Intrinsic Analytics is Manitoba’s premier bioinformation services company. We provide personalized and customizable bioinformation and biochemical analysis for individuals, commercial enterprises and government agencies. We offer two main platforms, occupational health and personal health. In addition, we engage in health research aimed at developing new health related assays.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING
According to the Canadian Centre on Substance use and Addiction, alcohol is amongst the most common substance used by Canadians. Approximately 15% of Canadians who drink alcohol consume above Canada’s low risk alcohol drinking guidelines. Data from the 2019 Canadian Alcohol and Drugs Survey showed 21% of Canadians reported having used cannabis in the past 12 months. Other drug use was considerably less common than cannabis use. In 2019, about 4% of Canadians reported having used at least one illegal drug. Among these users, cocaine was the most commonly used drug (2%), accounting for approximately half (49%) of illegal drug use. Illegal drug use includes consumption of at least one of the following substances: cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, hallucinogens, inhalants, heroin and salvia. Considering the country’s employment rate (61%), drugs and alcohol use is deemed to have a direct impact on the workplace . It affects employers, employees, workplace safety and potentially the public. The Canadian Substance Use Costs and Harms: 2007-2014 report estimates that lost productivity to businesses attributable to substance use in 2014 was $15.7 billion dollars.
Implementation of a drug and alcohol testing policy decreases your company’s liabilities by mitigating the risks that are associated with workplace incidents related to drug and alcohol use such as: workplace injuries, property damage, and damage to your company’s reputation. Furthermore, a well designed policy will promote a safe work environment and lead to increased productivity.
Intrinsic Analytics can help your company implement a drug and alcohol policy that offers protection against many of the risks that are associated with drug or alcohol use in the workplace.
What is a Drug Test or Alcohol Test?
A drug or alcohol test is a method used to determine the presence or absence of a drug metabolite in a biological specimen (saliva, urine, hair, blood). An alcohol test detects the presence of alcohol in an individual either by identifying ethanol in breath or a by-product of ethanol in urine or blood. Intrinsic Analytics (IA) provides quick, reliable, and accurate test results so you can act appropriately when sensitive situations arise involving drug or alcohol use in the workplace.
There Are Two Main Categories of Testing
The two main categories of testing are: Regulated (United States Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulations) and Non-regulated (all other drug and alcohol testing in Canada).
Regulated: Department of Transportation (DOT) Drug and Alcohol Testing
DOT testing applies to all commercial transportation carriers that transverse the US/Canadian border:
- It is mandatory for commercial vehicles (such as semi-trailer trucks) that cross over the Canadian/United States border to be enrolled and adhere to the US DOT regulations for drug and alcohol testing. Therefore, it is imperative that your drivers who will be crossing the border become enrolled in a DOT testing program as soon as they are hired.
- In Canada, the DOT regulations only apply to drivers that will cross into the United States. However, it is recommended that all drivers be enrolled in a drug and alcohol program due to the safety sensitive nature of the job.
- The US DOT oversees a number of federal administrations and has developed specific drug and alcohol testing rules for specific agencies. These rules can be found under Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 40.
Non-Regulated: Non-DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing
While all other forms of drug and alcohol tests that are performed in Canada do not fall under DOT regulations and are therefore considered as Non-DOT or non-regulated testing, they do follow many of the same testing guidelines and principles. In fact, a Canadian Model was established which mirrors the US DOT standards for testing in order to provide procedural guidance to companies that implement drug and alcohol testing programs.
- For example, a driver for a Canadian based transportation company that does not cross the Canadian/US border is not required to meet DOT standards but instead is recommended to join a Non-DOT drug and alcohol testing program. Other industries where drug and alcohol use has been identified have implemented uniform drug and alcohol testing programs amongst association members in order to ensure industry wide safety standards are met.
Companies wishing to add an essential layer of safety to their workplace health and safety programs should seek our assistance in designing a successful drug and alcohol program.
Intrinsic Analytics administers both DOT and Non-DOT drug and alcohol programs – a turn-key solution for your company.
Drug and Alcohol testing can be categorized based on reason to test and method of detection used for testing.
