What is the Most Common Drug Test for Employment?

Drug tests for employment play a significant role in every business. We know that the most commonly abused substances worldwide are drugs and alcohol. Drug tests detect such abuse. With this, most companies require pre-employment drug tests for their applicants to filter down those who are abusing drugs and alcohol. Also, employers do not stop in with pre-employment testing. They often do drug tests on their current employees to have a safer workplace for everyone. However, there are a lot of drug tests for employment. Some would say that a blood test is the most common drug test for employment. Some would say it is the urine test since it is less intrusive. 

The most common drug test for employment can be in any form. The following sections will discuss the reasons and the types of drug testing in employment. Other relevant information will also be included, such as using breathalysers from Breathalysers New Zealand.

Most Common Drug Test for Employment: Reasons for Conducting Drug Test

Before knowing the most common drug test for employment, we must first understand why employers conduct drug tests. All companies are suffering from high expenses resulting from drug and alcohol abuse employees. Due to such employees, most workplaces incur high expenses due to damaged properties, accident compensation, health care, and insurance costs. Also, the most important thing is the safety of employees and other individuals in the workplace. Pre-employment drug tests can help reduce such costs since employers can detect drug and alcohol abuse. This will lead to lower turnover rates since the hired applicants expose a lesser risk of being a drug or alcohol abuser. However, it does not end there. Employers conduct drug tests on current employees to monitor employees for drug and alcohol abuse. Apart from these considerations, an employer’s responsibility is to safeguard their employees’ health, safety, and welfare.

Most Common Drug Test for Employment: Situations for Drug Testing

There are many reasons and situations why employers conduct drug testing in employment. Using the most common drug test for employment will depend on every situation also.   

• Pre-employment – Employers use pre-employment drug testing to detect whether potential employees abuse illegal drugs or alcohol. Many firms require potential employees to take pre-employment drug testing, and condition job offers on passing the tests.  
• Blanket – Mass workplace testing aims to test all employees. This testing can help ensure employers that their workers are fit to work. 
• Random – Employers test randomly selected employees on unannounced dates. This test can help identify employees that may be hiding their usage. 
• Post-accident/incident – Tests are given to those involved in a workplace accident or injury. This test can help identify the potential cause of an accident. Furthermore, this test can help employers decide the next course of action after an accident. For example, if the accident was not alcohol-related, employers can investigate the other potential causes, like faulty equipment or procedures. 
• For-cause – Employers would give tests to employees that they suspect are working under the influence. However, an employer must provide viably solid evidence to conduct the test. Proofs like poor quality of work, near misses (almost having an accident), or unprofessional behaviour can cause suspicion.  
• Return to work – These tests are given to employees that have only recently returned to work after a holiday or suspension. These tests can ensure that all returning employees are fit to work.

Most Common Drug Test for Employment: Types of Drug Test

To know the most common drug test for employment to use in a given situation, we need to know more details about each type of drug test. 

• Blood test – Certain employers use blood drug tests to check applicants and employees for unlawful drug and alcohol use. A professional phlebotomist draws a sample of blood, which they submit to a lab for testing. Blood tests are highly precise but are very invasive and expensive, which is why most employers do not use them. However, they have brief detection windows that can last up to a few hours.  
• Urine test – Employers most commonly use urine tests as a pre-employment drug screening. However, they have a shorter detection window than other drug tests.  
• Saliva test. Saliva tests are less invasive than other types and have a detection window of 7 to 21 hours. Still, they can be a viable alternative for businesses that don’t want to risk complications if employees don’t give enough urine. 
• Hair test – Hair tests have a long detection range and can detect drug usage up to three months before the test date. However, this testing can only reveal prior drug usage; it cannot detect alcohol. 
• Breath test – When an employer suspects an employee is impaired by alcohol on the job, employers may perform breath alcohol testing. This test uses a breathalyser machine and displays the amount of alcohol in the employee’s blood at the time of the test. 

Breath Tests

For alcohol testing, the most common drug test for employment will be the breath test. Breath tests are by far the most effective method for workplace alcohol testing. Even police officers and medical professionals rely on breath tests to help them maintain safer roads and provide adequate medical prescriptions. During a drug and alcohol test for employment, companies can easily and quickly offer alcohol breath tests with a breathalyser. The workplace breathalysers from Breathalysers New Zealand are highly reliable for workplace tests. These devices feature fuel cell sensors, the same sensors you would find in a police officer’s breathalyser. Furthermore, these sensors are only sensitive to ethyl alcohol, ensuring employers that false-positive results are less likely. This accuracy is handy when testing applicants that have diabetes or are on a low-calorie diet.

The Workplace Breathalysers from Breathalysers New Zealand 

The most common drug test for employment regarding breath tests uses breathalysers. During a drug and alcohol test for employment, breath tests can now be quick and efficient. The BACtrack workplace breathalysers from Breathalysers New Zealand only take 10 to 15 seconds to process Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) results. Furthermore, these devices also feature one-button operations that allow users to start a breath test with a push of a button. Upon turning on the breathalyser, it will begin a warmup period and be ready to start testing shortly afterwards. Undoubtedly, the workplace breathalysers from Breathalysers New Zealand can be a worthwhile investment for any company. Moreover, quick and easy testing methods can allow companies to provide more frequent alcohol tests. More frequent workplace tests can further help improve workplace safety.

Conclusion 

While it is essential to have drug testing in a workplace, the most common drug test for employment should also be cost-effective. Employers can select the best drug testing type to use depending on a given employment situation. For alcohol testing, breathalysers will be the best ones to use. Additionally, employers Most importantly, drug testing for employment not only reduces drug-related expenses of a company it also provides a safer workplace for everyone.