Regardless of the circumstances for testing, employers must choose reliable, highly sensitive, and effective testing solutions.


industries and why employers should be testing for a broader range of opioids as a way to manage risk and related accidents. While not as visible as the marijuana-


legalization campaigns or the opioid epidemic, synthetic cannabinoids (K2/ Spice) and other synthetic drugs continue to plague employers nationwide. Tere have been numerous instances in 2018 highlighting the dangers and prevalence of K2/Spice. Washington, D.C. recently made headlines with a resurgence of K2/ Spice overdoses—from July 14, 2018 to September 27, 2018, emergency medical services transported to hospitals 1,855 patients who were showing symptoms consistent with a synthetic drug overdose.3


No workplace is devoid of


these deadly, fast-acting synthetic drugs— as of 2012, 8.9 million persons ages 12 or older in the U.S. were considered current users of illicit drugs other than marijuana, a classification that would include synthetics.4


Many states find it difficult to


regulate synthetics, as the manufacturers can easily alter one compound in the chemical composition to circumvent the laws aimed to ban these substances. Employers can curb the impact of synthetics in the workplace by including them as a part of their policy and testing for them as a part of their program.


Protecting Your Bottom Line


Regardless of whether you operate in a safety-sensitive industry or not, implementing a robust and effective testing program and having an up-to-date policy is essential. While choosing a “standard” testing program may seem like the easy, cost-effective choice, employers oſten find that such a program does not offer the depth and breadth needed to adequately ensure a drug-free workplace. With such a wide range of workplace


issues—synthetics, opioids, and marijuana—employers oſten find that their testing needs vary from year to year, site to site, and state to state. A large, multistate company may find that its policy must meet different drug panel requirements, varied cut-off levels, and specimen requirements from one state to another. Its contractors may require pre-access screening at remote jobsites, while its onsite medical staff may require a robust medical professional panel that includes a wide variety of prescription drugs. Even a small employer with only a few offices in a single state will find that its needs differ by position or reason for testing. Reasons for testing vary—pre-


employment, reasonable suspicion, post- accident, follow-up, return-to-duty, and more. However, all too oſten the testing panel selected in support of these events


10


datia focus


winter 2019


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48