Why Companies Perform Random Drug Testing

Perhaps the most controversial of all drug				Most of the random drug testing takes place in
screenings is the random drug test. Employers				settings in which drug use can be hazardous to
have the legal authority to request a random drug				the well being of others. Factories and
test, whether they have a reasonable suspicion or				warehouses are two prime examples of places
not. Many companies have implemented a policy				that often have random drug testing policies.
of completely random drug testing. This practice				Forklift drivers under the influence have often
can be likened to that of a lottery. If your name				been the cause of serious, and occasionally fatal,
is selected then it is your turn for random drug				accidents in the workplace. Drug abusers who
testing; the employee may have little or no				work with other heavy machinery or on an
advance warning in these cases.				assembly line run the risk of injury as well.
Employers often exercise their rights to				Random drug testing can often produce quick and
administer random drug testing as a way to				accurate results. Some employers have
determine whether or not an employee is a drug				drug-testing kits available on-site, and a simple
user; drug use in the workplace is often blamed				swab sample from the mouth can give an
for absenteeism, health problems and on-the-job				immediate positive or negative result.
accidents. Although many companies already				Despite arguments against random drug testing,
require pre-employment drug screenings, many				employers often stand firm on their decision to
claim that random drug testing is more effective				implement this policy. Whether there is probable
at finding the drug users in their workforce. With				cause or not, employers have the right to
a pre-employment drug screening, the employee				request drug screening at any time. It is in the
often has at least a few hours of advance				employee's best interest to abstain from drug
warning and therefore can attempt to take				use, whether on the job or not. Though privacy
measures to "cheat" on the test. Many products				advocates suggest that random drug testing is a
are available to help users pass drug screenings;				breach of an employee's right to privacy, the
from synthetic urine to agents that mask the				simple fact remains that employers may choose
appearance of a particular drug, various methods				this method if they deem necessary. The debate
exist for drug abusers to beat the tests.				will likely continue well into the future.