AlertMeter® Impairment Detection Technology

Recently I visited one of our customer companies and began talking with a long-time employee. She was telling me about the random drug testing that they used to do, and how the mood of the building always turned flat when the “UA lady” showed up. 

A title like that will perk up most safety supervisors' ears, ready to hunt down the alcoholics on site. 

If it said, "69% of Your Workers are Fatigued", it wouldn't get nearly the same reaction. 

So, here we are--Us lying to get your attention, you out there listening for clinking bottles. 

A large company was interested to know how impairment testing compared to their drug testing program in terms of value, cost, and the return on the investment in each. Although every company is different, we wanted to share what this one learned.

What Does Fit for Work Mean?

According to CCOHS, "'fit for work' or 'fitness to work' is typically a medical assessment done when an employer wishes to be sure an employee can safely do a specific job or task." 

Why Do Companies Engage in Workplace Drug Testing?

56% of U.S. employers use pre-employment drug tests, or randomly drug test employees.

These companies pay $3,750,500,000 annually in pre-employment drug testing costs. (Statistic Brain)

Although it’s a hefty investment, for many employers there’s no way to get around workplace drug testing policies. It’s a practice rooted in legal compliance and corporate culture. But it’s well-intentioned. 

Drug testing’s limitations as a safety measure have been firmly established. Yet despite experiencing these limitations, companies have continued relying on drug testing, considering it to be the only tool that can have any effect in combating impairment in their workforce.