27 June 2008 - 22:01Oral Fluid Drug test. Part 1

Oral fluid drug tests have provided employers and employees with a more dignified, and safer, method of checking for drug use. Thanks to advances in technology, we have a safer and accurate method of checking for drugs in the workplace, particularly at short notice and in almost any workplace setting. Previously, urine samples would be required and this was not a time or cost efficient method due to the time constraints of collecting and sending samples, refrigeration and packing of the samples and the cost of the sample kits themselves. Then there was also the fact that some samples were difficult, if not impossible to collect, and the only alternative was to wait it out, this has been classified as the “bashful bladder syndrome”. Urine sample collection also was a time of awkwardness and embarrassment as well as outright mortification for some. And every employee would have to cooperate. Employers had to have restroom facilities available for the duration of the testing procedures or have the employees go off-site for additional testing which would always necessitate a higher cost to both employee and employer as then you would have to factor in another transportation cost. In addition, the privacy of the employees was non-existent, due to the nature of the test. Oral drug tests are able to provide quick and reliable results and have proven to be quite cost efficient. The cost of the kits is even cheaper than those for urine collection.

The drugs which can be tested for include THC, cocaine and heroin, alcohol, Ecstasy, barbiturates and amphetamines. These oral fluid collection tests may actually be superior at determining opiate usage than the urine test. This is the only test that shows whether a person is under the influence of a drug that he has just taken. This type of testing also has the added feature of being able to ascertain drug usage within the last 6 hours, something other tests could not do. The only single preparation a testee needs is to refrain from any eating and drinking for at least 1 hour prior to having the oral swab taken. Most employees prefer this test as it involves merely a swab between the cheek and lower gum which allows oral saliva to be collected onto the cotton padding of the swab. These tests can be used in any remote job locations. Employers can always choose to hire someone on the spot, thanks to the efficiency and accuracy of these tests, if they wish. There do not have to be any restroom facilities available at the test site. No private rooms are ever needed and no private monitor is necessary to document the authenticity of the oral saliva collection procedure. There are some of these oral fluid collection test kits which will allow the testing of multiple people at one time. Technology, time management and cost effectiveness rolled up into one efficient kit. These tests are also available for home use.