Why Drug Test?

 

PREPARED BY: Division of Workplace Programs February 2005

The following reasons for testing are generally included in a comprehensive workplace drug testing program:

1. Pre-Employment Test
   An individual is required to provide a specimen during the job application process. Generally, a negative drug result is required before an employer may offer employment to an individual.
2. Random Test
   An employer selects, using a truly random selection process, one or more individuals from all the employees included in the employer’s workplace drug testing program. A random selection process precludes an employer from attempting to pre-select a particular employee for a drug test.
3. Reasonable Suspicion/Cause Test
   An employee is required to provide a specimen when there is sufficient evidence to indicate that the employee may have used an illicit substance. Typically, the evidence is based on the direct observations made by supervisors or co-workers that an employee has used or possesses illicit substances, exhibits physical symptoms of being under the influence, and has patterns of abnormal or erratic behavior.
4. Post-Accident Test
   An employee is required to provide a specimen after being involved in an accident or incident on the job. The results of such a test may provide evidence as to the cause of the accident or incident.
5. Return to Duty Test
   An employee is required to provide a specimen to ensure that the employee is drug-free before being allowed to return to work after an absence.
6. Follow-up Test
   An employee is tested at random intervals after returning to work to ensure that the employee remains drug-free.

How DELTA’s Program Works

DELTA has a team of professional certified substances of abuse collectors, breath alcohol technicians and hair testing technicians who come right to your facility and perform the collections. This saves you the cost of transporting your random selected employee to another site for his testing and the cost of the person who has to accompany the random selected person. The average time per person to complete the paperwork and test is usually 8 minutes. Why spend hours elsewhere?


Our Certified Collectors are the third party administrator for the Jefferson, Lewis-Hamilton-Herkimer-Oneida County BOCES, the St. Lawrence County BOCES, as well as the Fulton-Montgomery BOCES. In addition our certified collectos administer Alcohol & Drug Testing collections for many area schools, town and villages, as well as CDL truckers.

Types of Drug and Alcohol Screenings

BREATH ALCOHOL TESTING
All of our Testers are professional breath alcohol technicians and calibration technicians.  We use the Alco Sensor IV Breath Alcohol Unit and the RBT IV printer. This is a small mobile unit that is easy to carry and easy for the tester and the donor for conduction the test.

The unit prints three copies of the test result immediately after the donor blows into the unit. Therefore the test is conducted in a completely private area. Should a person blow a positive alcohol test then the unit will freeze with a 15 minute time clock. The donor and collector stay together for the 15 minutes and then another breath alcohol test is conducted with a clean mouthpiece. The second test (or confirmation test) is the determining factor as to a positive.

Mouth alcohol lasts for 8-12 minutes therefore should a person have gargled before testing or sometimes a cough drop, etc. has been eaten, the 15 minute clock on the unit will allow for that mouth alcohol to dissipate. Therefore the second test will test clean at .000.

The unit is externally calibrated each day before testing and posted for all those persons being tested to observe that yes, the machine is in proper working condition.

SUBSTANCE OF ABUSE COLLECTIONS (DRUG TESTING)
There is a regulated collection procedure for every type of group collecting. These procedures are instructed by the laboratory and the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association.

All of the collectors for DELTA are Certified DAITA Collectors. Our Certified Collectors provide Compliance Cards, which can be sent yearly to all of your employees who participate in the alcohol and substance of abuse program. This is required for all D.O.T. CDL drivers to carry along with their licenses in their log books/wallets.

URINE DRUG TESTING
This mode of testing tells what is in the donor's system in the immediate time frame. Urine drug testing is conducted by a certified collector coming on site to your facility and the employer presenting the donor for collection. Proper Chain-Of-Custody forms are completed and temperature strip cups from the laboratory are used. This gauges the temperature of the urine when presented back to the collector. The urine has to register a certain temperature. Everything is sealed in the presence of the donor, the donor signs off on all paperwork and bottle seals, as well as the packing bag, going to laboratory. This process normally is completed within 10 minutes unless the donor cannot provide a specimen. Other procedures are then followed, allowing the donor to drink some water, etc. before further testing is done.

