Drug Testing in the Workplace: A Case for Mandatory Random Testing

Abstract

Abstract Substance abuse has clearly become a concern of the workplace and the business community and remains a major safety and health hazard. The associated socio-economic and health burden is staggering and on the increase. The response to this problem has been the implementation of comprehensive workplace substance abuse prevention programs which include written policies, employee education, employee assistance programs (EAP) and drug testing. Of these components of workplace substance abuse programs, drug testing is the most sensitive and most contentious. Most employers drug test employees in safety sensitive and security sensitive positions. Other indications include random testing, pre-employment, for course, reasonable suspicion, post accident and post rehabilitation. Several studies have shown that the most effective deterrent to drug and alcohol use is random testing. Yet is it the most sensitive and contentious of all the test indications. This paper reviews random drug and alcohol testing in the workplace and suggests strategies for its effective use.