Construction Workers Getting Higher

Posted on by Craig Bourque

CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES ON THE RISE – SO IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Construction and building is booming in the United States for the most part. This is true in one of the fastest growing areas of our country – Myrtle Beach, SC. Population growth is exploding in South Carolina and much of it is happening in the eastern upstate. With this explosion in growth comes a higher demand for construction workers including heavy equipment operators, tradesmen and laborers. Not only is the demand for these workers getting higher – so are the workers.

“Not only is the demand for these workers getting higher – so are the workers.”

According to a recent report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), the construction industry now has the second highest percentage (14.3%) of drug users on the job. This percentage trails the accommodations and food services industry which is the leader at 16.9% of drug users. The construction industry also comes in second place on the heels of the mining industry when it comes to heavy alcohol use.

 

According to Tom Jackson, in his story published in Equipment World, “Drugs bring big problems. The Department of Labor says drug and alcohol abuse contribute to up to 65 percent of on-the-job accidents and up to 50 percent of workers’ compensation claims. Substance abusers are absent from work an average of five days a month, are ten times more likely to steal from the company or other employees, use three times the normal level of employee health benefits and incur 300 percent higher medical costs.”

 

While some companies perform pre-employment drug screening of applicants, very few perform ongoing random drug screening to maintain a substance free workplace. Even fewer companies have comprehensive substance free workplace policies in place to implement such a program and provide protection for the company, its employees and customers. Having an effective policy in place allows a company to perform random testing, post accident testing and reasonable suspicion testing. Testing without a policy in place exposes the company to potential liability and claims of discrimination. Training should also be provided to train supervisors on how to detect, observe and report use and abuse on the job.

 

Partnering with a professional consultant and company that can assist in setting up and managing a substance free workplace is becoming far more cost effective and beneficial to these extremely busy and fast moving construction companies. Carolina Testing based in Conway, SC is one local, responsive and professional company able to provide a full array of substance free workplace services. Services include simple drug screening services to fully managed services including consulting services, policy creation, program management, employee screening and random program management.

Cocaine Use On The Rise Again

Posted on by Craig Bourque

 

Cocaine Use on the Rise Again

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports overdose-related deaths from cocaine is second only to opioids. However, cocaine’s toll on the general public receives little attention. This is largely due to the lack of remedies for the person addicted to the drug. Unlike opioids, there is no naloxone (narcan), a medication designed to rapidly reverse an overdose, or methadone or suboxone, which help people stop using heroin. For those suffering from a cocaine-fueled substance-use disorder, current options include behavioral therapies and experimental, incentive-based, therapy called contingency management.

 

Cocaine and the American workforce

Cocaine, classified as a Schedule II drug, is a powerfully addictive substance with a high potential for abuse, potentially leading to severe psychological dependence. Cocaine provides users with a stimulating and energetic high with burst of energy followed by significant crashes in energy levels. According to research from NIDA, adults between the ages of 18-25 years old (approximately 1.2 million people) have a higher rate of cocaine use than any other age group. Employers should be concerned because this age range represents a large portion of new-to-the-workforce employees.

 

 

According to the Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index™ (DTI) the positivity rate in urine testing for cocaine has increased for four straight years in the general U.S. workforce. In the federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce, cocaine use has increased for two consecutive years. Drug tests indicating cocaine use increased 12% in 2016, reaching a seven-year high in the general U.S. workforce, and 7% among federally mandated, safety-sensitive workers.

DTI statistics reveal the ongoing threat to workplace safety posed by substance abuse. While most drug related dialogue addresses marijuana and opiate issues, cocaine, a substance with well-established dangers, continues its upward trends in use in the workforce.

 

To learn more about creating, implementing and managing a substance free workplace, contact us today!

Chaos On The Rails

Posted on by Craig Bourque

chaos on the rails

It was a frigid cold January 4th afternoon in 1987 when Amtrak passenger train (Train 94) left Washington DC heading to Boston. Reaching speeds of over 125 mph the train entered the Chase community in eastern Baltimore County, Maryland at approximately 1:30pm. At the same time, a Conrail locomotive crew failed to stop at the signals placing itself in the direct path of the oncoming Amtrak train. Sixteen people lost their lives in the accident and many, many injuries were reported among the approximately 600 passengers aboard.  It took rescuers over 10 hours in frigid temperatures to extricate passengers from the wreckage. The front cars of the passenger train that sustained most of the impact and damage were not yet occupied. The investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that had those cars been filled, the death toll would have been significantly higher.

