Reasons Why a Cheap Drug and Alcohol Test is Not Worth It

Drug and alcohol tests are essential procedures to prevent the detrimental effects of substance impairment. The misuse of drugs and alcohol poses significant health and safety risks to individuals and society. An impaired person would have decreased cognitive and motor functions, increasing safety risks. Additionally, alcohol and drug use are the leading factors of workplace accidents. Therefore, companies implement a drug and alcohol program to protect their employees and the integrity of the business. Employers can avail professional devices like the workplace breathalysers from Breathalysers New Zealand, to accurately check an employee’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). Similarly, several testing options can help keep the working environment hazard-free. However, when it comes to safety, a cheap drug and alcohol test is not an option. 

Importance of Workplace Testing

Employees spend one-third of their time at work. Therefore, it is crucial to keep the workplace safe and healthy at all times. Moreover, employers have the legal responsibility to manage all preventable safety risks as much as possible. A drug and alcohol test is one of the practicable measures to minimise occupational hazards. It involves the technical examination of samples from breath, urine, blood, or saliva to determine drug or alcohol use. Workplace safety relies on the reliability and accuracy of the devices and test procedures to ensure that no untoward incidents will happen. Many people believe that a cheap drug and alcohol test is not dependable as advanced tests done by laboratories or certified devices/kits. Thus, companies invest substantially in workplace testing. A drug and alcohol test can serve the following benefits:

• Hire the right person for a safety-sensitive role
• Prevent accidents and serious injuries
• Mitigate legal liabilities
• Improve productivity
• Reduce overall costs
• Improve relationships and employee morale
• Identify symptoms of substance abuse problems to provide early intervention.

Cheap Drug and Alcohol Test: What are the Risks?

Workplace programs focus on prevention and assistance rather than punishments. When implemented properly, drug and alcohol tests can help secure workplace safety long-term. The cost of tests depends on the test types, and the number of panels. On the other hand, a cheap drug and alcohol test may not adhere to the standards of reliable testing. Therefore, it can compromise the following:

• Accuracy – Cheap drug and alcohol tests are more likely to produce false-positive or false-negative results. For instance, false positives can lead a person to undergo disciplinary sanctions or lose a job. On the other hand, false negatives can lead to a false sense of security.
• Safety – Inaccurate results can allow employees to continue working despite impairment and cause accidents, harming others. 
• Legal – Employees affected by false results may question the validity of the tests. It can lead to legal complications, which are stressful and costly for employers and employees. 
• Integrity – Unreliable results can affect the company’s integrity and reputation in the long run. 

Kinds of Drug and Alcohol Tests

There are several methods to test the workplace for drugs and alcohol. The common tests are breath, urine, blood, saliva, and hair samples. Workplaces, especially high-risk industries, avail the services of testing centres to screen for drugs and alcohol. Testing laboratories follow the international sample collection and analysis standards to ensure accurate test results. Meanwhile, smaller companies may opt for cheap drug and alcohol test kits to monitor the workplace. On the other hand, a breath test is the standard procedure for alcohol screening through a workplace breathalyser. A breathalyser is a portable device that processes the sample breath through sensor technologies. Pro-grade devices like the workplace breathalysers from Breathalysers New Zealand use fuel cell sensors to accurately estimate the BAC or intoxication level. If alcohol is present, the device will display the corresponding BAC amount. The higher the BAC level, the greater the impairment. 

Workplaces typically use a urine sample to detect drug use. Some methods include saliva, blood, and hair testing. Each procedure can determine both alcohol and drug use. Also, each test has its distinct benefits, uses, and limitations. Furthermore, no matter when method they use, employers should ensure that they are using certified services or devices. In case of positive results, the test kits would need be sent to a laboratory for confirmatory tests, which can be costly. Therefore, employers should avoid false-positive results by not using a cheap drug and alcohol test kit. 

Cheap Drug and Alcohol Test: Alcohol Breath Testing Devices Reliability

A breathalyser device is the most cost-efficient test for alcohol. Breath tests are affordable alcohol tests that can deliver accurate and reliable results. However, breath tests are does not count as a cheap drug and alcohol test because it can only test for alcohol. Workplace breathalysers use fuel cell sensors to measure the BAC level accurately. Fuel cell sensors rely on an electrochemical process to oxidise alcohol in the breath. The oxidisation produces small electrical currents relative to the amount of alcohol in the blood. Then, the device converts the number of electrical currents into BAC. Moreover, fuel cell breathalysers are sensitive to ethanol and do not react with other substances in the breath. Therefore, it is less likely to produce false positives. Lastly, they maintain accuracy and accuracy up to 1,000 breath tests before needing recalibration. 

If you want dependable results, you should not rely on a cheap drug and alcohol test. Instead, it is best to go for reliable procedures like laboratory examinations to determine substance impairment in the workplace. Then, even though it may cost more, you can assure that you manage the safety hazards effectively. The workplace breathalysers from Breathalysers New Zealand like the S80 Pro Gen2 and Mobile Gen2 have FDA approval and DOT certification, meeting the federal requirements of breath screening devices. These devices have the same breathalyser technology that police use in roadside screenings. Breath tests with these devices are by far one of the most cost-effective and reliable options available. 

Conclusion

Companies that use cheap drug and alcohol tests must be extra careful in interpreting and assessing the results. Instead of making the workplace safer, it can lead to more safety and legal trouble. Fortunately, Breathalysers New Zealand has reasonable-priced devices to help manage alcohol intoxication in the workplace. You may select from a wide range of BACtrack breathalysers that suit your company’s needs. You can even use breathalysers during pre-employment testing, random testing, post-incident testing, or testing employees with reasonable suspicion. Workplace or fuel cell breathalysers may cost more, but they are worthy investments. Having a workplace breathalyser ready enables you to conduct alcohol testing frequently needed. Additionally, unlike other test methods, you do not need to spend money each time you perform a breath test. 

Health and safety are vital components of any workplace. Workplace testing is one of the cost-effective strategies to ensure employee safety. Therefore, it is essential that workplaces avail of the most dependable measures to maintain a hazard-free environment. Some people may think that they can save more money with a cheap drug and alcohol test. However, the negative consequences of inaccurate results may cost more in the long run.