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Drug testing is a controversial topic. According to a recent YouGov poll, nearly half of Americans have tried marijuana at least once in their lives. Of these, an astonishing 43% have consumed it in the past year, and 73% used it last month. Still, drug testing remains an important part of workplace safety and compliance.

Drug tests can help keep employees safe by allowing employers to identify those who are using drugs while they are working or before they start their duties on the job. Drug tests can also help keep workplaces productive by identifying employees who are using drugs and removing them from work until they get treatment for substance abuse issues. Or until they prove themselves capable of performing safely despite being under the influence. 

Companies based in Indiana can opt for Indiana drug testing services to conduct drug testing on a regular basis and impartially. Here are the top five practices for Workplace Drug Testing in small businesses.

Clarify the Reasons for Drug Testing in the First Place

Before you begin the process of setting up a drug-testing program, you should first clarify the reasons for drug testing in the first place. If you’re considering implementing a workplace drug testing policy, it’s important to know that drug testing should be used as a last resort. 

If an employee is suspected of being under the influence while on duty or if they’re exhibiting behavior that could threaten their safety or others, then drug testing may be warranted. Drug tests can also be conducted when employees are hired or during random incidents—for example, if there is an accident and damage occurs.

Drug tests can also help protect company assets from damage and theft by employees who might have been under the influence at some point during their shift. This is why some employers require regular tests after any accidents occur within their facilities (this type of proactive measure doesn’t violate federal laws). 

Workplace Drug Testing Should Be Fair to All

If a workplace has a drug testing policy, the policy must be fair to all employees. The goal of a good workplace drug testing program is to help ensure workplace safety and productivity, not to single out those who are unworthy or suspicious.

Drug testing policies should be designed in a way that does not discriminate against anyone employee or group of employees. In other words, they should be applied fairly across the board so that an individual has no reason to think his or her privacy rights are being violated because he/she is not being treated as well as others.

The same sorts of concerns apply when considering whether someone should be subjected to an invasive or embarrassing test—such as hair sampling—rather than something less intrusive like urine screening tests. It doesn’t make sense for employers simply because they might have some vague notion about what kind of person they think might have been involved in wrongdoing; after all, such thinking could cause them undue harm if later proven wrong.

Work With an Employer to Create a Drug-Free Workplace Program

If your company does not already have a drug-free workplace program in place, this is the first step to take. You want to ensure that all employees are aware of and follow the rules, so they must be involved in creating and implementing one.

The next step is to design and implement a program that meets your needs. 

This means choosing which drugs you’ll test for based on what type of job each employee holds (for example, construction workers may need different testing than office staff), how much it costs per test, and what kind of results should trigger disciplinary action.

Finally, evaluate the effectiveness of the program by reviewing its policies regularly. Look at data from previous years’ tests, hold open discussions with employees about their experiences using drugs while working, and meet regularly with management as well as HR professionals who can advise you on best practices for compliance.

Keep Your Policies up to Date and Train Employees on Them

Because your company’s drug policy is a legal document, it’s important to keep it up to date. In addition, new employees should be trained on the policies and procedures at the beginning of their employment. If you have existing employees who haven’t been trained since the last time you updated your policies, train them again.

Train everyone on how to use the equipment:

• Drug test kits: Train all employees on how to use drug testing kits, including conducting a chain-of-custody test before testing an employee for drugs or alcohol. Make sure that each employee knows where all drug tests are stored (if you store them offsite) and how long they should be kept in storage before disposal.
• Drug testing machine: Any time that you have a new employee or someone working in a position where they will need access to the machine that conducts urine tests, ensure they know exactly how it works before letting them start using it on other people’s behalf

Bottomline

Drug testing has the potential to be a messy process that can lead to lawsuits and discrimination complaints, but it can also help keep you, your employees, and your organization safe and productive. If drug tests are done correctly, they have the potential to catch drug users before they start causing problems at work. 

This means you won’t have to deal with an employee being late because of their morning after-effects or needing time off more often than usual due to a habit. It also gives them an opportunity for treatment without having to worry about losing their job. And if you offer this kind of support to those who need it, then it will make your workplace feel like a better place.

The post 5 Best Practices for Workplace Drug Testing in Small Businesses appeared first on The Healthcare Guys.