Checking for drug abuse habit in employees is an essential responsibility of an employer. Various types of drug testing including pre-employment, random, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, and treatment follow-up testing are conducted in workplaces. Though each of them has its own importance, random drug testing is an effective measure to deter substance abuse problems at workplace. Today, many companies conduct random drug testing. It helps to reduce healthcare policy costs and improve work quality. It also reduces accidents and injuries at workplace thereby ensuring safety.
Random drug testing helps in identifying any abusers in the workplace. In this method, employees are tested on a random basis without prior notice. As they are not informed about the test, there is no chance for the employees to adulterate the sample. So, random drug testing is the best means for employers to find drug abused employees. However, selection of employees for drug testing should include everyone within the company. No chance for subjectivity, favoritism, or manipulation of the process should be evident in random drug tests. The test should, however, be conducted with great caution and not without legal counsel.
Random drug testing is prominently conducted on employees holding safety and security-sensitive occupations. Professions involving machinery or operating equipment are likely to have drug and alcohol screening policies. People with these professions may endanger others upon substance abuse. So, the employers have to ensure that the employees are not intoxicated. Also, by conducting random drug testing, a company can get protection from any potential liability in case of any damage by the drug-abused employee. Thus, random drug testing ensures safety of the individual as well as the organization.
Good article