Major drug and cosmetics companies have backed a plan to eliminate animal testing in favour of more humane approaches. Experts from companies including drug giants AstraZeneca, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and cosmetics firm L'Oreal endorsed a Europe-wide initiative described as a road-map towards ending the use of animals in research and safety testing. Individuals who work while under the influence of drugs or alcohol can pose a serious safety risk to themselves and their colleagues.
Workplace drug testing is on the rise among private companies and in businesses where safety is critical – for instance in the construction, energy or public transport industries. Post-incident testing where an employer decides to test workers following a workplace safety violation or accident. All employers are legally obligated to provide and maintain a safe and healthy work environment for their workers.
Employers should inform workers what drugs they are being tested for and should obtain their consent before a sample is taken.
All tests ought to be conducted by an accredited laboratory and only the least intrusive testing methods should be used.
Depending on the organization, employees who test positive for drugs may be required to undergo mandatory rehabilitation or may have their employment terminated.
While a worker cannot be forced to provide samples for drug testing, they may face disciplinary action if their employer has reasonable suspicion or valid grounds for demanding the procedure. Before taking the drug test, an employee should detail any over-the-counter medications they have been taking as these might interfere with the test’s results by triggering a false positive. All workers are also entitled to complete privacy when providing specimens for the test, especially when urine samples are required. In order to curb such behavior in the workplace, more employers nowadays are subjecting their employees to drug tests. The common method of testing includes the collection of urine, saliva, hair or blood specimens from employees. In this case, information about the drug test should be included in the job application form. This method is quite intrusive and should be reserved for employees in safety-sensitive positions.
A reputable company should provide training to enable selected staff members to carry out tests on their colleagues, making them more comfortable with the whole process. Additionally, they can be compelled to take the test if their contracts specifically stipulate that this is one of the conditions of their job.
Other than assisting in maintaining health and safety at work, workplace drug testing also seeks to prevent employees from engaging in illegal actions that may originate from drug-related activities. These samples are then analyzed in a laboratory for the presence of metabolites from illicit substances such as cocaine, amphetamines, cannabis and opiates.
One way of doing this is through the enactment of a clear, acceptable and reasonable drug testing policy.
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