The Benefits of Hair Testing: A Comprehensive Guide for Employers and HR Professionals
Ensuring a drug-free workplace is an integral part of any organization’s drug and alcohol testing policy. As an employer or an HR professional, it’s your responsibility to maintain a safe and healthy work environment for your employees. One effective way to detect drug use among employees is through hair testing. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the benefits of hair testing, its accuracy, and how it compares to other drug testing methods.
1. What is Hair Testing and How Does it Work?
Hair testing is a drug testing method that involves analyzing a small sample of hair for traces of drugs and alcohol. Unlike urine or oral fluid tests, hair testing can detect drug use up to 90 days after consumption. Hair testing works by detecting drug metabolites that are deposited in the hair follicle when drugs are ingested. As the hair grows, these metabolites remain in the hair strand, making it an accurate and reliable method of drug testing.
2. The Benefits of Hair Testing
Hair testing offers several benefits over other drug testing methods. Here are some of the advantages of hair testing:
– Longer detection window: Hair testing can detect drug use up to 90 days after consumption, while urine testing oral fluid drug testing can only detect drug use within the past few days or weeks.
– More difficult to cheat: Urine tests can be easily tampered with by diluting or substituting the sample. Hair testing, on the other hand, is more difficult to cheat due to be an observed collection, making it a valuable tool for detecting drug use.
– Non-invasive: Collecting a hair sample is a non-invasive procedure that can be done in a few minutes, without discomfort to the employee.
– Better : Hair testing is a popular method of drug testing compared to urine or oral fluid drug tests because of the longer detection window and the difficulty in cheating the test.
3. The 5 Panel Drug Test
The 5 panel drug test is a hair follicle test for drugs that screens for five of the most commonly abused drugs: cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, opiates, and phencyclidine (PCP). The 5 panel drug test is a popular choice for employers because it is cost-effective and can detect the most frequently used drugs. There is also many other panels for drug test (9 Panel,12 Panel and 14 panel).
4. Drug and Alcohol Supervisor Training
Employers should provide drug and alcohol supervisor training to ensure that supervisors are equipped with the knowledge and skills to detect drug use among employees. Supervisors are responsible for observing and documenting behavior that indicates drug use, and for ensuring that drug testing procedures are followed correctly. Drug and alcohol supervisor training should include information on the signs and symptoms of drug use, the company’s drug and alcohol testing policies, and the procedures for collecting and handling drug test samples. Your supervisors are on the front line of determining who are the candidates for reasonable suspicion testing. A missed opportunity can lead to huge losses with accidents or court cases. If you need Supervisor Drug and Alcohol Training, contact Workplace Screening Intelligence 844-573-8378 or support@workplacescreening.com You may also press this link to purchase a testing license now https://workplacescreening.com/product/drug-and-alcohol-supervisor-training/ .
5. Hair Testing Challenge
Hair testing should be used for pre-employment and random testing. However, you shouldn’t use for post-accident testing or reasonable suspicion testing due to drugs taking 7-10 days to grow into the shaft of the hair follicle.
Hair testing is a valuable tool for detecting drug use among employees, especially for employers who prioritize safety and productivity in the workplace. The longer detection window and the difficulty in cheating the test make it a more reliable method of drug testing compared to other methods. The 5 panel drug test is a cost-effective and popular choice for employers who want to screen for the most commonly abused drugs. It’s important for employers to provide drug and alcohol supervisor training to ensure that supervisors are equipped with the knowledge and skills to detect drug use among employees. By implementing these measures, employers can help maintain a safe and healthy work environment for their employees. Need to order a drug test today or need assistance with your drug free workplace? Contact our Support Team at 844-573-8378 or support@workplacescreening.com or press this link to order a drug test today https://workplacescreening.com/order-here/