Monday, October 19, 2009

Drug Testing Companies - Types of Services and Testing Offered

By Bart Icles

There are lots of drug testing companies in the country. And many people ask what these drug screening or testing companies really do. Apart from drug testing, these companies offer a lot other services, including the implementation of drug-free programs, medical review officer staffing, and even alcohol testing. The core of their services is in drug screening or testing, and in they can conduct different kinds of testing to determine the presence or absence of drugs in the body of a certain subject.

Perhaps employee drug testing is the most basic service that drug screening and testing companies offer. However, their drug screening and testing services are not only limited to those who plan to seek employment in companies or to those who want to check if any of their employees is a drug user or dependent. These companies can also conduct post-accident testing, laboratory-based testing, and on-site testing.

These companies also offer different types of testing. Pre-employment testing is often part of the application process of many companies. Companies often require applicants to have themselves screened or tested for drugs before an offer for employment is made. In other cases, screening or testing is required after an employment offer has been made but it should be complied before actual hiring occurs.

Random testing of employees or students is another type of testing that drug screening/testing companies offer. In random testing, employees or students are selected in no particular order or what authorities refer to as a natural selection process. The date and time of testing is typically left unannounced to deliver fair and accurate results. A for-cause testing is synonymous with testing due to a probable cause or reasonable suspicion. The cause or suspicion should be a factual, individualized, and objective basis for testing. Oftentimes the cause or suspicion is based on an employee?s or a student?s behavior or physical appearance that suggests he or she uses drugs or is bringing drugs to the workplace or school.

Other types of drug testing include periodic and announced drug testing (wherein employees or students are given advance notice of the date and time when the testing will take place), post accident testing (when someone has been involved in an accident), rehabilitation (as part of a person?s participation in a rehabilitation program or upon an employee?s or a student?s return to work or school after rehabilitation), and safety-sensitive testing (for employees who have safety-sensitive responsibilities like transportation).

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