Drug addiction have become very popular in the 1960’s due to the influence of the mass media and music. It has estimated that about 208 million people around the globe are drug users. Despite the government’s full efforts in trying to fight against drugs, clandestine laboratories continue to rise and cause havoc in the lives of the people today, especially the youth. A large majority of drug users are from the work force which is why some companies strictly implement a drug testing program prior to hiring new employee and provide random drug testing on existing employees.
Drug testing have become an important part of any company nowadays since it assures the safety of all employees in the workplace. …show more content…
Warning signals may have prevented the crash had it not been tampered. But it was later found out that the railroad engineer was using marijuana with his brakeman. He also admitted to have been drinking the night before and had a hangover. Incidents like these would truly make the people concerned about their safety that Congress passed a law in 1988 requiring maintenance of a drug-free workplace by any company that held significant contracts or grants. In 1991, another federal law was passed requiring drug and alcohol testing of “safety sensitive” employees in private transportation companies.
Industries That Can Benefit from Drug Testing in the Workplace
Drug testing can be costly for most businesses in which employee drug abuse accounts for annual loses ranging from $33B to $100B – it clearly has a negative impact on sales and can impede business relationships. It is for this reason that workplace drug testing has become an important program for any kind of industry.
Companies have imposed drug testing as a prerequisite for employment. While some applications may deem it as unnecessary, it is the company’s way of carefully selecting employees that can truly perform and can become an asset to the company instead of a liability.
Implementing drug testing programs would result to the following:
• Improved workplace safety. The National Council on Compensation Insurance reported that more than 50% of work-related accidents are cause by substance