 

the investigation

The NTSB investigated the accident and determined that had the Conrail locomotives failed to slow down at the signals as required, they would have been able to stop in time to avoid the collision.  Ricky Gates, the engineer for Conrail and his brakeman, Edward Cromwell both tested positive for marijuana following the accident, even though they denied using the substance. Prosecutors later cut a deal with Cromwell offering immunity for testifying against Gates stating that both Cromwell and Gates had been smoking marijuana while on duty.  After four years in prison for manslaughter, Gates admitted in an interview in 1993 that the accident never would have happened if he was not under the influence of marijuana st the time. He also admitted that he had smoked marijuana several times while on duty. 

 

 

 

 

the result

The Federal Railroad Administration was forced by legislation to strengthen its certification processes for locomotive engineers which went into effect January 1990. These processes require that in addition to engineers being properly trained and certified, they can have no drug or alcohol impairment convictions for the five years prior to certification.  In 1991, Congress required not only the FRA, but all agencies regulated by the Department of Transportation to implement mandatory random drug testing for all safety sensitive duty employees regulated by the agency. 

 

Each year, the agencies review the results of the random testing completed and determine the levels at which regulated companies must randomly test their employees.  Levels of random drug testing range from 25% to 50% depending on the agency and the number of positive results from a specific agency.  The higher the number of positive test results, the more random testing is ordered. 

Companies in these regulated industries are required to follow the regulations found in 49 CFR Part 40 as well as their agency specific regulations.  To learn more about these regulation and the specifics for each agency, please visit www.carolinatesting.com  For help in getting into compliance with the regulations and maintaining compliance with DOT drug and alcohol testing requirements, please contact the DOT specialists at Carolina Testing today.

CBD Users Want To Know If They Will Pass A Drug Test?

Posted on by Craig Bourque

CBD Use Raises Questions

With the nationwide rise in popularity of cannabidiol (also known as CBD) products, many consumers are concerned that they may not pass a drug test, placing them in jeopardy of losing their job or even losing their child to social service agencies.   Before we can answer the simple question of “will I pass a drug test,” we must first learn what CBD really is.

 

CBD is one of the hundreds of compounds found in the cannabis plant. This same plant also contains the more well known psychoactive compound, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinnol, more commonly referred to as THC. CBD is a cannabinoid and it does share some similarities with THC, however, it does not produce a “high” when used or consumed. While research on CBD is still in its infancy stages, initial studies suggest CBD users experience some therapeutic and medical benefits from conditions such as seizures, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), pain, cancer, swelling/inflammation and some neurological disorders such as anxiety and depression.

 

It is important to note, CBD, like all cannabinoids, are still classified by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency as a Schedule I substance making CBD illegal in all 50 states on a Federal level. In spite of DEA classification, many states have permitted CBD use and sales at the state level so long as the products have zero to very low levels of THC (less than 5%). CBD products come in a variety of forms including oil, creams, soaps, vapor liquid, or infused into edibles or drinks.

 

Now to answer the question…will I pass a drug test?

Maybe. Drug tests do not test for CBD. Drug tests only test for THC which is the psychoactive ingredient found in cannabis. Because some CBD products may contain low levels of THC, it is possible that a drug test result could be reported as positive – depending on the usage of the product. It is important to know if the CBD product being used contains any percentage of THC and only products containing 0.0% THC should be considered. The only caveat here is that this is unchartered territory for this type of product and industry. It is not well controlled or regulated leaving the possibility that unscrupulous producers may allow unacceptable levels of THC in their products leaving its users at risk.

 

It is critical to know and understand that for federally regulated drug tests (such as DOT), the use of CBD products or “medical marijuana” is not a valid medical explanation for a positive test for the marijuana metabolite. As a Schedule I substance, cannabidiol remains illegal at the Federal level and testing positive on a federally regulated test comes with serious consequences. While there are some states that permit the sale and/or use of CBD, federal law still trumps state laws.

Employers need to stay informed about the constant changes concerning marijuana and its derivatives as situations like this will become more commonplace. A company’s substance abuse policy should clearly reflect the company’s position on marijuana and the use of CBD products.

For a free, no-obligation review of your company’s substance free workplace policy and program, please contact Carolina Testing.

 

WHAT ARE BENZODIAZEPINES (BENZOS)?

