GLOSSARY
A
Absenteeism
Absenteeism is the unexcused and unscheduled absence from duty by an employee. In the context of occupation health and safety in the workplace, absenteeism is the absence or habitual absences of an employee from their workplace without legitimate causes or excuses.
Adulterate
A substance that has been adulterated has been made impure by the addition of extraneous ingredients, specifically inferior ingredients. In the context of drug testing, an adulterated sample is one that has been altered to render it unsuitable for testing. An adulterated sample may show the presence of drugs at a lower than actual level or mask the presence of a targeted drug altogether.
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a lung disease caused due to exposure to asbestos fibres. Asbestos is a fire resistant mineral that is used as a building material. Asbestosis develops when an individual inhales asbestos fibres that settles in the lungs and cause scarring of the lung tissue. The condition develops with prolonged exposure to asbestos and can also lead to the development of mesothelioma and lung cancer.
B
Baseline Testing
In medicine, baseline testing refers to any test that measures a patient’s current or pre-treatment condition. In a clinical study, a baseline test is conducted at the beginning of the study. Baseline testing results are used as a reference point for comparison to subsequent test results.
C
Canadian Model for Providing a Safe Workplace
The Canadian Model for Providing a Safe Workplace, commonly known as Canadian Model, refers to a paradigm that follows the US Department of Transportation model for advancing drug and alcohol testing procedures to optimize health and safety. The Canadian Model is a benchmark for leveling the scope of legal discrepancies to support continued efforts by companies to maximize drug and alcohol testing protocols alongside protecting individual rights against discrimination.
Chronic Illness
A chronic illness is defined as a persistent health condition that often features dormant or recurring symptoms along with an irreversible prognosis. A chronic illness induces both mental and physical constraints that predispose individuals to disabilities or functional impairments. Common examples include but are not limited to: asthma, arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes and others.
Chain of custody
Chain of custody is the chronological documentation or paper trail that records the sequence of custody, control, transfer, analysis and disposition of materials including physical or electronic evidence. The custody and control form serves as a proof by listing the names of the donor and collector following the methods used to handle and transport the urine specimen for investigation.
Chest X Ray
A chest X-ray is a medical procedure to capture images of the airways, blood vessels, bones, heart, lungs and the spine. X-rays are released from a plate, which captures digital images of the chest wall cavity from both a front and side view. A chest X-ray uses low doses of radiation to contrast visuals on a black-and-white film medium.
The examination can show latent signs, boosted by symptoms of chest pain/shortness of breath, of obstructive lung disease (i.e., asthma). As a result, this can affect a person’s ability to use a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) or work in tight workspaces.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a type of lung disease in which the lung receives poor airflow constantly due to obstructive reasons. Studies have shown that the risk of contracting COPD increases when the employees are exposed to hazardous substances such as dust, fumes and chemicals at their working environments. Occupations that have a greater possibility of contracting COPD include, agriculture, mining, construction, industrial factories working with hazardous substances, petroleum industry and quarries.
Confined Space
A confined space in the workplace is one that is large enough to permit access by an employee but has limited room for thorough movement. The space must be one that is not intended to be continually occupied. These types of spaces are typically used to perform maintenance or other occasional or limited-duration tasks. In a workplace where an employee is required to work in confined spaces must conform to additional safety procedures.
Cut off Level
A cut-off level is an index used to show if the cumulative amount of traces of a drug metabolite(s) fall at or below/above the threshold range to yield a negative/positive test result.
D
Decibel
A decibel is a unit of measure that is used to quantify the level of a particular sound or noise and is commonly denoted as (dB). It is a unit used to determine the danger level of a given environment to a person’s hearing and is also used within the fields of electronics, signals, and communication. It is measured on a scale of human hearing, starting with the threshold of 0 dB to a level of 120-140 dB.
Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is a division of the United States federal government that is tasked with overseeing national transportation programs. This agency consists of several subdivisions that oversee various segments of the transportation system ranging from water and roadways to air traffic. As a part of this oversight, the DOT is responsible for ensuring the safety of travelers and transportation employees.
Diagnostic Test
A Diagnostic test is a medical evaluation undertaken when an individual experiences pain symptoms or sustains an injury that may point to underlying health conditions. Diagnostic testing provides multiple benefits ranging from identifying diseases to tracking the progression of the diseases. The wide variety of available tests means that health professionals can get as much information as possible about an individual’s issues, aiding in their quest to provide health solutions.
Doffing
Doffing and Donning are two commonly used terms in the context of respirator fit testing. Doffing is defined as the task of removing the facepiece of a respirator from the face. Depending on the type of the respirator, every manufacturer has standard guidelines explaining the doffing. The doffing process requires the know how to clean, handle and dispose of different types of respirators at a worksite.
Donning
Doffing and Donning are two commonly used terms in the context of respirator fit testing. Donning is defined as the process of wearing a face mask placed over the head that covers the mouth and nose to filter out or protect the mucus membranes from harmful agents. A user seal check is measured subjectively by wearer while donning the equipment to ensure the facepiece is free of air leaks between the different uses.
E
Express Test
An express test refers to an initial drug screening performed on-site to analyze a biological specimen to identify drug metabolites pending a fast turnaround on negative or positive test results. Also called point-of-collection testing (POCT), employers often administer express tests as an accessible, convenient, and cost-effective drug screening method.
F
Functional Capacity Evaluation
The Functional Capacity Evaluation is a standard used to assess whether a person meets the criterion to handle the physical demands of a job. A detailed medical history and health status evaluation serves as an index to outline the odds pooled against candidates or employees who might not fit the job given the physical demands taxed on the body.
