There are some common misunderstandings and misconceptions about employment drug testing, both among employers and among individuals. We’ll look at some of the most common myths here. According to studies, drug usage contributes directly to a dangerous work environment. One in every six workplace fatalities is caused by alcohol or drugs. According to the National Safety Council, innocent coworkers and others account for 80 percent of individuals wounded in “severe” drug-related workplace mishaps. Employees who abuse alcohol or drugs are 3.5 times more likely than other workers to be involved in a workplace accident.
These figures have also been supported by real-world examples. The Southern Pacific Railroad was the subject of a well-known research that contrasted its accident rates before and after instituting a drug testing procedure. After implementing a drug testing procedure, the company saw a 71.2 percent reduction in accidents.
Background checks are a vital aspect of any hiring strategy since they ensure the safety of your staff and consumers. We’ve all seen the news tales about workplace assaults. While these headline-grabbing situations are thankfully rare, other crimes on the job occur on a daily basis. Not only does failing to properly screen your personnel put you at risk of becoming a victim of crime, but it also puts your business at risk. You are liable if you hire someone with a history of violent crime and they injure someone while on the job. But, before you get started, you should know what a background check is and what it entails. For more info about this test, see it here.
A background check’s contents will differ depending on the industry, the type of job an applicant is looking for, and the employer’s preferences. Criminal history, education, past employment verifications, and reference checks are the most typical background checks. Pre-employment drug testing results may also be included in these reports. The idea is for a company to be confident that a new recruit will not cause any immediate problems.
Certain substances, such as prescription medicines and poppy seeds, may occasionally provide actual laboratory positive drug test results. This problem is alleviated by industry best practice, which requires positives to be validated by a medical review officer. The positive result is discussed with the individual, and if the individual has a verified, plausible medical explanation for the finding, the employer receives a negative drug screen report.
Employers in the United States use urine tests as the most common sort of pre-employment drug test. Typically, a company will make a conditional job offer to a candidate if the applicant passes a drug test. The applicant will be required to submit a urine sample, which will be subjected to a preliminary examination. Before the results are given to the employer, a confirmation screen will be performed if the initial screen confirms the presence of a drug. Urine tests can also be utilized in random testing programs for current employees and when employers have a reasonable suspicion that a worker is abusing illegal drugs.