Posted on by Craig Bourque

WHAT ARE BENZODIAZEPINES   – ALSO KNOWN AS “BENZOS”

Benzos

Benzodiazepines (“benzos”) are prescription drugs that first came to the market in the 1960’s. These medications are used to treat insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, seizures, convulsions and other nervous system conditions. Today, these drugs account for about one out of every five prescriptions for controlled substances.

Two of the most popular and commonly known Benzos are Valium and Xanax. Introduced to the market in 1969, Xanax has become the fifth most commonly prescribed drug in America, accounting for 37.5 million prescriptions in 2006 alone – up from 29.9 million in 2002. A government survey conducted in 2000 found that approximately 5 million Americans abuse Xanax or other Benzodiazepines. Today, Xanax and other benzos are increasingly being used and abused by younger people seeking a “high.”

HOW DO BENZOS WORK?

Benzos are a depressant to the central nervous system which seems to relax the user and chemically slows down the receptor cells and activity in the brain. Benzos have effects similar to what one would expect when consuming alcohol. Like alcohol, benzos impair mental alertness and physical coordination, significantly impairing response times, while compromising mechanical performance such as driving a vehicle or operating machinery.

WHY IS XANAX DANGEROUS?

Combining the use of benzos and alcohol can have fatal consequences. In addition, because of the effect created by benzos, a large percentage of people entering treatment for narcotic or cocaine addiction also report abusing benzos.

Benzos metabolize quickly and effect brain and physical function in shorter time frame than alcohol. The calming effect of Xanax starts quickly and this is one of the reasons that it becomes so addictive so fast. The effects fade rapidly as well, leading to the user taking more and higher doses to maintain the effect. After a few days to a few weeks, the use of Xanax will have to be increased to compensate for increased tolerance of the drug leading to physical dependence.

Many people who are addicted to Xanax start by taking small doses. Like heroin or cocaine users, they often begin taking more as tolerance builds and start craving the drug when the effects of the drug begin to lessen – which happens relatively quickly. Some reports suggest that people taking larger doses of Xanax become physically dependent in as little as two days. As with most drugs, the larger the dose, the faster one becomes addicted.

You may also be familiar with another benzo called Valium. You should know that .5 milligrams (that is half a milligram) of Xanax is equivalent to 10 milligrams of Valium. When someone says they are taking 5 milligrams of Xanax, that means that they are taking the equivalent of 100 milligrams of Valium, which is a very heavy dose. It also likely means that their tolerance to Xanax has increased markedly. Xanax is one of the two most frequently encountered benzodiazepines on the illicit market and can be found easily on the streets and in schools and colleges.

XANAX WITHDRAWAL

It can take a week or more before the body fully withdraws from Xanax and starts to return to normal levels of chemically balanced brain function. When the initial calming effects of the last Xanax dose wear off in a few hours, withdrawal starts.

Withdrawal from Xanax or any benzodiazepines is difficult and may require medical assistance as well as psychological counseling and support. Withdrawal symptoms include high blood pressure, rapid heart beat, tremors, uncontrollable movement of limbs, confusion, hallucinations, severe panic attacks and seizures that could lead to death depending on the severity.

Early detection of dug misuse and abuse is critical to managing and preventing more serious addictions and abuse of illegal drugs as well as prescription medications. Professional, affordable and confidential drug testing services are available through Carolina Testing. For more information, please call or text 843-972-3287.

www.carolinatesting.com

Are You Hiring A Problem?

Posted on by Craig Bourque

Hiring Problems

Advertising a new job. Reading applications. Phone interviews. Personal interviews. Making a job offer. Onboarding. Training. Is this the right person for the job or are you hiring a problem?

 

With unemployment rates at an all time low and the pool of good quality candidates getting smaller, it is more important than ever to properly screen applicants. Effective employee screening should include a background check and drug screen at a minimum. If the job is labor intensive, a physical should also be part of your employment screening process to make sure the candidate can handle the physical requirements of the job. These employees represent your company, your service, your reputation. Are they capable of doing the job requested of them? Are you confident they will live up to your expectations and represent your company properly?

 

Reality is that background checks, drug screens and physicals do add costs to the hiring process. These costs, however, are easily offset by reduced workman’s compensation insurance premiums, lower liability insurance premium costs, reduced accidents and absences as well as creating a healthier, more productive work environment overall.  In contrast, one problem employee can cost a business far more than any background check, drug screen or physical.

 

Carolina Testing is your one stop, full service employee screening solution provider. For a free, no obligation review and proposal of recommended screening services that will benefit your company, please contact us.

