How to Build a Workplace Drug Testing Program From the Ground Up   

Today, workplace drug testing has become an important part of many organizations’ broader approach to safety, compliance, and employee well-being. As the CDC notes, workplace deaths from nonmedical overdoses increased by nearly 500% from 2012 to 2020. They estimate that about 46 million Americans, aged 18 and older, experience a substance use disorder, and 30.1 million of them were employed.  

These numbers drive home why drug testing matters. That said, creating an effective program involves considerably more than deciding which substances to test for. Employers need clear policies, qualified collectors, reliable testing procedures, appropriate documentation, and a process for handling results.

If your organization is setting up a drug testing program for the first time, it needs to be created in a systematic manner. Today, we’ll look at some of the most important steps involved in doing so.

Establish the Rules Before You Choose Tests

The first step is to determine why your organization is testing and exactly what the program is intended to accomplish. After all, a company conducting pre-employment screening may have different requirements from one performing random testing, post-accident testing, or reasonable-suspicion testing. Defining these circumstances first gives the rest of the program a clear framework.

Next, employers should create a written policy that explains: 

• Which employees are covered 
• What substances are included 
• When testing may occur 
• How employees are notified 
• What happens after a non-negative result. 

The policy should also explain confidentiality expectations and the consequences of refusing a test. If you wish to include disciplinary consequences for a failed or refused test, it’s wise to keep state law in mind. This is especially important when cannabis is involved. 

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there are 38 states where medical cannabis is legal. About half of these states have anti-discrimination protections for medical cannabis patients. This means employers may need to consider whether and how state law protects employees who legally use medical cannabis.

Likewise, cannabis-related employment rules can also extend to past convictions. In states like California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and New Jersey, certain cannabis convictions may qualify for ‘automatic relief.’ This makes it so that employers cannot access information on cannabis convictions, thereby removing barriers to employment.

Because these rules vary by jurisdiction, make sure to review policies regularly. You want to make sure your testing practices correspond with applicable federal, state, and local requirements. 

Build Infrastructure Around the Entire Testing Process

Once the policy is established, you need to determine how testing will actually take place. Urine and oral fluid testing each have different collection procedures, detection characteristics, and logistical considerations. 

At this point, the factor of who conducts drug testing is important enough that the U.S. Department of Transportation amended its testing rules. Specifically, they noted that a qualified urine collector is not automatically qualified as an oral fluid collector and vice versa.   

This illustrates why you need to verify that the people performing collections have the appropriate qualifications for the testing method being used. In other words, avoid cost-cutting measures of having one worker be responsible for multiple roles if they aren’t equally qualified in all of them. 

Then, when it comes to the actual tests, how you order and stock them can also be a major consideration. Ideally, working with wholesale suppliers helps organizations simplify procurement and maintain a consistent supply of workplace testing products. 

If your organization conducts ongoing employee drug screening, purchasing test kits in bulk can reduce per-test costs while helping avoid supply shortages. DrugTestsInBulk offers a wide selection of urine and oral fluid drug tests in multiple panel configurations, making it easier for employers, staffing agencies, healthcare providers, and other organizations to choose products that align with their workplace testing policies. 

With competitive bulk pricing, consistent inventory, and fast shipping, DrugTestsInBulk helps keep workplace screening programs running without interruptions. Buying small quantities as needed may initially seem fine, but it’s simply not cost-effective for most organizations with a drug testing program.

Prepare for Drug Test Cheating Attempts

Employers should also consider how employees might attempt to circumvent a drug test when designing their testing procedures. This does not mean assuming that every employee will try to manipulate a result. That said, a program with weak collection and specimen-handling procedures can create opportunities for someone who does.

Typically, the most common methods of drug test cheating are specimen substitution. One report shows that in New Zealand, drug users are increasingly using synthetic urine to cheat tests. It’s a substance that has a similar appearance and chemical properties to real urine. Dr. Ashraf Mina also notes that it can ‘absolutely’ pass a substance test. This is why more needs to be done to ensure a proper sample is being analyzed, he said. 

Employers can reduce these risks by using qualified collectors, following consistent identification, and using appropriate specimen-validity checks. Other important preventive measures include: 

• Controlling access to the collection area 
• Checking specimen temperature promptly 
• Inspecting the specimen before it leaves the collection site 
• Maintaining chain-of-custody documentation 
• Using tamper-evident collection materials 

While these measures might seem excessive, it’s worth remembering that if your testing process can be easily cheated, there’s no point in having one. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How often should employees be drug tested?

There is no universal testing schedule for every workplace. Employers may conduct testing during pre-employment, randomly, after workplace accidents, when there is reasonable suspicion, or as required by industry regulations. The appropriate frequency depends on the company’s policy, applicable laws, safety requirements, and nature of the work.

2. Can an employer randomly drug test employees?

Yes, employers can conduct random drug testing in certain circumstances, but the rules depend on the industry, location, and applicable employment laws. Employers should establish clear random-testing procedures in advance and apply them consistently. Safety-sensitive industries may also have additional federal testing requirements.

3. How can employers prevent employees from cheating on drug tests?

Employers can reduce cheating by using qualified collectors, following proper identification and chain-of-custody procedures, and checking specimens for validity where appropriate. Using collection methods with suitable safeguards can also help. Clear procedures for suspected tampering or invalid samples should be established before testing begins.

Key Numbers & Facts at a Glance

At the end of the day, a workplace drug testing program works best when it is designed as a complete operational process. You, as an employer, will need to establish clear rules while also understanding the laws that protect your employees. As discussed, the program should explain exactly how results will be reviewed and what happens when a test produces an unexpected outcome. 

You should also treat testing as something that can evolve alongside your workplace. Changes in state cannabis laws, testing technology, staffing arrangements, and regulatory requirements can create situations that your original policy did not anticipate. Thus, scheduling periodic policy reviews allows you to identify these gaps and make adjustments before they pose problems.