Current practice and experience in drug and alcohol testing in the workplace

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Toxicology
• Industrial Psychology

Background:

• Workplace drug and alcohol testing has a significant history and industry in the United States.
• Common rationales include safety, productivity, reducing drug use, and regulatory compliance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current practices and experiences with workplace drug and alcohol testing in the USA.
• To examine the association between substance abuse, occupational injuries, and employment outcomes.
• To analyze the cost-benefit of workplace drug screening.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on workplace drug testing prevalence and employer attitudes.
• Analysis of research on substance abuse and occupational injuries.
• Review of cost-benefit analyses of drug screening programs.

Main Results:

• The link between substance abuse and occupational injury is not definitively established and may be weaker than presumed.
• Findings on the association between drugs, alcohol, and adverse employment outcomes are contradictory.
• Cost-benefit analyses are heavily influenced by the prevalence of drug use in the screened population.

Conclusions:

• Limited knowledge exists regarding the precise role of alcohol and drugs in the workplace.
• The impact of substance abuse on occupational injury requires further investigation, considering diverse occupational and cultural contexts.
• Caution is advised when generalizing findings across different workplace settings due to inconsistent results.