How workplace drug testing will save your company money

If you’re a business owner or manager and you have yet to implement a rigorous drug testing regimen in your workplace then this article is for you. You may not be aware but unscreened employees working in your factories, shops, and offices could be costing you money and worse, endangering their fellow staff members’ very lives.

Whether your employees are misusing illicit and banned substances, prescription medication, or alcohol and other substances, they could be costing you money and endangering your staff. Don’t allow workplace drug use to risk your company’s future and your employees’ safety; drug testing is a vital part of any business model.

The possible side effects of drug users in your employ

To illustrate just how much an employee under the influence of drugs and alcohol can cost your company we will outline ten ways in which you could be losing out to drug affected employees.

1. Absenteeism- Use of drugs in and outside of the workplace can result in an increase in absenteeism which will lead to you losing out in sick day payments and having to cover shifts, reorganise rosters, and spend your valuable time shuffling the board because of one drug using employee. An increase in absenteeism correlates with the use of drugs so it makes sense to insulate your business against absenteeism and tardiness with a drug screening procedure.

2. Illegal activities at work- The use and sale of illicit drugs in the workplace goes hand in hand with its use and sale outside of the workplace. If you have a drug user on your workforce then there is a real chance that they will further blur the line between what is right and wrong and begin using or selling illicit drugs in the workplace.

3. Poor job performance- One of the first things to take a hit when someone begins dabbling in illicit drugs is their job performance. Don’t put up with poor performance from your employees; ensure they are on the straight and narrow.

4. Effect on colleagues job performance- Not only can drugs affect the employee who is using, they can also have an adverse effect on their colleagues as well. By creating distractions in the workplace an employee can have an adverse effect on their colleagues’ performance as well.

5. Fatal accidents- This is the most important reason for rigorous workplace drug testing; employees under the influence of drugs are far more likely to be responsible for a fatal accident then those that are sober. By implementing a drug screening culture in your workplace you are fostering positive behaviour in your employees.

6. Injuries- After fatalities, workplace injuries are the next biggest problem that drug testing can help prevent. Accidents don’t have to be fatal to cause life shattering effects and some drug related mishaps at work can cause major injuries.

7. Sleeping on the job- When it comes to a loss of productivity there is no more wasteful and time wasting effect than an employee that falls asleep on the job.

8. Out of pocket health care expenses- If you have a workplace accident and end up paying for your employees’ health care benefits it will cost you doubly; the time they have off costs you in productivity and in the wages you still have to pay them when they are laid up.

9. Disciplinary procedures- If you have to reprimand and discipline your employees you are going to be wasting your time and the time they are meant to be working trying to sort them out.

10. Training new employees- If your employee cannot be reached and you need to find someone new it will cost you time and money that you simply don’t want to spend hiring and training up a new employee.
Workplace drug testing will help to mitigate the likelihood of the above incidences and can be performed in a morning or afternoon for the screening of your entire workforce, depending on the size of your organisation.

Why not take the time and insure your business’ livelihood against occurrences of drug abuse in your workplace.

Safe Work Laboratories is Western Australia’s premier workplace drug testing organisation. As an independent clinical laboratory in Western Australia, Safe Work Laboratories seeks to offer the best service possible. We are a NATA accredited laboratory for both AS/NZS4308 (Urine) and AS4760 (Oral Fluid) workplace drug testing. If you would like to arrange a drug test for your workplace please contact us today.

Drug Testing

What is drug testing?

If you’ve ever been pulled over for a random breath test, had a urine test as part of a job interview, or undergone a blood test as part of a sporting body’s testing requirements then you have been part of a drug test.

A drug test is an analysis of a biological specimen such as urine, blood, or breath, as seen in the above examples, and can also include testing of hair follicles, saliva and other bodily fluids and scrapings.
The most common examples of drug testing include police officers performing roadside breath testing for alcohol, screening of employees before gaining employment, or during employment as part of their contractual agreement with their employer, and in elite sports to determine whether any illicit substances like steroids are present in the athlete’s body.

This article will examine the different tests that drug testing companies can perform for businesses to ensure that their employers are not breaking any contractual agreements or endangering fellow employees by coming to work under the influence of illicit or banned substances.

Why is workplace drug testing important?

Workplace drug testing is important because not only can it save you money it can also save lives. If you work in a factory or an office, drug testing of your workforce can help to prevent accidents that will cost you money, and potentially, even lives.

If you work in high finance all it takes is one employee coming in stoned to result in poor decision making and potentially hazardous results for your coin purse; if you work on a factory floor and one of your forklift operators comes in tanked they have the potential to not only destroy your pallets of products but also pose a risk to the lives of their co-workers.

Drugs in the workplace is serious business, hence the need for workplace drug testing.

How does workplace drug testing work?

There are a variety of different tests that can be performed to determine whether a certain substance is present in a subject. The most common drug testing techniques for workplace drug testing are urinalysis and oral fluid screening; these procedures are listed in detail below.

Urinalysis- Urinalysis is the analysis of urine. It is one of the most common workplace drug testing procedures and is typically used to determine whether a subject has been using amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cocaine, cannabis or opiates.

Urinalysis is a non-invasive technique for testing employees that involves the collection of a small amount of urine which is then either tested onsite using an instant drug test and/or sent for analysis at a laboratory.

Oral Fluid Screening- Oral fluid screening is the analysis of oral fluid or saliva. It is also one of the workplace drug testing procedures and is used to test for amphetamines, cocaine, cannabis or opiates.
Oral fluid screening involves the use of a mouth swab which is then taken to a laboratory for analysis.

When and how to implement a drug screening at your place of work

If you’re asking when is the right time to begin screening your employees then chances are the answer is right now. By implementing a regular drug screening test into your workplace you will minimise the threat of drug related accidents and incidences in your workplace.

To implement a drug testing procedure at you place of work, get in touch with us at Safe Work Laboratories.

Safe Work Laboratories is committed to providing our customers with the most comprehensive and reliable workplace drug testing to ensure that your workforce is healthy, happy, and more productive. As an independent clinical laboratory in Western Australia, Safe Work Laboratories seeks to offer the best service possible. We are a NATA accredited laboratory for both AS/NZS4308 (Urine) and AS4760 (Oral Fluid) workplace drug testing. If you would like to arrange a drug test for your workplace please contact us today.