Last updated : December 16, 2024
Companies across several Georgia industries use drug testing to maintain a safe workplace and an optimal experience for clients. Industries that involve physical labor almost always use drug testing to prevent accidents, but office jobs and customer service positions also commonly test employees for their own reasons. Below is more information about the industries that routinely test for illegal drugs, including marijuana, heroin, cocaine, amphetamines and ecstasy.
Nursing
The nursing industry has important reasons for testing nurses for licensing and beginning and continuing employment. In many places where nurses work, there is easy access to controlled drugs that can be abused. To prevent loss of medication resulting in financial and legal problems, companies must take steps to keep drug-addicted nurses out of the workplace. Drug abuse must also be avoided because nurses have patients’ lives in their hands on a daily basis. By ensuring that nurses stay off drugs, patients and co-workers can count on their clear and responsible judgement when it’s necessary.
Construction
Both laborers and skilled tradesmen are commonly tested for construction work. These positions often involve the use of powerful hand tools and vehicles that could be dangerous if operated by somebody under the influence of drugs. With many workers nearby on many work sites, multiple injuries and deaths could ensue if a drug-using worker lost control of his or her equipment. In addition, the need for precision during the construction process makes sobriety important at all times for every worker on site.
Customer Service
Although most customer service jobs involve little or no heavy labor, employers do have other significant reasons to be concerned about drug use by these employees. For example, customer service workers represent a company and should have a professional image that puts the company in a good light. If employees were allowed to use drugs on the job, the company might lose customers who were disappointed after having a bad experience. Finally, stores don’t want drug addicts on staff who may steal cash from company safes and cash registers.
Drivers
Delivery drivers, truck drivers and chauffeurs are all tested initially and randomly for drugs to keep insurance costs down and maintain safety on the roadways. These workers commonly handle huge, heavy and sometimes hazardous loads at high speeds and in heavy traffic, requiring total vigilance at all times. It is no exaggeration to say that professional drivers hold not only their lives in their hands but also the lives of other drivers and sometimes their own passengers.
Office Workers
Companies who employ hundreds or thousands of workers in office settings have major concerns when it comes to drugs. Physical work is virtually absent in this environment, but mental sharpness is essential for the tasks performed by office workers. Accountants must transfer and compute numbers with absolute accuracy, and IT technicians need to be able to troubleshoot complex issues on short notice. Insurance savings with successful drug tests can also be huge for larger offices.
Residential and Commercial Movers
Companies that move belongings between homes and commercial buildings need drug-free workers who can repeatedly lift items safely without hurting themselves or damaging clients’ property. Drivers of moving trucks must handle their loads carefully in a wide range of traffic conditions, and all movers carry expensive items belonging to homeowners on a daily basis. Certain employees also regularly make computations related to job estimates, billing and logistics that require the consistent clarity of drug-tested employees.
Mining Workers
Laborers throughout the mining industry are tasked with using heavy equipment in a hazardous environment, and many work long hours and overtime as required. Companies need both drivers of mining trucks and other workers to be sober at all times, especially because many handle huge vehicles on narrow or makeshift roadways. Other workers must constantly be aware of their surroundings to watch for both vehicles and a host of other potentially dangerous machines.
The above industries are the main ones in Georgia that test workers for drugs, but many other companies may also use the practice for safety, insurance and other reasons. In every environment, having drug-free employees means that the workplace can continue toward success with all employees on the same page. In the end, this translates to better cooperation and productivity not only in the workplace but in society at large.