If an employer is looking to hire for a role where the worker would need to be physically fit in order to carry heavy load and equipment. The evaluator will assess the gross motor skills (via FCE guidelines) which cover the ability to bend, lift, pull, push, squat and walk and see if the individual is physically fit for the role assuring the safety of the worker and the workplace both.
G
Gas Chromatography
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.
H
Hazard
A hazard, in the context of occupational health and safety, is a situation that represents a level of threat to health, life, property, or the environment. A hazard is generally considered dormant, or potential, when it only represents a theoretical risk of harm.
I
Impairment
An impairment is defined as an inability to perform job task(s) based on a mental or physical deficit that can lead to adverse health effects. Substance use, chronic fatigue, and ongoing stress can cause impairment on the job. A holistic approach to reducing impairments in the workplace falls on a dual premise to keep a safe work environment for all employees and conserve human rights laws.
Inconclusive Sample
An invalid/inconclusive sample refers to an initial drug testing specimen that receives an incomplete result status, usually pending further testing analyses to establish a negative or positive test result to override any potential discrepancy. Different factors may contribute to an invalid/inconclusive sample, depending on the circumstances, such as an applicant/employee tampering with a sample (i.e. a diluted specimen) or an erroneous technicality via drug testing protocol.
J
K
L
Liquid Chromatography
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.
M
Mask Fit Testing
Mask fit testing is a series of steps used to determine the suitability of a respirator mask for a specific user. Each respirator model will fit on the face of a user differently and mask fit testing helps to assure the best and safest fit. The level of suitability of a particular mask is called its fit factor.
Medical Review Officer
A Medical Review Officer is a licensed physician who plays an important role in occupational health testing companies. The MRO analyzes the laboratory results from drug testing programs and provides impartial reporting with individualized medical explanation for the test results.
Although urinalysis is the most common method of drug testing in Canada, many individuals may resort to tampering with a urine specimen to bypass a positive test result, skewing analyses to the extent that confirmatory testing is mandatory. In such a situation, an MRO serves as the appropriate liaison to cross reference the subject’s medical history, detailing anything that could indicate a false positive.
Metabolite
A metabolite is an intermediate or an end product of metabolism. A metabolite is an endogenous compound made or used when the body breaks down food, drugs or chemicals, or its own tissue (for example, fat or muscle tissue)
N
Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) refers to a hearing impairment where the hair like cells, called stereocilia, cannot transmit sound frequencies within a range to filter out unwanted noise from a particular source. Long-term NIHL exposure to noise above the 85 decibels (dB) threshold can cause sensitivity in both ears. A doctor uses an audiogram to chart the damage over time to note changes in the extent of the damage.
O
Occupational Health Hazard
The Occupational Hazard is any workplace condition that causes a risk to a worker’s health. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the government organization in charge of keeping workers safe, has defined six main categories of occupational hazards: safety, chemical, biological, physical, ergonomic and work organization hazard. Occupational health hazards can pose a legitimate harm to the workers with far reaching ramifications, and thus it is critical to identify and implement hazard control solutions.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a United States government organization that was created to introduce and enforce standards of safety measures to ensure the safety and well-being of the workers. The purpose of OSHA is to define guidelines within the context of health and safety that identifies potential workplace hazards relative to environmental surroundings including equipment, ergonomics, available resources and protocol management.
Onsite Testing
On-site testing refers to alcohol testing or drug testing that is performed at a workplace location, satellite branch, or third-party clinic with an observer on hand. For many employers, on-site testing is a convenient solution that provides a quick turnaround on test results. Many types of tests can be done in this format including pre-employment or pre-access testing, reasonable cause testing, post-incident testing, and follow-up or return-to-duty testing.
P
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Test
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test is a laboratory technique that helps to make multiple copies of a specific DNA sample. The amplified DNA sample is used for investigative studies such as detection of viruses or infectious agents, genetic testing and research.
Pulmonary Function Test
Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) is a clinical test used to check and monitor lung function and health. The test is performed with the help of a spirometer. The test provides a comparison between the lung volume, capacity and gas exchange against the baseline value and helps understand the general health of the lungs.
Q
Quantitative Fit Test
Quantitative respirator fit testing is considered the gold standard for fit testing. This test measures and compares the particles in the surrounding air to the air particles that leak into the respirator. The comparison helps confirm the integrity and performance of the respirator. The worker/client is made to perform certain breathing exercises to mock their working conditions.
R
S
Safety Sensitive Position
As per Canadian Model for Providing Workplace Safety Version 6.0., safety sensitive positions 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).
Shy Bladder
A shy bladder, also known as paruresis, refers to a difficulty in voiding urine in the presence of an individual or individuals (for example in a public restroom). The condition can develop from early childhood into adulthood. For individuals with a shy bladder, it can pose challenges for job opportunities where submission to mandatory urine drug screening (urinalysis) is a pre-requisite in the workplace.
Silicosis
Silicosis is a harmful pulmonary disease incurred by regular exposure to crystalline silica dust, a composite mineral found in dust, granite, sand, and other material deposits. Individuals can develop silicosis at different stages, often reflecting independent factors including concentration levels to crystalline silica, exposure duration, absence of safety measures, and personal health lifestyles.
T
Third Party Administrator (TPA)
A Third Party Administrator (TPA) is an organization that provides administrative services to employers to facilitate their drug and alcohol testing programs. A TPA may manage a portion of an employer’s drug and alcohol testing policy or the entire program. They may be contracted to administer either federal, provincial, or state-mandated or voluntary employer drug and alcohol testing programs. The TPA must also take responsibility for compliance, testing, and record-keeping as an agent of the employer.
Turnaround time
Turnaround times (TAT) refer to the cumulative time between the start of a task and the final outcome.