Drug testing has shown to be the most effective tool companies can use to combat and prevent workplace substance abuse. We at Conspire! understand the vital importance of such services, and we offer everything needed for drug testing and screening.
In the United States, substance abuse is a serious workplace issue: 11.5% of part-time and 8% of full-time American employees admit to substance abuse. In addition, 40% of all workplace fatalities were found to have involved on-the-job substance abuse. These figures reveal the scope of the problem when it comes to creating a safe working environment.
Drug testing has shown to be the most effective tool companies can use to combat and prevent workplace substance abuse. We at Conspire! understand the vital importance of such services, and we offer everything needed for drug testing and screening.
Conspire! Offers These Drug Testing and Screening Services
- Nicotine testing.
- Prevention programs aimed at youth for schools.
- Substance abuse professional (SAP) referrals.
- Policy review, writing and consultation.
- Designated Employee Representative (DER).
- Random pool management TPA services.
- Oral swab testing and hair test and collections.
- Breath alcohol testing (BAT) and confirmations.
- Rapid Result Quick Kits.
- Non-DOT collections and testing.
- DOT testing that is collected by professionals.
- DOT Compliance is our Specialty at Conspire!™
Compliance with federal regulations is our specialty and passion at Conspire!, ensuring you are audit-ready in the following ways:
- SAP referrals.
- DER training for 49 CFR part 40 compliance.
- Reasonable suspicion training for supervisors.
- Random pool management with Management Information System (MIS) reports provided.
- DOT compliant drug testing by DATIA certified collectors.
- What is Drug Testing?
- Drug testing is exactly what it sounds like: the act of testing someone to see if they have drugs in their system. It can successfully identify the presence of illicit drugs, prescription drugs and alcohol.
Although there are currently no Federal laws that prohibit employers from drug testing their employees, there are various states that restrict or question an employer’s desire to do random drug tests. This is especially true if employees aren’t working in a safety-sensitive position.
The accuracy and reliability of drug testing varies based on the type of method used to test someone. For example, testing methods using sweat, blood, hair, urine and saliva/oral fluid all have different windows of detection. To ensure the most reliable result, the method of testing should be matched with the ideal detection window for the drug for which you are looking.
PCP or phencyclidine: 1 week.
Methadone: 2-3 days.
Methamphetamine: 2-3 days.
Marijuana: Chronic use: Several weeks; Casual use, 3-4 days.
LSD: 8 hours.
Morphine: 2-3 days.
Heroin metabolite: Less than 1 day.
Cocaine: 2-10 days.
Amphetamines: 48 hours.
Alcohol: 1.5 hours per 1 ounce.
Any company that is a private employer can take advantage of drug testing. Therefore, drug testing becomes an important step in the hiring process. It is also crucial to ensure a safe working environment. Since substance abuse has been proven to cause significant health and safety hazards, it’s important for employers to make sure their potential employees are drug free.
But employers are not the only ones who can benefit from drug testing. School groups can also test students. For example, coaches and teams can have their athletes tested for the presence of drugs.
The SAMHSA states that employers normally pay for any drug test they wish to administer. Employers should also pay their employees for any time they spend taking a drug test as if they were hours worked, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). However, the cost of paying employees while they are having drug testing done, as well as paying for the cost of the test itself, is well worth it in order to create a safe workplace environment.
Substance abuse can negatively affect a person’s ability to do his or her job well and/or safely. Therefore, employers must ensure their employees remain substance free. Sometimes, merely the threat of a drug test can be enough to curb an employee’s substance abuse problem. However, if it isn’t enough for them to break their habit, then they will hopefully make that choice when they find out their job is in jeopardy after they fail their drug screening.
Our goal is to help employers create safe workplace environments. Call us today at Conspire!™ to learn more about drug testing.
A private company doesn’t have to disclose their drug testing policies ahead of time. However, certain organizations are subject to Federal regulations. For example, an organization like the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has to follow specific Federal regulations like those outlined in the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing, which are also known as SAMHSA guidelines.
Thankfully, at Conspire!™, we work to remain DOT compliant, so you can feel assured that we understand any regulations that might exist for your company. Since drug test results are considered personal health information, employees sometimes have to sign a release in order for their employer to view the results of the drug test. We will let you know if you need to obtain a signed release.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) guidelines, a company can check for the following illicit drugs along with alcohol and/or tobacco:
- Phencyclidine (PCP), also known as Angel Dust.
- Opiates, such as morphine, codeine, opium and heroin.
- Cocaine, also known as crack or coke.
- THC, such as hash, marijuana and cannabinoids.
- Amphetamines, such as ecstasy, crank, speed or meth.
There aren’t regulated costs for employee drug testing. How much the testing will cost for your company depends on the number of tests you will be purchasing. It also depends on whether you are paying a service like ours at Conspire!™ to handle the process. We are happy to speak to you about how much you can expect to pay for drug testing.
At Conspire! we take compliance very seriously.
Conspire! operates as a Third Party Administrator or TPA for local businesses. This means we can manage your company’s drug and alcohol testing program on your behalf. As your TPA, we will run your random pool, supply your MIS Reports, keep you in audit-ready status and allow you to stay focused on what you do best.
Below are the reasons why you should use a TPA rather than managing your program in-house:
- Some contracts and insurance companies require a 3rd party provider in order to meet qualification standards
- Relationships between co-workers often cause personnel to “look the other way” when substances are detected
- There is rarely staff solely appointed to drug testing
- It is not their area of expertise
- They are generally unfamiliar with proper protocols & procedures that prevent errors
- In-house personnel typically do not like to confront attempts to cheat the test, allowing more cheaters get through
- Co-workers are highly avoidant of performing drug tests under direct observation when a specimen is cold (substituted) and prefer to report the test as passed, when it is actually a fake
- A non-biased 3rd party provider can prevent claims of discrimination or favoritism
- Having a certified, professional collector is a liability protection if anything goes wrong with a specimen test
- The right drug testing professionals will use higher quality products that are more reliable and accurate
- Professional collectors have a vested interest in protecting the validity of the test outcome and the integrity of the specimen
- In-house testing does not save money in the long-run when problems and errors occur that cost companies in injuries, lost work time, liability issues and employee turn-over
We are happy to help you get it right every time. Call Conspire! and find out how to get started with TPA management today.