to its enforcement. Employees need to follow the policy and should also alert their supervisors if they become aware of any situation that may be cause for concern (i.e. found drug paraphernalia, viewed co-worker engaging in drug use or acting impaired, etc.). (Statistic: 1 in 5 surveyed employees were aware of coworkers using drugs and/or alcohol at work.) Management/supervisors must conduct testing and enforcement per written policy and must communicate policy to workforce.

Prohibited Activities – What actions will be prohibited in this program (i.e. selling, distributing, possessing and/or using drugs of abuse and/or paraphernalia)? (Statistic: Dept. of Labor indicates that approximately 1/3 of employees are aware of illegal drug sales in the workplace.)

Searches – Will you include the option to be able to search an employee and their workspaces (i.e. lockers, offices, tool bags, etc.)? If so, consult a legal expert first for the best guidance on this practice.

Drug-Related Convictions – Per the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, any employee that is convicted of a drug-related offence must notify their employer within 5 days of the conviction. Make sure that all employees are aware of this requirement.

Type of Employee Drug Testing – What type of drug testing will you be performing? Is it urine or oral fluid? Will you have hair testing? Instant or lab-based? What drugs do you want to test for? Does it need to be observed? Are there any Federal requirements such as DOT to consider?

Restrictions – Do you have a unionized workforce? Are there any state restrictions? Refer to any state limitations and union representatives before finalizing your program.

Reason for Test – In what instances will you be drug testing?

Pre-employment
Reasonable suspicion
Post-accident
Return-to-work
Periodic (i.e. every six months, etc.)
Random
Follow-up

Policy Violations – What consequences await an employee that is caught violating your drug free workplace program? Will it be a warning, a requirement for entering a rehab program, suspension, or termination?

Return to Work – In the event the employee is allowed to work will there be any requirements they need to meet such as return to work drug testing, random drug testing and participation in substance abuse treatment?

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Will you have an EAP or be making resources, information or treatment options available to those employees with substance abuse issues?

Employee Privacy – Make sure your policy states that any employee information in this regard will remain confidential.

In addition to the checklist above, we also recommend referring to some great employer resources provided by SAMHSA.

Cost Considerations

While some employers may consider a workplace drug testing program to be too expensive, that is not the case. Sure, there are some costs associated with the testing portion, but the costs associated with reduced productivity, workers comp claims, workplace injuries, accidents and deaths far outweigh that of testing. In fact, the National Safety Council (NSC) even has a handy calculator that can help provide estimates on the potential costs associated with substance abuse in the workplace.

There are several testing options to choose from and any Third-Party-Administrator (TPA), such as Origin Diagnostics, should be able to assist you in selecting the best and most affordable employee drug testing option to meet your industry and policy requirements.

Need assistance contact us at info@origin.net.