What are the Different Reasons to Test for Drug and Alcohol
For non-DOT regulated companies who have drug-free policies for their workers, employees may be required to test in different scenarios that include:
1. Random TestingRandom drug and/or alcohol testing can serve as an effective tool to reduce substance use in the workplace. Random testing will help identify those who may not present with obvious signs and symptoms but might be suffering from drug or alcohol use. Random testing increases workplace safety, reduces the frequency of accidents, reduces workers compensation claims, decreases employers’ liabilities and increases workplace productivity. A random sample of the workforce can be chosen to test for substance use.
We can customize random testing for your company based on your internal drug and alcohol policy by selecting random groups of employees at different testing frequencies.
Random testing can be conducted in two scenarios:
- Random testing for abstinence
- Random testing for monitoring
Pre-employment drug and alcohol testing serves as a critical step in establishing a safe work environment. It forms a part of the hiring process where the company can ask the applicant to get tested for drug and alcohol use once the candidate has been offered the letter of employment. It is an effective method to streamline the hiring process by reducing the risk of offering employment to individuals who may pose safety risk to themselves or others.
Having trouble making a decision with pre employment drug and alcohol testing?
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3. Pre-access testingPre-access testing helps identify workers who could pose a risk in a safety sensitive work environment. Therefore, by conducting pre-access drug and alcohol testing, the company can ensure that access to the work site is provided to only those who are fit for duty. It is important to know the testing requirements with the individual company owner to make sure that you are following the proper procedure and protocol.
4. Post incident/ accident testingPost incident/ accident testing is conducted after an accident occurs at the workplace. The scenarios that may lead to post accident testing may differ depending on different employers’ drug and alcohol policies. It is important to note, post incident/ accident testing needs to be performed within a certain window of time from the time of the accident. We have clinic partners (linked to clinic partners page) across the country that can help you test at the time of the incident.
5. Reasonable cause/ Reasonable suspicion testingReasonable cause or reasonable suspicion testing involves evaluating factors that suggests suspicious behavior from a worker that may hamper workplace safety. In this case, testing is done to eliminate the possibility of harmful behavior due to substance use that could be harmful at workplace.
6. Return to Work / Fit for duty testingReturn to Work / Fit for duty testing is performed when an employer has a previous employee return to work after:
- An injury (due to workplace/ or otherwise)
- Leave of absence
- Medical leave
- Returning from substance use program
A previous employee joining a new role in a safety sensitive environment may also qualify for a return to work/ fit for duty testing.
Based on method of detection used, we offer two types of drug and alcohol testing:
- Point of Collection Test (POCT) or Express Test
It is a qualitative and semi-quantitative screening test. This is not a confirmation test. It is an antibody based (immunoassay) test that provides results within minutes. The results are reported as negative or non-negative. The Express Test is recommended for Non Dot regulated workplaces.
The biological sample (urine, saliva) is collected from an individual (donor) and analysed for the drug metabolite(s) using the POCT test. The test identifies specific drugs within broader drug classes. For example, codeine and morphine both belong to the class of opiates. The POCT test cannot detect the two as individual metabolites.
The POCT test has a high sensitivity (ability to detect a range of substances accurately) but an intermediate specificity (ability to detect specific substances accurately).
- Laboratory based Test
It is a quantitative method of drug metabolite detection. It is a laboratory based test performed using much more sensitive technology. The test uses gas/ liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy.
Our laboratory based test can identify single metabolites to multi-metabolite arrays in a variety of biological specimens, such as urine, saliva and hair.
The laboratory based test is highly specific (ability to detect specific substances accurately) and highly sensitive (ability to detect a range of substances accurately).
The laboratory results are reported as negative or positive. It also helps determine the concentration/ level of metabolite detected. The results are medically reviewed by a Medical Review Officer (MRO). Depending on the specimen type or the metabolite to be tested, it usually takes about 24-72 hours for the results to be obtained.
The laboratory based testing is best recommended for:
- DOT regulated workplaces
- Non DOT regulated workplaces
- Scenarios where accuracy and specificity is of utmost importance
Express Testing or Laboratory based testing: Wondering which one to go for?
What Makes Intrinsic Analytics a Leader in Drug and Alcohol Testing?
