GUIDANCE ON PRE-EMPLOYMENT DRUG TESTING

GUIDANCE ON PRE-EMPLOYMENT DRUG TESTING

James Gunter

Did you know that investing in pre-employment non-invasive workplace drug testing, can help your company or organisation save a great deal of money each and every year? - This is because as Drug Testing Kits UK, are extremely well aware, employers spend an astronomical amount of their funds paying for: "direct medical costs, lost productivity, absenteeism, increased health care costs, & more, due to staff drug abuse" [1]

What Does a Pre-Employment Drug Test Entail?

This is a highly accurate, rapid, on-site multiple drug test (which is easily administered by a trusted member of staff). It is designed to: "determine if a prospective employee uses illicit substances, or abuses prescription medication. It may also be used for employees who are returning to work after an injury or absence, at which time it may be referred to as a pre-placement drug test. It is common for employers to require a job candidate to complete a pre-employment drug test, and a job offer may be contingent upon the applicant’s ability to pass" [1].

Which Substances Do 'Drug Testing Kits UK' Test?

Our British and Southern Ireland-approved high grade cutting-edge tests include the urine point of care rapid drug screening, and saliva drug tests (also known as oral fluid tests). The latter screen for the following 6 popular illegal and addictive prescription drugs (as well as alcohol consumption), thus giving you value for money. As such, each saliva test kit has 7 panels, each of which clearly show a negative or positive reading:

  • Cannabis/Marijuana (also known as Mary Jane, hash, pot, ganja)

  • Methamphetamine (also referred to as speed, ecstasy, crank, meth)

  • Cocaine (also identified as coke, crack)

  • Opiates (also referred to as heroin, opium, codeine, morphine)

  • Phencyclidine (also known by PCP, angel dust)

  • Benzodiazepine (or benzos for short)

Saliva Pre-Employment Testing Vs Urine Pre-Employment Testing

Of note, a 'Drug Testing Kits UK' saliva test, is: a less-invasive test that also has a shorter detection period (2-48 hours) than urine tests. A saliva drug test can be an effective alternative to urine testing if an employer wants to avoid issues that arise when a prospective employee does not provide sufficient urine" [1]. Some companies and organisations offer unexpected multi-panel saliva tests (which also include alcohol testing), to applicants who attend an employment recruitment drive day, or in-person interview. And a number of companies/organisations also use a state-of-the-art Intoximeter Alco-Sensor FST breathalyser to test for alcohol consumption.

"If workplace safety is of the utmost importance to a company, then conducting pre-employment drug tests can help mitigate risks associated with drug misuse. By indicating on a job application that an offer of employment may be contingent on the results of a drug test, an employer can help to deter substance abusers from applying altogether. [Furthermore, our vast experience at Drug Testing Kits UK, shows us that]: for occupations that place employees in safety-sensitive environments, pre-employment drug testing is critical, as it can help reduce the number of costly workers’ compensation claims involving drug or alcohol use" [1]

Professionalism Every Step of the Way

All the aforementioned Drug Testing Kits UK's high grade drug and alcohol testing methods, take a matter of minutes to administer and attain the results. And very importantly, they are easily administered by the recruiter, or another member of staff. There is no doubt that such an unexpected request, often catches a drug or alcohol abuser on the hop, and when a prospective employee declines to take the test, then a smart move would be to cross them off your list of potential recruits. Moreover, there are occasions when potential members of staff take the test, yet complain that they were asked to do so. - If this is the case, then unless there is a valid reason (such as they are on prescribed medication, and do not want to discuss their illness), then it would appear that they do not take health and safety seriously; and would not make a good team player who puts their potential co-worker's and company's/organisation's interests on a par with the greater good. Furthermore, they may not be comfortable signing a work contract which stipulates that all staff are subject to random and regular drug and alcohol testing.

Preparing a Consent Form

Note: it is important to prepare a consent form for on-the-spot drug and alcohol testing for potential employees to sign during their interview at the workplace or outside venue (such as a work fare). On the form, you can write that the testing kits you are using, are approved for use in the UK and Southern Ireland (as this applies to all Drug Testing Kits UK's products).

 

Demonstrating a Robust Health & Safety Culture to New Recruits

"Pre-employment drug testing, with optional alcohol screening, should be an integral part of any safety critical recruitment process" [1]

The majority of Drug Testing Kits UK's business and corporate clients are committed to

pre-employment drug testing for the welfare and success of both them and their workforce. Moreover, this course of action: "gives the impression to new starters that health and safety is taken seriously. Furthermore, in conjunction with ongoing random drug testing, it acts as a deterrent to future employees who may not fully appreciate [or care about], the effects of drugs and alcohol in the workplace" [1].

Disturbing Research on Employee Drug Abuse

The NIDA has published the following statistics:

  • Drug use may represent as much as a five-fold rise in injury claims

  • Up to 50% of all employees’ compensation claims are linked to substance abuse in the workplace

  • Substance impairment may result in 3.5 times more accidents

  • Substance abuse can increase by 2.5 times: the probability of a member of staff missing eight of more workdays per year

  • Substance abuse could result in productivity being a whopping 33% lower than it would be otherwise [1]

Do not let your company, organisation or institution, be a victim of drug or alcohol abusers. Join the thousands of others across the UK and Southern Ireland, which screen them out with Drug Testing Kits UK, right from the get-go!

 

Reference

[1]. Buirse, L. E. (2023). "What You Need to Know about Pre-employment Drug Tests."

Concentra.

https://www.concentra.com/resource-center/articles/what-do-you-need-to-know-about-pre-employment-drug-tests/