Drug Testing in the workplace

A safe workplace is one that is free from hazards and compliant with all Work Health & Safety regulations. It is an environment where employers and employees work together to prevent workplace injuries from occurring and is the essential key to maintaining such an environment. 

Drug test screening is one factor to consider in the workplace. to ensure a safe workplace environment for all. The drug test looks for signs of one or more illegal or prescription drugs. The purpose of a drug test is to look for drug use and misuse, including using any illegal drugs. 

Here we will explore 2 of the most common Drug Test Screening that is performed in the workplace – Urinary Screening VS Saliva Screening. So what’s the difference between the two?

 Urinary Screening 

A urinary screening for the workplace will check for recreational drug use. It is reliable and accurate and ensures employees and/or employers are fit for daily duties. This is a great format of testing as urine screening can:

  • Test a wider range of drug groups, including cannabis, opiates, methamphetamines, amphetamines, benzodiazepines and cocaine 
  • Provides an extended window of detection (for chronic use, up to 46 days!)

However, it can be a “double-edged” sword as urine samples are time-sensitive. Being that it may not detect recent drug use (between 6 to 12 hours prior to the test). It also relies on the correct collection of urine sample from the patient, and this could then lead to inaccurate results.

Saliva Screening 

Saliva screening detects traces of substances in someone’s saliva to identify the presence of drugs in their system. Saliva screening is preferred in most workplaces due to the ease of collection with minimal discomfort and it can also indicate more recent drug use.

However, there is a lower chance of identifying Benzodiazepine use (Drug that may be prescribed to treat severe anxiety or severe insomnia) due to extremely low levels in oral fluid. 

So, which is best for the workplace? 

The answer is either one!  At the end of the day, it will depend on the business and/or individuals decision and what they want or need to achieve as well as the outcome for conducting the drug testing for their workplace. 

If you’d like to enquire for drug and alcohol testing in the workplace, get in touch with our friendly team for a no-obligation quote!