Intrinsic Analytics has a proven track record of designing customized drug and alcohol-free workplace programs and developing testing protocols for companies across different industries. We have a team of trained professionals that provide testing in a clean environment using reliable testing protocols and devices approved by Health Canada. We provide the highest standards of training and testing in the industry and follow strict Chain of Custody protocols.
Our experts, with the highest credentials and over 10 years of experience in the industry, provide consultations and tailored solutions and recommendations to ensure your company is safety compliant.
Intrinsic Analytics’ drug and alcohol testing services help employers screen applicants using reliable and accurate testing methods. We offer flexible test scheduling and easily accessible with the support of a network of trusted partner clinics across the country.
Drug and alcohol programs can be a component of a comprehensive occupational health program. Effective drug and alcohol testing helps increase worker safety, decrease liability for the employer and increase productivity.
Learn more about our Occupational Health Services here
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the different factors that effect drug detection?
Several factors play a significant role in drug detection such as:
- Route of administration
- Drug type
- Quantity of the drug administered
- Frequency of use
- Drug’s pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
- Biological specimen tested
- Method of testing
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
- Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
- Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
- United States Coast Guard (USCG)
Drug tests are commonly termed by the number of panels or drugs that they can test for. The 5 Panel drug test screens for recent use of the 5 most commonly used drugs:
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
- Opiates
- Amphetamines
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
The 5 Panel Drug Test can be conducted on the following samples:
- Urine
- Saliva
- Hair follicles
As per the Canadian Model, the most commonly tested and recommended is urine.
5. Can employers in non safety sensitive workplaces set up drug and alcohol testing policies?A comprehensive drug and alcohol testing policy offers protection against the risks associated with drug or alcohol use in the workplace. It helps to keep the company compliant and safeguard its workers.
It is best recommended to have a drug and alcohol testing policy in place to avoid any mishap or accidents. However, it is completely up to the employer to decide if they want to implement one in a non-safety sensitive workplace.
6. As an employee or employer, how do I know if I am subject to DOT testing?The DOT regulations cover safety sensitive transportation employers and employees. The operating administrations covered under the DOT regulations are:
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
- Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
- Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
- United States Coast Guard (USCG)
Safety-sensitive positions, in the context of the Canadian Model, are those where the employee has a key and direct role in an on-site operation where performance limitations (e.g. due to substance use) could result in an incident or near miss with the potential for high consequences (e.g. significant property damage, environmental damage or negative impact to reputation, and/or serious injury or fatalities to workers or the public).
8. What is a Medical Review Officer?As per the Canadian Model for Providing a Safe Workplace Version 6.0., a Medical Review Officer (MRO) is a licensed physician, currently certified with the American Association of Medical Review Officers or Medical Review Officer Certification Council, with knowledge of substance use disorders and the ability to evaluate an employee’s test results, who is responsible for receiving and reviewing laboratory results generated by an employer’s drug testing program and evaluating medical explanations for certain drug test results.
9. What does “chain of custody” mean?The chain of custody is defined as the chronological and sequential documentation or trail that accounts for the sequence of custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of physical or electronic evidence of human specimen test.
10. What is gas / liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy?Liquid Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS)
It is an analytical chemistry technique that utilises the separation capabilities of liquid chromatography (LC) and mass analysis capabilities of mass spectrometry (MS). It is a highly sensitive technique and has applications across a wide range of industries including biotechnology, pharmaceutical, agrochemical and cosmetic industry. The analyte (mix of liquids) is separated using liquid chromatography into different components followed by mass spectrometry that provides spectral information to help identify or confirm each of the separated components.
Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)
Historically considered as the gold standard for analyzing biochemical compounds such as lipids, proteins and drug metabolites. It is composed of two main components: Gas Chromatography (GC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS). Gas chromatography is technique used for separating compounds that can easily be vaporized without decomposition. Once separated, the coupled mass spectrometer identifies the different separated and eluted substances based on the MS principle described above. One of the advantages of GC-MS is the reproducible fragmentation pattern for each metabolite which allows for easy identification based on known metabolite patterns stored in a database
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Drug & Alcohol Testing | Intrinsic Analytics