URINE TESTING PANELS

5 Panel:

• DRUG SCREENING THRESHOLD CONFIRMATION THRESHOLD
• AMPHETAMINES 1000 NG/ML 500 NG/ML
• COCAINE METABOLITE 300 NG/ML 150 NG/ML
• OPIATES 2000 NG/ML 2000 NG/ML
• PHENCYCLIDINE 25 NG/ML 25 NG/ML
• MARIJUANA METABOLITE 50 NG/ML 15 NG/ML

7 Panel:

Includes all tests included in 5 panel plus:

• BARBITURATES 300 NG/ML 300 NG/ML
• BENZODIAZEPINES 300 NG/ML 300 NG/ML

8 Panel:

Includes all tests included in 7 panel plus:

• METHADONE 300 NG/ML 300 NG/ML

9 Panel:

Includes all tests included in 8 panel plus:

• PROPOXYPHENE 300 NG/ML 300 NG/ML

10 Panel:

Includes all tests included in 9 panel plus:

• METHAQUALONE 300 NG/ML 300 NG/ML

HAIR DRUG TESTING

This mode of testing can result in showing an extended history of drug use.  The procedure is very simple. The collector and donor fill out the proper Chain-Of-Custody forms, & the envelope in which the hair sample is entered. The collector takes form the crown head 120 hair samples. This really is only the width of a pencil eraser and is taken from various places over the crown of the head in order not to create a bald spot for the donor. Everything is then sealed and signed off by the collector and donor.

MEDICAL REVIEW OFFICER FOR POSITIVE RESULTS IN ALL DRUG TESTING (Urine and hair)

If a positive is noted, the lab will run a quantitative level to tell what the drug is, and how much of the drug is in that donor's system. Sometimes the combination of certain medicines will post a positive and therefore it is very important that a Medical Review Officer reviews this test result and makes the proper decision if this is a positive or a negative due to medical reasons. A Medical Review Officer is ALWAYS used in all cases of a positive.

DNA TESTING

DNA testing is used for multi purposes. Paternity testing, rape cases, deaths, and now some States are even using DNA testing for clearing people arrested for certain criminal charges. The police are finding that they are solving a lot of old crimes because of DNA testing.

This procedure starts with proper Chain-Of-Custody forms being completed on each person involved in the testing. Testing is conducted by the method of Cheek Swabbing. Each cheek is swabbed twice, each for 30 seconds, and then each swab is placed in a separate container for shipment to the laboratory. Each container is marked with the donor name and social security number. Photographs are taken with a One-Step Instamatic camera and signed by each individual and placed on the Chain-Of-Custody form in the proper places and then thumb prints are taken of each donor. These thumb prints are taken using special ink that shows under proper lighting from the lab.

Advantages of Using DELTA's Certified Collector Testing Services

• DELTA’s Certified Collectors come right to your work facility with other facilities, you travel to their clinic, hospital, or testing site.
• It only takes 5-10 minutes per test at your facility with other facilities, hours are spent in "waiting rooms" and travel time.
• The Donor is only off work during testing time with other facilities, donor plus the driver are off work during test time.
• Your Supervisory Staff is present to handle any problems with other facilities, no supervisory personnel.
• DELTA will modify your program to meet your needs and will work around your schedule with other facilities, you must fit to their program & meet their office hours.
• 24 hour emergency service is available with other facilities, usually office hours only.
• Testing equipment is portable with other facilities, equipment is not, or may not be portable and you must go to them.
• We have a extensive network of contracted certified testers and multiple labs with coverage available statewide and nationwide. Our Certified Collectors have been the recipient of the National Association of Collection Sites Accredited Award. In addition, we are endorsed by DATIA (Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry Administration), ASAC (Area Substance Abuse Council) and have very happy clients such as BOCES.

---

Delta Private Investigations  |  Utica, NY  |  (315) 733-6100  |  email us