Drug screening can improve the safety and efficiency of your workplace. When you implement a drug testing program, following the applicable Texas state laws will allow you to screen your employees while avoiding legal sanctions. Urine drug tests are the standard for most employers because of their accuracy and affordability.
What Does a Standard Urine Drug Test Check For?
Many employers use a 10-panel urine drug test, which can detect drug abuse of 10 different substances. The main categories include:
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- Amphetamines: The 10-panel urine screen can detect the use of various types of amphetamines including speed, methamphetamine, and prescription drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin.
- Benzodiazepines: This category includes prescription drugs with a high risk of abuse. Examples include Ativan, Xanax, and Valium. Employers should be aware that some job applicants and employees may have legitimate prescriptions for these medications, which doctors may prescribe to treat anxiety disorders.
- Cannabis: This test can detect various forms of THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana. This includes smoked or vaped cannabis as well as resins, wax, and extracts.
- Opiates: These urine drug tests also provide positive results for various opioids. They can detect substance abuse of both street and prescription drugs including hydrocodone, oxycodone, codeine, morphine, heroin, and opium.
In addition, 10-panel urine testing will provide a positive result for the use of propoxyphene, PCP, methadone, Quaaludes, and barbiturates.
Other Drug Testing Options
In addition to the 10-panel drug test, companies can opt for four-panel or five-panel urine drug testing when making a job offer. Typically, the four-panel test provides results for methamphetamine, opiates, cocaine, and cannabis. The five-panel test can find evidence of phencyclidine, opiates, cocaine, cannabis, and amphetamines.
While urine drug tests can detect drug and alcohol use within the past few days, a hair drug test can determine whether employees or prospective employees have used drugs within up to about 90 days. This drug screen generally looks for opiates, codeine, morphine, PCP, cannabis, ecstasy, amphetamine, and methamphetamine. You may want to use a hair screening as a confirmation test to avoid a false positive.
Blood testing is also an option for employer drug testing. Unlike urine tests, hair drug tests and other screenings, a blood test can detect very recent or current drug use. Substances include alcohol, amphetamine, methamphetamine, cannabis, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, opioids, LSD, PCP, and cocaine.
In addition to urine and hair testing, employers may want to consider oral fluid testing. A saliva test, also called a mouth swab drug test, is the least invasive drug test for employees. Mouth swab tests can detect the use of alcohol, PCP, cannabis, opiates, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, methamphetamine, and amphetamine. If a job requires driving, companies may want to use a breath alcohol test. This is the same type of test used by law enforcement to determine whether a motorist is driving under the influence.
Benefits of Employer Drug Testing
Illegal drugs pose a serious safety risk on the job site. Companies can implement workplace drug testing as an essential component of a comprehensive workplace safety program.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drug and alcohol testing reduces absenteeism, tardiness, workers’ compensation claims, workplace injuries, and employee turnover. Companies that have a drug-testing program also report better productivity, better employee health, improved morale, and fewer instances of theft.
A drug and alcohol testing program can also save your company money in other ways. For example, you may qualify for payment incentives through your disability or workers’ compensation insurance provider.
Employers in the Sugar Land area can count on the drug testing expertise of the team at {Sub:BusinessName}. We have the knowledge to advise your workplace on proper drug testing procedures and help ensure that you meet state and federal regulations for these drug testing programs. Contact us today to arrange secure employee drug testing at our certified laboratory or at your location.