Types Of Testing

Pre-Employment Testing

Pre-employment screening for substance abuse is an increasingly common type of workplace testing. As an indicator of candidate suitability, it forms an essential part of a company’s recruitment process, and helps maintain the safety of its current employee workforce and business environment.

Process

Determining whether a potential employee is involved in substance abuse requires a pre-employment medical to be conducted. As part of this process, you as the employer can choose the type of sample you wish to test, but consideration should be given to the detection windows for each sample. Our testing methods are non-invasive to ensure patient comfort, and include breath testing, oral fluid (saliva) testing, urine testing, hair testing, or a combination of these. In the case of pre-employment screening we recommend use of a hair strand test and/or urine test.

Throughout the process, we can provide support and guidance to ensure correct procedures are followed, including support in creating, or modifying, a new or existing workplace drug and alcohol testing policy.

Random Testing

With knowledge that a test could be conducted with anyone at any time, random testing is the most effective deterrent of drug abuse or alcohol misuse among employees. Ensuring the integrity of staff across all levels, random testing can be conducted with employees at any level, from temporary employees to managers and directors.

Process

The process includes ensuring a clear workplace drug and alcohol testing policy is in place. Employees should also be made aware that random drug and alcohol testing is carried out; this can take the form of a clear statement in an employee’s contract outlining that random testing can be conducted with little to no notice. Notification of this conforms to legislation whilst respecting employee rights.

Secondly, we will work with you to determine the percentage of your workforce you would like to test, and how often you would like testing to be carried out. Whilst we recommend random drug and alcohol testing should be performed at least quarterly, the decision is yours.

To avoid employee discrimination and to ensure testing is random, we use our random selection technology to eliminate bias and provide accurate random selections.

Finally, we will arrive to your workplace unannounced to carry out sample collections from the random selection of employees.

With-Cause Testing

With-cause drug and alcohol testing is conducted when there is suspected drug abuse or alcohol misuse in the workplace. Suspicion may arise as a result of the employee exerting signs of substance abuse, if an allegation has been made, if drugs or alcohol have been found within the workplace, or following an accident at work.

Under the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974), if an employer suspects an employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they are legally required to take appropriate action to protect the safety of the employee concerned, other members of staff and the general public.

Process

The nature of for-cause testing means that testing can be required ‘on-the-spot’. At Randox Testing Services, we offer a 24-hour call-out service which guarantees an experienced collection officer will arrive to your company within a maximum of 2 hours to perform a sample collection. This service is available 24/7, 365 days a year and complies fully with chain of custody procedures.

Post-Incident Testing

Post-incident drug and alcohol testing occurs after an accident or incident in the workplace to determine if drugs or alcohol may have contributed to the cause. Incidents include injury to an employee, assault of an employee by another member of staff or damage to property. If post-incident drug and alcohol testing is required, it is recommended that all employees involved are tested.

Process

Incidents can occur at any time within the workplace. Our 24-hour call-out service guarantees sample collection within a maximum of 2 hours to ensure immediate testing in cases of workplace incidents. This service is available 24/7, 365 days a year and complies fully with chain of custody procedures.

Abstinence Testing

Abstinence monitoring testing is conducted in circumstances where an employee, having tested positive for a previous drug or alcohol test, is monitored to ensure they remain abstinent from drug or alcohol misuse. It may also be conducted if an employee is returning to work from from a period of absence relating to substance abuse. This type of testing aids an employer in supporting the employee through their rehabilitation.

Process

The process of abstinence monitoring is to provide employees with the support and opportunity to remain abstinent and continue successfully at work. At Randox Testing Services we offer tailored testing solutions to ensure your needs are met. In addition, we provide a consultancy service to help businesses introduce workplace drug and alcohol testing, including helping you to create, or modify an existing policy. A workplace testing policy is essential for testing to be conducted.