How to implement a drug testing program??

[JBGASH]

Have a small company with 12 full time employees. How does everyone address drug testing and what happens if any of the employees test positive for drugs? What if they show up with hints of alcohol on their breath? Are they fired, sent to rehab or what? I am considering random drug testing to insure my workforce stays drug free and feel that a good employee may have a drug problem now. I have not got any proof, but his actions are pointing towards it more and more.

 

[gravelwasher]

*** edit *** I missed part of the questions.
Depending on what your company policy it might be better to call a lawyer. If you single someone out you can set your self up for a lawsuit.

It might be better to do 100% on site test and after the testing have everyone sign an updated drug policy. On site testing for 12 people would run about a grand where I’m at.
* end edit *

If there is a suspicion of drugs or alcohol someone off our safety staff will drive them to the local drug testing offices. It's best to do a random test and uses something like everyone with a 5 in there SSN and make sure the person in question is in the group.
Every few months at the morning meeting we will draw names and take a van full to get tested.
If needed we have the testing company come to our office and test everyone in office.

If someone test positive they do a second round of testing on the spot. Both samples are sent to a second lab for more testing. It takes 7 to 10 days to get the results back and they go on paid administrator leave for this time. If they are positive they are fired.

If someone turns them self in then rehab. After rehab they can come back to work, but some kind of random drug testing system will be in place for them. I have been though this once and it was a pain in the butt.

Anyone that is taking something that will show up on the drug test then they have to go to our company doc, before they can go back to there normal job. We do offer office jobs to these people till they get into the company doc and it's normally takes about half a day. We also offer office jobs to people with colds taking over the counter drugs if needed.

With our insurance we are required to test a % of office staff, CDL holder, heavy equipment operators, and maintenance.

 

[JBGASH]

Thanks gravelwasher, sounds like it would be best to have everyone tested first, because I sure dont need a lawsuit to deal with. I do not even have a written drug policy at present. Are there generic written "drug policies" already made up for companies to acuire? I am unsure if our insurance carrier would supply one or not, will give them a call to see if they have suggestions also.

 

[gravelwasher]

Our insurance policy gave us a list of requirements we were to meet for testing.

I read this one and it looks to cover all the basic stuff, but I would talk to a lawyer as laws are different in each state, and I would also let my insurance company give there recommendations to what it should say.

http://www.worksafecenter.com/safety-resources/PDF/Drug and Alcohol Sample Policy.pdf

 

[Mikez]

We are non-union, at will employer, we send randoms down to the clinic for $35.00 each. We also do on the spot if there is an "incident", in house. We also do in house testing for pre-employment. As a back up we take pictures of all results that include a picture of the packaging that shows lot number, and date of manufacturer. We have a very strict policy here, no second chances.

 

[heavylift]

A refinery I was working at pulled a surprise UA during a turn around. All contractors were to meet at the machine shop for a meeting. As you walked in the door they handed you a test kit. They caught about 300 people out of the nearly 1000 workers. Needless to say the refinery wasn't happy.
This was in the mid 1980's, about the time they started getting serious about UA testing.
I think I have had about 8 to 10 UA's in the last year, as most plants require UA's before you can work at their facility. Once last year a plant also UA'd the entire plant work force, but it was less than 300 workers total. Only 1 tested positive, so I guess things have come a long way in the last 30 years.

 

[akpolaris]

You can hire a contractor to administer a program such as you want. They will have all the legal angles covered as far as how to administer the program and keep you out of legal problems. It may give you a break on your insurance. Also this type of program may help with larger or federal jobs that have requirements that all employees be tested or meet a threshold that they determine.

 

[dwolfe]

I work for a factory is missouri, we do prehire and for cause drug screening. The cause can mean for an accident or attendance and eradic behavior.
Missouri is an at will state, you can let some one go for no reason. But if you let some one go for a reason and not a nother person this is where law suites come from. This is where your policy has to rock solid across the board.

Also work policy and rules can be a double edge sword, some times their productive some times not. I have lost some employees that I never though did drugs. Was able to get rid of some that played our attendence policy.

 

[Dozerboy]

I have seen employees test positive and just have to do "rehab". They where good hands though. Alcohol is a bigger issue, guys going out drinking until 2-3 in the morning then coming to work. Its over looked at times, because they have jobs they can do that being hungover/buzzed isn't really a issue. Like "paper work and training".

 

[ctheddy]

Just ask the guy what his deal is. Never hurts to act human around your employees. Problem persist, replace him and maybe consider implementing a policy at that point.

 

[thepumpguysc]

I know this is an old thread BUT>
Insurance costs are lower w/ a drug "policy"..according to our "people"..and the ins. co. picks the testing facility.
At my place [35 total] the insurance co. has a list of ALL employees..they "randomly" fax/email a list every 3-4 months of 4 names and 3 alternates..
IF the 4 named people aren't available..the names get pulled from the alternates..
BUT heres where it gets funny...the dept. heads know who does what..and the "suspected folks" are "convienently" "out on a job and away from the office" when this rolls around..so the names get picked from the ALT'S..
Usually from the secr. pool or mgrs...
BUT> I've seen it used to get rid of folks too...1 girl in the sec. pool used to brag about "doing this and that".. and BAM..her name was on the list...2 months AHEAD of the 3-4 month schedule..
I GUESS it was worth the 35-60.00 to get "the pool" tested..just to get rid of her..
OH, and ONLY 2 CHOICES..RESIGN[quit] with no "black mark" on your record and FULL recommendations for your next job...OR REHAB for 30 days...
Was in a friends place of business awhile ago and he had a 2nd chance policy up on his personell board.. 1st offence was 2weeks off w/o pay and retest w/in 30 days..2nd was rehab or quit and 3rd was termination..
BUT GET THIS>> it was all NULL AND VOID AFTER 365 days...YOU STARTED OVER AFTR 1YR.. LOL
SO..unless your a REAL DUMBASS..you can get a free 2 week vacation EVERY YEAR..HELL I would just coincide it w/ my ALREADY 2 weeks payed and take 1 month!! lol just sayin'..

