What’s The Most Common Type of Drug Test for Employment?
Written By admin onPre-employment drug and alcohol testing, as well as testing throughout employment, plays an essential role in ensuring a safe, substance-free work environment.
To be effective, drug tests must be regularly and systematically administered. The following situations may warrant drug testing:
- Pre-employment drug testing before onboarding a new employee
- After an unusual workplace accident
- Under reasonable suspicion of substance abuse
- At random according to company policy
Why Is Drug Testing for Employment Important?
By eliminating possible drug and alcohol abuse by your employees, you can safeguard your workers from injury while maintaining their productivity.
According to the National Safety Council, workers with substance use disorders:1
- Miss two more weeks of work per year than their peers
- Are 40% more likely to report having more than one employer the year prior
Testing for drug or alcohol abuse in your employees can also help you to get them treated while protecting your business’s reputation and minimizing workers’ compensation claims due to workplace injuries.
The Most Common Workplace Drug Test
The urine drug test is the most common type of workplace drug test employers use to screen for possible substance abusers. Since urine testing is relatively cost-effective and accessible, its widespread use is not surprising.
Additionally, any employer required by law to conduct drug tests, like public transport companies, may only make use of urine tests as they are the only tests the federal government accepts.
What Is the Urine Drug Test?
A urine drug test detects recent illegal drug use or alcohol misuse in a sample of a person’s urine. Drugs detected by a urine drug test include illegal substances like marijuana and cocaine, as well as the misuse of prescribed medication like opioids or barbiturates.
Why Is the Urine Test the Most Commonly Used?
Among the most common drug testing methods, urine testing has the advantages of being fast, inexpensive, and accurate. Urine drug testing can also detect drugs in the urine for up to a month after use, depending on the drug.
Another benefit is that, unlike blood testing, urine testing is minimally intrusive and does not require medical supervision.
What Is a Five-Panel Drug Test?
If you are looking for a route to establish a drug testing program, a five-panel drug test is one of the most widely used urine tests administered by private employers and government agencies. It screens for five commonly abused substances:
- Amphetamines
- Cocaine
- Marijuana
- Opiates
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
How AMH Nationwide Can Help Keep Your Workplace Drug-Free
Are you looking to implement fast and efficient drug testing for your employees? Do you need an informed and unbiased party to determine your random or scheduled drug tests?
AMH Nationwide is a national testing lab agency with over 30 years of experience that provides reliable, affordable drug testing for individuals and employers. We make your job easy by taking care of all of it for you for one efficient and affordable cost.
If you’re interested and need more information, contact AMH Nationwide online to learn more about the various drug tests we offer.
Sources: