Drug screening in the workplace is a critical component of maintaining a safe working environment. There are significant differences between impairment testing and drug testing. Commonly used in occupational settings to ensure the safety of employees, especially in high-risk industries, impairment testing is used to assess an individual’s physical or mental capabilities and determine whether they are impaired or unfit for a specific task or activity. Drug testing, however, is a specific type of testing that is used to detect the presence of drugs or their metabolites in a person’s system. This type of testing indicates recently used drugs. Choosing between the two comes down to the nature of the work, the employee’s history with the company, and the laws of the jurisdiction(s) where the company operates.
