Last updated : November 11, 2024
The benefits of a drug-free workplace aren’t a product of speculation, but a matter of record, as are the risks, drawbacks, and dangers involved when employees use drugs. Suffice it to say, as a business owner, you have a lot to lose if employees abuse drugs and/or alcohol on the job. Drug testing is the one sure way to free yourself of the risks involved.
You should start drug testing right now.
The problem is real and growing
Recent studies by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) document a rapid national increase in heroine and painkiller abuse, as well as in the number of people addicted to alcohol. Furthermore, studies indicate three-quarters of all drug/alcohol abusers are employed, most of them full time. Chances are, some of them are employed by you.
The risks are significant
Substance abusers in the workplace are five times more likely to cause an accident that harms a co-worker. Forty percent of industrial fatalities have links to some type of substance abuse. Up to 50 percent of workman’s compensation claims can be linked to substance abuse. Clearly, the safety of your workers will be enhanced when drugs and alcohol are eliminated from the equation; as a matter of fact, many companies have seen massive reductions in workplace injuries and fatalities within two years of establishing a drug-testing program.
The costs if you do not test are high
Substance abuse on the job costs U.S. businesses billions of dollars annually. Consider the following:
- Substance abusers are absent twice as often as non-abusers. Alcohol abuse alone costs U.S. companies 14 million workdays per year.
- Productivity suffers when employees use drugs or alcohol, often falling as much as 30 percent.
- Company medical costs increase when employees abuse drugs or alcohol.
- Employee turnover, and the costs involved, increase exponentially.
You could be liable
Drug abuse in the workplace leaves employers open to a number of liabilities, ranging from lawsuits surrounding injuries and/or deaths attributable to employee substance abuse to defective products or services caused by the same.
Morale is a factor
The plain truth is, drug and alcohol abusers can seriously damage your company’s overall morale. Chronic absenteeism forces co-workers to step into the breach, putting in longer hours. Increased accidents create a diminished perception of workplace safety that negatively impacts everyone. Behavioral problems displayed by abusers can poison your entire workforce.
Testing can be profitable
Keeping productivity up and healthcare costs down will certainly benefit your bottom line. But did you know many states offer financial incentives like lower workman’s comp premiums to employers who establish and maintain drug-free workplaces?
Testing can be easy, convenient, and cost efficient
Mobile testing providers offer A to Z service, freeing you from the financial and legal burdens involved in designing and administering your own compliant drug testing program. Once these providers have created a protocol tailored to your specific company, they’re available for testing 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Because the lab comes right to your door, worker downtime, missed tests, and retests are all but eliminated. Their technicians are certified, test results are fast and accurate. Their comprehensive record-keeping ensures pristine chains of evidence, should legal questions arise.
Testing is your right
Despite some states’ legalization of medical and/or recreational marijuana, the courts have unflaggingly supported employers’ rights when it comes to drug testing. While laws may vary slightly from state to state, the fact is, you have a right to test your employees and to take action based on the results of those tests. Taking advantage of that right is the best way you can protect your company, your workers, and the community at large.