 

#1 Abused Substance On The Job

Posted on by Craig Bourque

The most widely used and abused “drug” in American workplaces today might surprise you. A common definition of the word “drug” is “a habit-forming medicinal or illicit substance, especially a narcotic.” The only problem is that this “drug” or substance is 100% legal in the United States. In fact, the government makes money from the sale of this substance by taxing it and regulating it. If you haven’t figured it out by now, the number one used and abused substance in the workplace is alcohol.

 

Alcohol abusers number over 14 million in the United States alone and many of them are gainfully employed in our workplaces. Alcohol is responsible for a large number of workplace accidents and injuries. In addition, alcohol abuse in the workplace leads to billions of dollars in lost revenues for businesses due to absences, lower productivity, employee turnover, rising health costs and more.

 

Employers are aware of the costs borne by employees with alcohol problems and are implementing strict alcohol use guidelines in their substance free workplace programs. The main objective of these policies is to keep alcohol use out of the workplace through education, supervisor training and testing. Providing educational opportunities for employees on the effects of alcohol use and abuse in the workplace is the first step. Part of that education must include making employees aware of the resources available to them if they do have a problem. Employers should have literature and materials available to all employees about local resources or the company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Supervisors must be trained in identifying and observing signs of substance use on the job. They must be trained on how to confront the situation properly and how to get the employee tested if need be. The company’s substance free workplace program must include the ability to test employees for alcohol use in situations like reasonable suspicion, post-accident or random testing.

 

Regulated companies, such as those regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) must have a substance free workplace policy and program in place that includes drugs and alcohol. Non regulated companies are not required to have such policies and programs in place. However, more and more companies are seeing the value of a substance free workplace program for the health and safety of their employees as well as the cost savings. Making sure that these policies address the number one used and abused substance is critical to a solid substance free workplace program.

DRUG TESTING AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)

Posted on by Craig Bourque

DRUG TESTING AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)

One law that often comes into play when an employer’s drug screening practices are challenged is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). There are two recent developments in ADA case law that employers should be aware of:

  1. Drug screening is likely not a prohibited pre-offer medical inquiry
  2. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations in the testing process for individuals with disabilities.

 

Some applicants have sought legal action against companies that conduct pre-employment drug screening. They allege that pre-employment drug screening is a prohibited “pre-offer medical inquiry” under the ADA. However, guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) states that employers have the right to test applicants for illegal drug use. Laboratory results of the drug test should be reviewed and verified by a licensed and approved medical professional called a Medical Review Officer (MRO) to determine if a positive laboratory drug test is the result of a legal prescription medication being taken by the donor.

 

Courts have also held that drug screening for illegal substances is not a prohibited “pre-offer medical inquiry” under the ADA. A Pennsylvania federal court reached the conclusion that in order for a drug test to be considered a medical inquiry under the ADA, a claimant must show that (1) the drug test in question was not administered to determine the illegal use of drugs, and (2) that the drug test did not, in fact, return a positive result for the illegal use of drugs. The employer in this case was able to present credible testimony at trial showing that its only intent in performing pre-offer drug testing was to determine whether applicants were using illicit drugs.

 

It is important to highlight that the above challenges only exist when drug testing is conducted at the “pre-offer” stage. Employers are advised to conduct pre-employment drug screening after an offer of employment has been made in order to avoid any ADA issues altogether.

 

ACCOMODATING EXISTING DISABLITIES

Employers must ensure that their employment drug screening process provides reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. In a case filed against Kmart by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Kmart was found negligent after refusing to employ an applicant after he was unable to provide a urine sample for drug testing. The applicant claimed he couldn’t provide the sample due to his kidney disease and dialysis. In addition to a $100,000 judgment, Kmart also had to revise its drug-free workplace and pre-employment drug testing policy to provide reasonable accommodations to employees or applicants in the testing processes.

 

In a similar case, Wal- Mart agreed to pay $72,500 to settle a case alleging that one of its stores refused to provide a job applicant with end-stage renal disease with an alternative to a urinalysis drug test. The lawsuit alleged that the applicant went to the drug testing facility to ask for an alternative test to be performed and when the facility agreed that an alternative was possible, the applicant took that information to the store manager for consideration. The manager refused to accommodate the alternative test and the plaintiff’s application was rejected for failing to take the urinalysis test.

 

Employers should review their substance free workplace and testing policies to ensure that they allow for accommodations to be made for applicants or employees who are unable to comply with standard drug testing procedures due to a disability.

 

IS DRUG ADDICTION CONSIDERED A DISABILITY UNDER ADA?

