Is random drug testing of employees effective? Our drug screening partner, Quest Diagnostics can confirm that it is.

In a recent case study, Quest Diagnostics found that random drug testing programs do appear to deter drug use.  

Here is a quote from the Quest website: “In the federally mandated safety-sensitive workforce, where employees expect random drug testing, the drug positivity rate is far lower than the rate of positivity among job applicants in that same workforce. However, in the general workforce, where employees are far less likely to expect random drug testing, the drug use positivity rate is dramatically higher than that of job applicants.”

According to Barry Sample, Ph.D., Director of Science and Technology for Quest Diagnostics’ Employer Solutions Division,“Pre-employment drug testing is an important frontline filter to help ensure a drug-free workforce. However, we see a more complex story when these rates are compared to the general workforce, where employees are far less likely to expect random drug testing. Here, the random urine test positivity rate is 47 percent higher than the pre-employment urine test positivity rate.”

The study went on to say that positive levels in a safety-sensitive environment, where workers expect to be randomly tested, are 18% lower than pre-employment rates.  However, in the general workplace, where random testing is not as common, positivity rates were 47% higher. Therefore employees who know they are going to be tested randomly, are much less likely to use and test positive.

The lesson? Drug screen before hiring, and then employ a random screening program to keep your workplace drug free.