No matter which heavy industry you operate in, conducting pre-employment drug testing is essential for a safe, healthy, and productive workplace.
As per a National Safety Council survey, 75% of the USA’s employers were impacted by opioid abuse among employees in 2019, with only 17% believing that they were set to tackle the problem. Even recently, in 2023, over 500 unintentional workplace deaths occurred due to drug or alcohol overdose, with a 600% spike in such fatalities observed since 2011.
Let’s explore the importance and types of pre-employment drug tests and how to go about the screening process properly.
Pre-Employment Drug Testing: Why It Matters
Hiring workers who abuse prescription or illegal drugs can affect you in multiple ways. They are likely to take more leaves than their counterparts, which may lead to reduced productivity and engagement at the worksite.
Addicted employees are often low on environmental awareness and can end up in workplace accidents or harm others. This translates to greater healthcare and workers’ compensation costs for you. Additionally, in case of serious injuries, you have no option but to send the worker to the emergency room (ER). This means an increase in your Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable rate, regulatory scrutiny, and even penalties.
These issues can affect your reputation and invite legal hassles. You might lose the trust and respect of your business partners, investors, clients, and even potential employees. Existing workers who don’t have a drug problem might also feel dissatisfied or at risk. This can increase attrition, forcing you to bear the cost of replacements.
Luckily, pre-employment drug testing can address the above.
What Is Involved?
Pre-employment drug testing helps you discern if a potential employee is abusing any of the following substances:
- Marijuana, weed, hashish, cannabinoids
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines, including ecstasy, meth, speed, etc.
- Opium, morphine, heroin, codeine
- Phencyclidine, like PCP and angel dust
The screening procedure generally involves these phases:
- Determining a drug’s presence or absence in a collected sample through initial screening
- Confirmation screening followed by medical review (in case of a positive result)
- Final results shared with the employer and candidate
You can then make a job offer depending on what the test results indicate.
Common Methods of Pre-Employment Drug Testing
Listed below are the widely administered pre-employment drug tests:
- Blood Screening: This process involves collecting a blood sample and sending the same to a laboratory for testing. If the candidate’s blood contains any drugs at the time of drawing, the results will indicate the same, along with their amounts.
- Urine Tests: These tests can detect substances that have been present in the applicant’s urine for 5 to 10 days before the sample collection.
- Saliva Tests: In this procedure, a saliva sample is obtained from the candidate’s mouth with the aid of a swab. These tests have quick detection windows and minimize the possibility of the applicant adulterating the results.
- Hair Tests: These tests can reveal drug abuse that dates back 3 months. For this, a technician takes a sample of 100 hair strands from an applicant’s scalp.
- Breath Alcohol Tests: Breathalyzer equipment is used to detect the level of alcohol present in the candidate’s system at the time of testing.
Also Read: Benefits of Remote Triage Medical Assistants in Healthcare
Steps for Conducting Pre-Employment Drug Testing
While pre-employment drug screening can pave the way for a safe, efficient work environment, it is also essential to respect the rights of prospective employees. Here’s what to be mindful of:
- Develop a comprehensive written policy for drug testing that aligns with industry-specific laws, as well as those at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Intimate prospective employees beforehand that you are planning to conduct drug screening. Explain the rationale behind it clearly, along with the test methods and the substances that applicants will be screened for. You must also include how making a job offer is dependent on the test outcomes.
- Obtain the applicants’ consent in writing, via a physical form or email.
- Once you receive consent, share instructions with the applicants on where they should go for the pre-employment drug tests.
- Ask applicants to bring along any medical prescriptions that state the drugs they are taking, to minimize the chances of false positives.
- Get a medical officer to review and confirm all test results to minimize the scope of errors.
Don’t ignore the following best practices either:
- Pre-employment drug testing should be fair and without bias. Hence, all those applying for the same position should undergo the same tests.
- Protect the confidentiality of screening results, so that the applicants’ privacy and dignity are not compromised. Ensure only authorized personnel can access the relevant information, and there is no room for leaks.
- Always opt for a private setting in a state-certified lab when it comes to carrying out the tests.
- Give applicants the chance to contest the results in case of undesirable outcomes.
- Consult legal experts before crafting your drug-testing policy, so you don’t miss out on anything important or make vague statements.
Don’t Overlook Future Emergencies
Pre-employment drug tests allow you to build a clean, productive workforce and promote site safety. However, this is an initial measure that doesn’t completely eliminate the chances of workplace accidents or injuries due to drug-related problems later. Hence, random drug testing post-hiring is often recommended.
It is also prudent to know how to handle emergencies promptly and effectively. You can do this by availing remote industrial medical services via phone or video call.
This way, you can connect with experienced and licensed occupational physicians at any time for an assessment of injuries. Such MDs will provide first aid instructions and prescribe medicines in most cases, so the situation can be tackled on-site. They will also support the employee mentally and track their recovery closely.
Also Read: Top 10 Workplace Safety Tips
Conclusion
When done right, pre-employment drug testing can pave the way for a safe, productive workplace from the get-go. You can benefit across multiple parameters: operational continuity, output, OSHA compliance, cost control, and business reputation. Conducting drug testing from time to time and leveraging industrial medical services remotely can help.
Promote a Safe Work Environment with WorkPartners USA
Pre-employment drug testing is a vital step towards minimizing workplace injuries, inefficiencies, and absenteeism. However, at WorkPartners, we know that unforeseen incidents can still crop up as time goes by. We provide specialized and remote medical services led by doctors.
Our occupational healthcare providers help you handle workplace injuries immediately and effectively. We also supply specialized kits for first aid, tailored to your sector’s specific needs. For instance, our post-offer employment testing service assesses if your employees are physically suited to their job roles. Our safety engagement software, modONE™, measures workers’ engagement.
Contact us if you wish to learn more about creating and nurturing a safe workplace. For guidance or suggestions, get in touch at (651) 323-8654.
FAQs
Q1. Why do employers still conduct drug tests during hiring in 2025?
Ans. Drug abuse among employees often leads to problems like frequent absenteeism, poor productivity, workplace conflicts, accidents, and injuries. Pre-employment drug testing can ensure workplace safety.
Q2. What kinds of drug tests are commonly used by employers?
Ans. Employers usually opt for tests that screen urine, blood, hair, saliva, and breath (for alcohol).
Q3. Which substances are typically screened in a pre-employment drug test?
Ans. Marijuana, meth, cocaine, opium, heroin, and PCP are among the common substances screened during a drug test at the time of hiring.
Q4. At what stage of the hiring process does drug testing occur?
Ans. The latter stages of hiring usually see employers conducting drug tests.
Q5. What legal rights and protections do candidates have regarding drug testing in 2025?
Ans. Candidates can refuse to take a drug test, though they might have to forgo the job offer in that case. They must be informed in advance about the screening and can contest the test results.
