Rapid Drug Testing & Screening Kits

There are two main benefits to identifying employees who have drug problems. The first benefit is the protection for your business. By screening potential applicants, you can rest assured you aren’t hiring an individual who may not be up to the job, because of their drug abuse.

By finding out if someone has a drug problem after they’ve been hired, you are better equipped as an employer to support them in seeking help.

It can be hard to watch someone struggle with drug use and addiction. Especially when so many people are ashamed or unwilling to come forward and admit their addiction. Rapid drug testing gives employers the chance to use evidence to confront employees who abuse drugs.

This enables you to then provide them with the support they need.

The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that about half of all workplace accidents are the result of employee drug use. 40% of employee theft is the result of individuals acting under the influence of drugs.

By implementing a rapid drug testing policy, you can make sure that the people who work for you have the same goals in terms of company wellbeing.

Beyond asset protection, it’s important to consider: the federal government, and many state governments, have regulations that require certain companies and organizations to keep their workplaces drug-free. Employees with substance use disorders or drug abuse problems reflect poorly on the company.

Or, in the worst-case scenario, these employees can cause legal consequences for your business.

As a business owner, your customer’s needs are always top of mind when it comes to managing your business. So why would your decision about company drug testing be any different?

Customer safety and happiness is vital to the longevity of your business. Making sure products and services are provided in a quality and timely manner is a necessary part of maintaining customer satisfaction.

Rapid drug testing can help eliminate potential customer service problems before they even begin.

Not only do workers under the influence endanger themselves, they have the potential to cause harm to their fellow employees. As an employer, you are responsible for making sure everyone feels safe at work. Employees who do not use substances or drugs in the workplace should not be made to feel unsafe due to the actions of employees under the influence!

You can make this possible with an easy-to-implement drug testing policy.

Similarly, you also want to make sure that all of your employees feel supported and well cared for as a member of your team.

Rapid drug testing allows you to identify potential problems among members of your staff and quickly eliminate them.

Unfortunately, another consequence of drug abuse is lost productivity. Employees who use drugs are more likely to be absent from work. They may experience withdrawal symptoms on the job. They may also experience stress from or preoccupation with gaining access to more substances during business hours.

You can reduce these impediments to productivity by implementing a rapid drug testing program.

Healthy employees have fewer healthcare expenses. Encouraging employees to be substance-free has the same effect. You can provide greater incentives for healthy employees by encouraging them to avoid drug abuse through rapid drug testing.

Developing a policy allows you to make sure that you’re protecting your business. It also helps you to remain compliant with state and federal testing laws. When developing your policy, you want to consider some key factors.

How much does testing cost? How quickly can it be done? How often will you test?

Consider how you will collect specimens, and who at your organization will be responsible. How will you enforce the policy? What are the consequences for non-compliance?

Answering these questions for your particular situation is important. Developing a formal policy, potentially with the help of your Human Resources Department, can help answer questions your employees may have. It will also make sure that your testing protocol is sound.

While it may feel overwhelming to try and develop a new policy for your organization, you don’t have to do it all from scratch. Many resources are available to you to help guide the development of your personal policy for drug testing.

Choosing a testing model is part of your policy development. Different companies use different clauses depending on their need.

Some of the most common clauses include the following:

• Pre-employment screening: identifies drug abuse in potential applicants as a pre-condition to hire
• Random screening: enables employers to randomly conduct drug tests without prior notice
• Reasonable suspicion: allows employers to test an employee if they exhibit behaviors worrisome for drug abuse
• Extended absence: employers can test employees after a long period away from the job
• Post-accident: helps rule out potential causes of workplace accidents, after an incident has occurred

Helping employees understand why drug testing is important, is the first step in getting cooperation and buy-in. Sit down with your existing employees and any potential recruits and go over the new policy in detail. Be willing to explain your reasoning for instituting rapid drug screening.

Soon, they too will understand the benefits.

Now that you have a policy and procedures in place, it’s time to choose your tools. Don’t worry: we’ll help walk you through the pros and cons of each.

Using a saliva test kit can be done quickly and easily. The first step is to collect the sample, by having the participant provide saliva into the testing chamber via a mouth swab. The second step requires waiting for a short period for the results.

For testing cups, participants provide a sample to the collector. After a short period, the results are available. To use the dip cups, the participants also provide a sample to the collector, but the collector must also dip a testing card into the specimen. Both methods are simple and easy to use.