Over the past year, safety-sensitive workers have been subjected to more severe government drug testing rules, and the crackdown may be paying off. Stats released by Quest Diagnostics reveal a 33% jump in cocaine positives in the safety-sensitive workforce while amphetamines positives among this group rose by nearly 26%, continuing an upward trend. In October 2010, DOT and DHHS agreed on the decision to institute lower initial and confirmation cutoff levels for amphetamines and cocaine, and added other substances to the required drug testing panel. Workers subject to these new requirements include private-sector workers for whom routine drug testing is mandated as well as those federal employees in testing-designated positions. The study reveals that the increase in amphetamines positives likely reflects both an increase in the use of prescribed amphetamine drugs, such as those used in medical treatment for ADHD, and more drug positives identified owing to the lower cutoff in drug testing. Identifying amphetamine use in safety-sensitive positions – whether prescribed or illicit – is important for ensuring worker and public safety. The findings are based on 1.6 million federally mandated, safety-sensitive workforce drug tests performed by Quest Diagnostics between January and December 2011. For more information on the Drug Testing Index, click here.
A Blog From the American Society of Safety Engineers