 

[FMD]

Reach out to your BWC. Here in Ohio, the state health and safety program will train you for FREE and help you set up a program and it will give your company a discount for having a drug screening program.

A few things to keep in mind on drug screening. You need a written program and you need to be consistant with the written program , dont deviate from the program. There are classes for the first line supervisors also and the classes cover suspisious cause for random drug testing. There is NOTHING wrong with sending someone out for a random drug test for just cause. There is a procedure for this which should be part of your written drug screeening program.

 

[FMD]

I know this is an old thread BUT>
Insurance costs are lower w/ a drug "policy"..according to our "people"..and the ins. co. picks the testing facility.
At my place [35 total] the insurance co. has a list of ALL employees..they "randomly" fax/email a list every 3-4 months of 4 names and 3 alternates..
IF the 4 named people aren't available..the names get pulled from the alternates..
BUT heres where it gets funny...the dept. heads know who does what..and the "suspected folks" are "convienently" "out on a job and away from the office" when this rolls around..so the names get picked from the ALT'S..
Usually from the secr. pool or mgrs...
BUT> I've seen it used to get rid of folks too...1 girl in the sec. pool used to brag about "doing this and that".. and BAM..her name was on the list...2 months AHEAD of the 3-4 month schedule..
I GUESS it was worth the 35-60.00 to get "the pool" tested..just to get rid of her..
OH, and ONLY 2 CHOICES..RESIGN[quit] with no "black mark" on your record and FULL recommendations for your next job...OR REHAB for 30 days...
Was in a friends place of business awhile ago and he had a 2nd chance policy up on his personell board.. 1st offence was 2weeks off w/o pay and retest w/in 30 days..2nd was rehab or quit and 3rd was termination..
BUT GET THIS>> it was all NULL AND VOID AFTER 365 days...YOU STARTED OVER AFTR 1YR.. LOL
SO..unless your a REAL DUMBASS..you can get a free 2 week vacation EVERY YEAR..HELL I would just coincide it w/ my ALREADY 2 weeks payed and take 1 month!! lol just sayin'..

If the management is doing the pooling, then it isnt a random, but a suspision testing. The random should be pulled by a computer using SSN or employee numbers. If she was bragging about abusing drugs and they send her out for a drug screen for reasonable suspision (two people observing her, for tall tell signs et el) and she fails and the written policy is dicharged on the first offense, that is how it should work.

We had a driver laid over at a hotel due to weather and he hit the hotel lounge and was drinking heavy while in uniform. Someone from the hotel called into dispatch. The transportation manager met the driver the next morning at the hotel (they didnt want him driving back to the terminal) and drove him to the medical center for a drug/alcohol screen and was terminated once the BAT came back positive.

 

[wilko]

When cops, congressmen, and CEOs have to **** in a cup that'll be one thing, in the meantime it's mostly bulls#!t. That goes double for people who have crap jobs with crap pay having to put up with everybody else's crap. (and not in any kind of position where they could be remotely dangerous to others)
And yes, I'm self employed and required by law to be in a program. (unlike the people requiring me to be in the program) If you're thinking I have a bad attitude about some things, you're spot on.

 

[td25c]

Understand your frustration wilco.My buddy who is an experienced concrete mixer driver (20 years in the seat) and damb good at putting the crete where it needs to be .Anyhow he is pouring at a bridge job and due to site conditions has to get on the edge of the causeway fill.It was soft and he gets stuck,wrecker is called to help him out ,No big deal.When he gets back to the plant he has to take a drug test.Go figure:beatsme

 

[wilko]

Common sense and good judgement are being replaced with a rulebook. Thanks, TD. Kind of thought everybody would jump down my throat on this.

 

[Hopuser]

At our mine its zero tolerance post incident and random testing! everyone signs a drug policy and it is enforced.

 

[wilko]

And do the suits in the office get tested every time they make a dumb decision?

 

[FMD]

And do the suits in the office get tested every time they make a dumb decision?

At our company, they do.........If they have an accident, they are sent out for a drug/alochol screen.

 

[MikeClark]

Employment law requires that businesses have written policies and contracts with employees and implement a workplace drug testing program (https://www.ntatesting.com/Employment%20Drug%20Testing%20and%20Education%20Make%20the%20Workplace%20Safer.aspx).

Do you need to follow DOT regulations? We also wrote a post about the responsibilities of employers who have to perform DOT drug testing here: https://www.ntatesting.com/Basic%20Responsibilities%20of%20Employers%20Who%20Perform%20DOT%20Drug%20Tests.aspx.

You basically need to start a program with random drug testing. You can have your staff trained to perform the supervision for the program. You can even benefit from insurance companies that give discounts on Workers Compensation insurance for companies that perform regular drug testing.