Last updated : November 11, 2024
Heroin and opioid painkiller addictions in Cuyahoga County and surrounding areas have reached epidemic proportions, according to both the CDC and the Cleveland Clinic. Local businesses hoping to avoid the economic ramifications of a full-blown public health crisis will no doubt rely on workplace drug testing more than ever before.
The risks associated with hiring or employing drug users are well documented:
- loss of productivity
- increased absenteeism
- more accidents/injuries
- increased healthcare costs
- more workman’s compensation claims
- increased risk of employee theft
- increased risk of lawsuits
According to OSHA one in six workplace fatalities are drug or alcohol related, and 80 percent of drug-related accidents injure a coworker, rather than the drug user. Did you know, however, that companies with drug-testing programs have demonstrated a 50 percent reduction in workplace accidents within their programs’ first two years?
The question for Cleveland employers isn’t “should I test for drugs?” but “how should I test?”
Evaluate first
The need to seek an outside provider is clear. Drug testing is not a “do-it-yourself” project. Since you’ll want to outsource, you now need to find the best service, but also the best value. Mobile testing services can provide both.
Seek the all-inclusive solution
Drug testing isn’t as simple a process as you might think. Federal, state, and local laws governing testing are constantly evolving, as are the methods used to conduct tests. Unless your company is ready to incur the costs associated with hiring a compliance expert (or contracting with a local attorney), paying employees to design and manage the program, and investing in the materials needed to do the testing, you’re probably better off contracting with a qualified vendor. When you send employees out to a lab, you’re likely just getting the testing service and result collection. Mobile testing is built around servicing clients, so by choosing wisely, you can make sure that every aspect of the process—from evaluating and designing the program to the testing and follow-up—is covered.
At your service and at your door
Traditionally, testing has meant sending employees to off-site drug-testing facilities. Unfortunately, that can prove costly in more ways than one. Not only do you need to schedule appointments ahead of time—giving drug users a heads-up that may allow them to cheat the test—but you wind up paying for unproductive man hours, possibly quite a few of them.
Let’s say “Mary” in customer service is scheduled for an off-site test. Having been tested before, she knows she’ll spend a good while filling out forms and waiting for the test. So what harm will it do if she takes a bit more time to stop at Heinen’s for groceries or grab a bite to eat on her way back to the office? She’s away from her desk, unproductive, racking up time, and you’re paying for all of it. Worse yet, what if “Mary” gets into an accident on her way to the lab? Now you’ve got a workman’s compensation claim on your hands.
Mobile drug testing saves money by bringing the lab right to your door. Tests can be randomly scheduled and conducted unannounced. Instead of being out of the office for hours, employees are safely on site, off the job for mere minutes, and that keeps productivity levels right up where you want them.
Drug testing isn’t a one-size-fits-all proposition. The number of different kinds of production and manufacturing industries in the Greater Cleveland area is staggering. No two businesses have the same needs. Mobile testing units will design and monitor a testing program tailored to your business size and type. Missed or delayed tests become problems of the past. Have a night shift? Mobile testing is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Finally, mobile providers are certified, completely up to date on and compliant with federal and state laws, and have a proven track record with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies worldwide.
In light of their many pluses, mobile testing units clearly offer Cleveland employers a cost-effective, risk-free option for drug testing employees.
