Recent changes to drug and alcohol testing recommendations in Canada along with collective bargaining agreements are changing the way companies are looking at reasonable suspicion and post-incident drug testing.  It appears as if standard urine drug testing for these situations is being cast to the side for oral fluid drug testing.

Recent Changes:

• The Canadian Model for Providing a Safe Workplace (Version 2: October 1, 2010)
  The updated version of the Canadian Model allows for/recommends the use of LAB BASED oral fluid drug testing for the following situations: incident and near miss (post incident), observation of employee conduct (reasonable cause) and random testing.
  
  
• Assorted Collective Bargaining agreements throughout Canada
  Effective May 1, 2011 many unions ratified agreements that require oral fluid drug testing rather than urine drug testing in the following situations: incident and near miss (post incident), observation of employee conduct (reasonable cause) and random testing in accordance with the Canadian Model.

Oral fluid drug testing is growing in popularity in Canada due to its testing timelines which correspond closely with drug impairment.   A traditional urine drug test will detect most drugs for 3-5 days and marijuana (THC) for approximately three weeks.  While urine drug testing is a useful tool in certain situations, the knowledge that an employee used drugs four days or even two weeks ago is not useful when a company is attempting to determine if an incident may be related to drug use.  In these circumstances it is critical to know whether drugs have been used within a 24 hour period.

SureHire Inc. is the largest provider of oral fluid drug testing services in Canada and is continuing to pioneer the search for new technology in the field.  All SureHire Power Centres and Exclusive Testing Facilities across Canada are able to provide oral fluid drug testing services to our clients.

Benefits:
SureHire recommends companies utilize LAB BASED oral fluid drug testing.

• Lab based oral fluid testing offers greater accuracy than any instant oral fluid kit on the market.  The technology behind instant (POCT) oral fluid kits does NOT allow for the accurate detection of THC.

• Oral fluid testing determines drug use for the past 24 hours, making it ideal for post-incident and reasonable cause situations

• Shy bladder and adulteration issues are eliminated entirely ensuring quality samples in a timely fashion