Home Drug Testing Kits: Are They Right for My Business?

Up until relatively recently, testing for the presence of alcohol and drugs in a person’s system would have required a visit to a lab. Nowadays, however, anyone can buy a home drug test kit from their local drugstore or online retailer and perform the test from the comfort of their home.

While at-home drug test kits might provide an effective solution for concerned parents or conscientious recreational drug users, when it comes to work-related applications, these products come with significant risks to employee and public safety, business operations, and company reputation.

In this article, we will explore the four main concerns businesses need to be aware of when considering incorporating home drug test kits into their workplace drug screening program.

What are at-home drug test kits?

Home drug testing kits can be either urine or oral fluid tests that detect the presence a number of substances in a person’s system. How many and which types of substances depend on the type of kit being used, however, below is a list of some of the most common substances that these kits can test for:

• Amphetamines
• Barbiturates
• Benzodiazepines
• Cocaine
• Ecstasy
• Opioids (including Oxycodone)
• THC (cannabis)

Home drug test kits are easy to use and can be purchased online or from a local drugstore relatively inexpensively. These kits offer concerned parents a practical tool for managing their child’s safety or for individuals worried they may have unknowingly consumed a drug during a social event.

For those who are considering using these kits to determine whether they might test positive or negative on an employer’s pre-screening drug test, these kits might not be able to provide you with the accurate answer you are looking for. The reason for this is that the kit’s cut-off levels might not match up with your employer’s industry cut-off levels. If you want to know how you might test against industry-specific cut-off levels, consider filling out CannAmm’s independent request form. Trust us to deliver accurate, timely, confidential results when it matters to you most.

But what about employers looking to use at-home drug test kits in the workplace?

If you are an employer in a safety-sensitive industry looking to incorporate these kits into your workplace drug screening program, we at CannAmm would strongly advise against it.

Here’s why.

Why home drug test kits and safety-sensitive roles don’t mix

Before we delve into why home drug testing kits are not appropriate for safety-sensitive industries, let’s review what we mean when we say “safety-sensitive”.

According to the Canadian Human Rights Commission:

“A safety-sensitive position is one in which incapacity due to drug or alcohol

impairment could result in direct and significant risk of injury to the employee, others or

the environment. When determining whether a job is safety-sensitive, one must consider

the context of the industry, the particular workplace and an employee’s direct

involvement in a high-risk operation. Any definition must take into account the role of

properly trained supervisors, and the checks and balances present in the workplace.”

The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction defines a safety-sensitive position as:

“[a position] where impaired employee performance could result in a significant incident affecting the health and safety of the individual, other employees, customers or the public, or could cause property damage.”

Employers in safety-sensitive industries have a greater responsibility to protect employees, the public, and the environment than those in non-safety-sensitive industries.

And though manufacturers of these kits may claim that their products deliver accurate results and are compliant with Canadian and U.S. standards, there are several important details that they simply cannot guarantee.

1. Home drug tests are not confirmed in a SAMHSA-Certified Lab, and therefore results are not legally defensible: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA-HHS) Certified Laboratories are accredited labs that meet strict quality control and chain-of-custody standards for conducting drug and alcohol tests. Results retrieved in any other setting, such as the home or workplace, have not met the rigorous forensic toxicology standards required to guarantee the legal defensibility of any actions taken based on a drug test result.
2. At-home drug test kits may not align with industry cut-off levels: Since cut-off levels and the accuracy of results vary from kit to kit, you might not be complying with your industry’s standards, risking the safety of your employees, the public, and your company’s reputation.
3. Mishandled information could lead to privacy and human rights complaints: When untrained staff are allowed to handle sensitive personal information and take employment action based on non-forensic results, the risk of mismanagement is high. This could cost the company thousands in reputational harm and legal fees resulting from lawsuits.
4. Negative impact on employee morale and dignity of drug testing program: One of the benefits of ensuring drug tests are collected by a certified collector, is that the people who collect samples for workplace testing are specially trained to ensure that samples are collected in a way that is respectful of the person’s privacy and dignity, something that is not assured when tests are collected out by non-certified supervisors, regardless of how well-meaning they might be. Discriminatory testing practices could seriously impact staff morale and productivity, hindering your company’s ability to build a strong safety culture.

Trust CannAmm to help you build a strong safety culture

Don’t jeopardize the safety of your employees by using at-home drug testing kits, and avoid the risk of reputational harm and costly lawsuits. Instead, Trust CannAmm to help you build a strong safety culture.

Customized Testing Programs: Your business’s testing needs are unique, which is why our workplace testing programs are customized to fit your specific requirements so results can reach the right people across different sites and projects.

Fast and Efficient Testing: Our professionally trained and certified collectors complete tests quickly, efficiently, and accurately so your team can get back to work quickly.

Accurate Results and Easy Access: All results are verified by a Medical Review Officer and posted on our secure site. Negative results are typically reported within 24 – 72 hours for lab tests and under 3 hours for express/Point of Collection Test (POCT) technologies. We offer the fastest turnaround times for oral fluid testing in the country.

Accountable Results and Dedicated Support: We provide you with accountable results and full support whenever non-negative results arise, or your company encounters any challenges regarding test results. This commitment ensures your peace of mind and helps you maintain a safe and compliant workplace.

DOT and Non-DOT Drug Testing Programs: As one of the largest occupational drug testing third-party administrators in Canada, CannAmm offers a best-in-class U.S. DOT program as well as non-DOT industry testing programs that help companies build a strong safety culture.

Ready to get started? Call us today at 1-800-440-0023 or fill out a form to speak with one of our knowledgeable, trustworthy experts about how we can help your business ensure a safe and productive workplace.