Employers Should Conduct Drug Test after an Injury?

Injured at work? You may have to undergo a drug test. But how long does your employer have to conduct it? Read on to find out.

 In the US, drug testing after an injury is a common practice. Under federal law, drug testing after a workplace injury is allowed if the employer has a drug-free workplace policy and if the injury is significant enough to require medical attention beyond first aid. The timing for drug testing can vary depending on the state and the nature of the injury.

OSHA guidelines for post-accident drug test

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established the standards for a secure working environment for both employees and employers. It states that employers should not conduct a drug test that is not possibly caused by the use of drugs but due to faulty equipment, mishandling, work overload, etc. as it may discourage the employee from reporting workplace incidents. However, following a workplace incident, employers may exercise their discretion. If employers think that “employee drug use is likely to have a contribution to the incident” and that test “can accurately identify impairment caused by drug use”, then they may decide to test the employee.

How long do employers have to drug test post-injury

There is no specified time limit set to conduct a drug test after an injury. It is beneficial to conduct the drug test as soon as possible after an incident. As the detection window of different drugs varies so it becomes difficult to detect the drug as more time passes away after the workplace incident. 

 

The best and easiest way to find out whether drugs played role in workplace injury is to take a drug test as soon as possible at goMDnow collection site near you.

Location: United States

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