Last updated : November 11, 2024
Drug use has escalated in the United States in past years. Over 2012 alone, more than 1.55 million people were arrested on nonviolent drug charges. According to the NCADD, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 70% of the estimated 14.8 million Americans who use illegal drugs are employed. Also, workers who have reported having three jobs or more in five years are almost twice more likely to be current or previous users of illegal drugs than those who have had two jobs or less.
For most companies, safety is a chief concern, especially in industrial workplaces where employees must operate machinery. This could lead to injuries on the job and the affected employee filing for worker’s compensation. According to the American Council for Drug Education, substance abusers are ten times more likely to miss work, and are 33% less productive when on the job. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that drug and alcohol abuse cost American businesses $128.6 million in lost productivity.
The following workplace behavior may indicate possible drug or alcohol problems:
- Lack of focus and concentration
- Poor work quality
- Inconsistent attendance
- Increased absences
- Low productivity
- Erratic work behavior
- Increased errors or mistakes in judgment
- Disregard for safety, extended lunch and break times, frequent departures
Some other facts from the NCADD include:
- 6.6% of employed Americans reporting heavy drinking, defined as five or more drinks per occurrence on five or more days in a 30 day period.
- 21% of workers being put in dangerous situations or reported being injured due to others’ drinking.
- Up to 40% of industrial fatalities and 47% of industrial industries can be linked to alcohol or its consumption.
The Federal Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988 requires employers receiving federal grants or contracts of over $25,000 to publish anti-drug policy statements and provide them to employees, as well as establish drug awareness programs and take personnel actions against workplace substance abuse cases. They must establish as a term of employment that all employees report any criminal convictions for drug related activity in the workplace within five days, and then notify the federal agency providing the award of employee convictions.
Drug testing as part of the hiring process is the most commonly used program as well as testing upon suspicion or random drug testing on the job. Studies show that employees who are convinced to go to treatment by employers are slightly more likely to recover from their drug abuse or alcoholism and to improve performance than those who are not.
USA Mobile Drug Testing is a great solution for employers wanting to increase productivity and reduce their workers comp claims by providing mobile drug testing. All tests are administered in accordance with Federal Drug Free Workplace testing guidelines and with state regulations.
USA Mobile Drug Testing will travel to the company’s location and administer the testing in a simple, quick and cost-effective way. USAMDT of Denver South works closely with their clients to establish policies and test procedures that meet Department of Transportation and Non-Federal testing program regulations.
Companies who use some form of drug testing program are known to experience a 51% reduction in workplace injuries within two years of implementation. With USA Mobile Drug Testing, specialists can help companies combat drugs and alcohol in the workplace by efficiently providing easy and economical drug testing procedures. Denver South can also implement a Computerized Random Selection process, which generates random drug and alcohol test selections and notifications in which employees are selected for random testing by computer on a monthly or quarterly basis.
The accuracy of the drug tests administered by USAMDT are reviewed by Medical Review Officers, who are licensed physicians with a knowledge of substance abuse and medical training that can interpret test results for the most accurate testing possible.
