The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires some companies to conduct random drug testing on their employees who work behind the wheel. It does not matter whether it is a huge trucking firm with plenty of drivers employed or a small business that provides delivery service to customers. As long as there are drivers who work for you, it means you should comply with the regulation.
Random drug testing improves road safety for everyone, but it can be a hassle sometimes. One of the best ways for employers to conduct this is to join a drug testing consortium. Here is everything you need to know about it:
What Is a Drug Screening Consortium?
In a nutshell, a drug screening consortium is a group of many companies joined together as a single association. Their goal is to make the process of random drug testing among their drivers much smoother. By joining a drug screening consortium, a single business experiences less hassle in complying with the DOT regulation that requires employers to conduct drug tests on their workers.
What Does a Drug Screening Consortium Do?
As a third-party administrator, the consortium manages the drug screening requirements of all its member companies. The services offered by the consortium include conducting regular testing on drivers. Depending on the agreement with a member company, the consortium can keep records and maintain the confidentiality of the drug testing results. This saves the employer from the extra trouble of managing the drug testing documents of their workers.
What Are the Perks of Joining a Consortium?
Joining a testing consortium allows you to access various benefits. Aside from experiencing no hassle in conducting drug screening on your employees, you also get to enjoy plenty of other perks. For example, it can lower your direct costs in managing the random screening process. This is highly advantageous for small and medium-sized companies because they can save a lot of funds, which can be rechanneled to other business-growing opportunities.
By joining a consortium, you will also get ample support from industry experts. The staff members that handle the drug testing procedures are all professionals in the field. This means you can rest assured that you will always get accurate results. Depending on the drug testing consortium that you join, the drug testing staff may suggest the best screening methods for your company. They will base their suggestions on the size of your organization and the number of your employees to be tested. Here are a few methods that you can employ:
Urine Test
This one is considered the most common type of drug test. This method is highly reliable and painless, so it has become the go-to option for companies that want to screen their employees. This test can accurately determine the presence of amphetamine, opioids, nicotine, and other common drugs in a person’s system. Some urine testing facilities guarantee fast results, which can be obtained in just a few days. But other clinics require a whole week or more before the release of results.
Saliva Test
Currently, the fastest known method, saliva tests, is used to obtain results in less than 24 hours. It’s preferred by companies that are in a hurry to screen their employees for drugs. In some cases, the sample for a saliva test is collected using a mouth swab. But there are other facilities that require the participant to spit into a cup to collect a significant amount of saliva. This test is highly effective in determining traces of methamphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine, fentanyl, and other drugs.
Hair Follicle Test
A hair follicle test is quite effective in determining traces of various drugs, even if it has been 90 days since the person last took the substance. The drugs that can be detected by this method include cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. Results from a hair follicle screening process are usually released after 1 to 2 weeks after the sample is collected.
Blood Test
This is considered the most accurate type of test, but it’s also the most invasive. It can detect various drugs in a person’s system, including methamphetamine, opioids, heroin, nicotine, and THC. Many companies do not use this type of test because it requires specialized equipment.
These are the things you need to know about drug testing consortiums. If you want to join one, you can first browse the internet to learn about the consortiums already operating in your area. Choose among them, and contact their head to ask for the requirements for joining the group.