Illinois joins nine other states that have legalized marijuana in the United States, with others, like New Jersey and New Mexico, looking to bring the subject up with their respective state governments this year. While this means that more people can use marijuana medically or recreationally without legal repercussions, like alcohol, this does not reduce the harmful impact drugs can have when people use them on the job.
This is one of the reasons why workplace drug testing will become more important than ever in 2020, and it all starts with the people “on the ground” who are the first point of contact, the ones that collect the specimens.
What’s Your Need?
Different businesses will have different reasons for considering drug testing. For some, such as those in transportation, or logistics, there are requirements from government agencies, such as the Department of Transportation, that require regular drug testing to ensure employees aren’t abusing substances.
For others, workplace drug testing may not be legally required, but highly desired to ensure that employees work at top efficiency and that workers feel safe with others in the workplace, secure in the knowledge that no one is compromising quality or safety by working under the influence. But that kind of workplace peace of mind only comes with properly administered tests.
Different Tests, Different Methods
There are a variety of different ways to test for drugs in the workplace, but the one thing that they all have in common is the necessity for a good, uncontaminated sample. Just asking an employee for urine or a hair sample without proper collection procedures and equipment is a recipe for questionable results. Then there is the ugly but always present possibility that a sample with compromised results didn’t occur by accident. The subject of the test may have deliberately manipulated the sample to avoid being found out.
This is why specimen collector training for designated employees is an essential component of the drug testing policy at any workplace. Whether you’re trying to collect hair samples, or collecting urine specimens for DoT compliance, people need access to good training, the proper equipment, and thorough testing and certification before collecting samples to be submitted for drug testing.
If you’re implementing a drug testing policy for your business, don’t take any short cuts. Make sure that the specimen collection process is done properly by people who get the appropriate equipment and training for viable results.
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