While casual drug use is not considered a disability under ADA, individuals addicted to drugs, have a history of addiction or who are regarded as being addicted have an impairment under the law. In order for an individual’s drug addiction to be considered a disability under the ADA, it would have to pose a substantial limitation on one or more major life activities. In addition, the individual could not currently be using illegal drugs. This classification of a disability, however, does not prevent an employer from testing for current drug use. Users (even addicts) may be denied employment because of their current use of illegal drugs.

 

An employer’s substance free workplace and testing policy should incorporate these issues in order to avoid potential liability.

 

For a free, no obligation review of your current substance free workplace and testing policy, please contact Carolina Testing.

 

Drug Alert: PINK – It’s not just a pretty color

Posted on by Craig Bourque

PARENT ALERT:  Check Your Mail – Pink Being Shipped To Homes Via US Postal Service

Pink

U-47700, also known as Pink, is a synthetically manufactured opiate that was first invented in the 1970’s and tested in the 80’s on animals. The drug, nicknamed “Pink” because of the pinkish color of the powdery substance and/or pill form has never been approved for medical use, but it has found its way onto the streets of New York and North Carolina in recent months as the nation’s heroin and opiate epidemic rages on. The pills found on the streets resemble manufactured oxycodone immediate-release tabs.   The problem, of course is that users, expecting oxycodone like results find themselves battling for their life as “Pink” belongs to a family of deadly synthetic opioids with up to eight times more potency than morphine.

Pink is being manufactured overseas and has been tracked to illicit labs located in China. This drug is toxic to the touch and has been fatal in small doses when ingested. Often found combined with other drugs such as heroin and fentanyl,  Pink is an internet search away and available for purchase online creating yet another chemically manufactured drug with truly deadly consequences for those looking to “experiment” with drug use. The US Drug Enforcement Administration has classified U-47700 as a schedule I drug determining the drug to have high potential for abuse and no approved medical use. Pink is just one of several manufactured, synthetic, chemical based drugs commonly referred to as “designer” drugs.  We prefer to call them “fatal” drugs.  Users experimenting with drugs for the first time can and do come into contact with these types of drugs and death is often the end result.

For more information on the scheduling of Pink, read the DEA news release.

Early intervention and testing is critical to helping those experimenting, using or abusing drugs. For more information or assistance, please call or text 843-972-3287 or contact us.

10 Reasons To Establish A Substance Free Workplace Program

Posted on by Craig Bourque

10 Reasons to Establish a Substance Free Workplace Program

Employers and employees have a responsibility to contribute to a productive, positive, comfortable and safe work environment. Implementing a drug testing program can help to accomplish these desired outcomes. The following lists the most common reasons employers begin and continue substance free workplace programs.

  1. Improves company image. Drug testing increases consumer confidence concerning service and/or product quality, safety, reputation, and employment best practices.
  2. Provides a safe workplace for employees. A substance free workplace program can help to reduce on-the-job accidents and crime involving drugs.
  3. Complies with laws and regulations. Employers are responsible for understanding and adhering to their local, state and Federal laws. For many safety-sensitive industries, drug testing is required.
  4. Reduces healthcare and insurance costs. An enforced drug testing program can assist in avoiding increased costs related to alcohol and drug-related injuries and illness, while helping to lower worker’s compensation exposure and insurance premiums.
  5. Improves company morale. Drug testing can help promote a safer and more productive work environment, playing a role in fostering a positive corporate culture.
  6. Enhances employee productivity. A drug testing program can also help to reduce absences, tardiness, and employee turnover.
  7. Helps employees. Effective drug testing programs can help deter or prevent drug use among employees. Testing can also help to identify those who may need employee assistance or rehabilitation services for a substance use disorder.
  8. Protects employees, customers, and the public. Drug testing protects employees, customers, and the public from employees using drugs; it can also help to keep employees safe from harm and employers safe from liability.
  9. Prevents hiring candidates who use drugs. Pre-employment drug testing helps to prevent hiring individuals who use illicit drugs in the first place.
  10. Keeps employers and employees educated. A well-run drug testing program provides tools and resources employees need to participate and benefit from a substance free workplace, including education about the physical effects of drug use and the nature of abuse and addiction.

 

Employers should consider their unique business needs, and select elements of a drug testing program that will be most beneficial to their job roles and environment. An effective workplace drug testing policy, combined with proper education, can help employers and employees benefit from a number of advantages.

To learn more or to get started today, CONTACT US.