Drug and alcohol abuse can severely impact job safety. Many organisations enforce drug regulations to safeguard their operations and workforce. Furthermore, drug testing is an excellent approach to keeping track of drug use that could lead to undesirable situations at work. According to businesses, effective drug and alcohol programs lead to a considerable reduction in workplace accidents. However, before drug and alcohol testing, the employer must ensure that all employees know and accept the policies. The best way to implement a drug and alcohol policy is to have an employee drug test consent form template available in advance. 

An employee’s permission to provide a specimen sample, such as blood, urine, or saliva for alcohol and drug screens, is expressed in writing on an employee drug test consent form template. The employee authorises the collector to obtain a sample for analysis and discuss the findings with the employer by signing the form. A consent form is a legal contract between the employer and the employee. Thus, it is essential to inform the worker about the objective of the test. Additionally, an alcohol test uses a breathalyser to detect the presence of alcohol. BACtrack workplace breathalysers can assess a person’s Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). 

Creating an Employee Drug Consent Form Template 

What should an employee drug test consent form template include? An alcohol or drug test consent template has four main elements: 

• Authorisation – The employee authorises the testing facility to obtain a specimen sample for laboratory analysis. 
• Disclosure – The employee allows the collector or testing facility to share the test results with the employer. 
• Release – The consent form requires the employee to release any legal charges following the drug test result. 
• Signature – The employee must sign the form acknowledging their voluntary consent. An unsigned form is invalid. 

Why is an Employee Drug Consent Form Template Needed? 

An employee drug test consent form template is what you must give to administer tests as an employer legally. When conducting a test, getting consent safeguards you from legal action and criminal accusations. Although there are many different types of drug and alcohol tests, you can create and develop a procedure that is effective for most of testing requirements: 

• Pre-employment Testing – drug and alcohol tests are necessary, especially in high-risk jobs. Employers announce pre-employment tests in job applications, and job offers depend on passing the test.
• Blanket Testing – everybody in the workplace is tested. 
• Post-accident Testing – those involved in an accident are tested to investigate the cause.  
• Random Testing – unannounced testing helps deter substance use or abuse.
• Rehabilitation Testing – those undergoing rehabilitation are tested to ensure they follow rehab guidelines.  
• Back to Work Testing – returning employees from an accident or having previous positive test results must submit and pass a new tests.

It is crucial for an employee to sign an employee drug test consent form template. The purpose of the workplace testing policy should be to increase workplace security and protect employees’ health and well-being. Employers must guarantee complete anonymity when asking employees to sign the form. 

Testing Methods

Different testing methods should also be considered when creating an employee drug consent form template. Results may differ from each methods. These methods could be:

• Blood Test – Businesses may utilise blood drug testing to check job applicants and employees for illicit drug and alcohol use. However, because blood tests are expensive, most companies do not use them as a primary test method. Additionally, they have a brief detection window that could last just a few hours.
• Urine Test – On the other hand, urine is the most common primary testing method. 
• Saliva Test – Saliva tests are less invasive than other procedures and have a detection window of 7 to 21 hours. Also, they can be a valuable option for employers that don’t want to take the risk if employees don’t supply enough sample.
• Hair Test – Their wide detection range allows hair tests to identify drug use. Hair follicles provide up to 3 months of drug and alcohol information history. However, it cannot determine the amount of alcohol but only disclose past drug or alcohol use.
• Breath Test – Testing an employee’s breath is best for alcohol testing. Employers may conduct breathalyser testing when an employee is suspected to be intoxicated. The employee’s blood alcohol concentration is shown immediately using a breathalyser.

Identifying Common Substances  

Employers frequently utilise an employee drug test consent form template to maintain their workplace alcohol and drug policy. Before lawfully checking for drug use, companies must obtain their employees’ consent. However, employers must remember that some employees may use opiates and amphetamines for medicinal purposes prescribed by doctors. For reasons of practicality, businesses frequently screen for the following five commonly used medications per SAMHSA standards:  

• Both methamphetamine and amphetamines 
• THC or marijuana 
• Cocaine 
• Opioid drugs, including morphine and codeine 
• Ketamine and phencyclidine 

Although it is acceptable for adults to consume alcohol, most employers prohibit personnel from doing so while at work. Furthermore, aviation, transportation, mining, and construction industries frequently use an employee drug test consent form template to ensure that employees know the policies. Meanwhile, the workplace breathalysers from Breathalysers New Zealand make it simple to check for alcohol consumption. Not all positive results may show symptoms of being drunk, but it does show that alcohol was consumed during working hours, even in small amounts. 

Testing Protocols in an Employee Drug Consent Form Template

Companies have different regulations on drug and alcohol testing. In general, getting consent is essential for administering drug tests. It does not imply that there will be no consequences if a worker declines to take a test. However, companies might need to let their personnel know about their drug and alcohol testing policy at work. Companies wishing to increase workplace safety must use an employee drug test consent form template. Additionally, setting up a permission form for drug tests and administering workplace alcohol and drug checks can significantly assist in discouraging unhealthy behaviours. 

Any company in any field may find it necessary to use an employee drug test consent form template. Employers should never tolerate alcohol and drug usage at work. Moreover, several businesses have adopted screening to lessen the detrimental effects of drug and alcohol usage. Having a formalised drug and alcohol testing policy ensures the employees’ safety. There are many considerations when drafting an employee drug test consent form template for workplace testing. 

BACtrack Breathalysers 

Safety maintenance is essential, particularly in high-risk industries. Therefore, employees must always be aware of the provisions of the drug and alcohol policy. When there is a good reason, the employer may test the employees who have consented and signed the employee drug test consent form template. You can check for alcohol consumption at work through a breathalyser. Additionally, industrial-grade BACtrack workplace breathalysers, such as the BACtrack S80 Pro Gen2, are available from Breathalysers New Zealand. Fuel cell sensors used in these devices are highly dependable, accurate, and less prone to false-positive readings. Additionally, police officers use the same technology as fuel cell sensors.