Drug testing

[puddle jumper]

Re: Drug testing

You know I've often wondered why Educators or Teachers are not given random test. Where I work they test all sports,band members,cheerleaders and bus drivers. Just 5 Years ago they started testing on new employees before hiring. I'm 59 years old and never had to take a drug test. Well not that I know of. Wonder how many educators would be looking for other employment.

That,s a good point as when I was in school in the 60/70/80s there were many teachers that were stoners asking the kids were they could score. I can bet today it not much different.

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: Drug testing

CDL Driver here - nuff said.

Workers abusing equipment, seems to be more attidude and carelessness, than drug use, IMO.

Stoned people are usually quite careful!

Your right it is an attitude problem not just a substance abuse problem. The problem is if some of these people don,t get there head out of there ***** people are going to start dieing out in the bush.

Just as an couple of examples of jobs we have done on a daily bases.

-Tree fallers who hand fall trees that are about 12-16 feet at the butt on a very steep mountain side.

-truck drivers that haul these trees down these mountains in trucks that you could drive your p/u under. These trucks pack 100ton of wood and the drivers say its called a control runaway all the way down. Meaning they never have real control of the truck. The show Ice Road Truckers is a cake walk compared to these guys.

-there's people who run around on the forest floor hooking up chokers that very large grapple yarders pick up the trees and move them around like tooth picks.

-then they get in the p/u,s and drive them like there nascar out of the bush.

I could go on and on but these people need to be on there A game at all times.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Drug testing

You know I've often wondered why Educators or Teachers are not given random test. Where I work they test all sports,band members,cheerleaders and bus drivers. Just 5 Years ago they started testing on new employees before hiring. I'm 59 years old and never had to take a drug test. Well not that I know of. Wonder how many educators would be looking for other employment.

When I was driving school bus, that was our complaint ... not that we had to do the random tests, but that the teachers who were with the kids ALL DAY didn't have to be subjected to the same tests we were. Yea, we were operating heavy equipment and they weren't ... but the shop teacher was, and the home ec teacher, and the science teacher was doing experiments with explosives, and the driver's ed teacher, and ... some of these teachers would come to school stoned, but it was no big deal. But for the bus driver, well, that was another story. I didn't want to see the driver regs lessoned, but I wanted the teachers kept to the same or higher standard.

To answer your question, PJ, yes, I had drug tests, no big deal. We were handed a slip when we dropped the kids off at school and we had 1 hour to report to the hospital for the test. If we didn't it was an immediate suspension. The hospital was 5 minutes from the school and on the way home for most of the drivers. It took us 5 minutes from the time we walked in the hospital till we walked out again. Not a big inconvenience.

 

[skargo]

Re: Drug testing

Unconstitutional!

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Drug testing

I'd like to see drug tests before you pick up your welfare check. Bet that would save a tons of your tax dollars.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Drug testing

With a testing program there has to be a sister program for counseling and rehab available along with consequences.

No there doesn't. Real world Bob, real world.

 

[sasto]

Re: Drug testing

We tried drug testing here at a yacht manufacturing facility. The test's would have lowered our insurance rates by a large margin. It's known around here that boatbuilders like smoking their weed. Most figure if they are inhailing solvents such as acetone, styrene and others along with paint, the smoke is not going to hurt them.

Out of appx 35 employees, only 10 would subject themselves to the test. Needless to say we abandoned the testing because we would have been unable to fill the shoes of those that refused. Most were top notch woodworkers and laminators and virtually unreplaceable. Our best painter, a Jamacian, smoked his gonja all day long. We did suspect one employee of being a crack head. I worked with him for 2 days, he had enough of me and quit the job, eventually landing in jail.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Drug testing

We tried drug testing here at a yacht manufacturing facility. The test's would have lowered our insurance rates by a large margin. It's known around here that boatbuilders like smoking their weed. Most figure if they are inhailing solvents such as acetone, styrene and others along with paint, the smoke is not going to hurt them.

Out of appx 35 employees, only 10 would subject themselves to the test. Needless to say we abandoned the testing because we would have been unable to fill the shoes of those that refused. Most were top notch woodworkers and laminators and virtually unreplaceable. Our best painter, a Jamacian, smoked his gonja all day long. We did suspect one employee of being a crack head. I worked with him for 2 days, he had enough of me and quit the job, eventually landing in jail.

That's an excuse. I promise there are good painters and laminators out there who aren't druggies. Lay off the druggies and get some people in there who want to follow the rules.

 

[sasto]

Re: Drug testing

That's an excuse. I promise there are good painters and laminators out there who aren't druggies. Lay off the druggies and get some people in there who want to follow the rules.

Not my decision....and I am no longer invovled in boatbuilding. What they do now is their business.

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: Drug testing

Unconstitutional!

I don't know anything about the legal aspects except that argument was thrown out in the early 80's. I believe it was the Safe Workplace Act that made testing legal in positions that could affect public health and safety. Initial, random, and "for cause" testing has been the norm for many occupations for many many years.

 

[NoKlu]

Re: Drug testing

I think the attitude problem is with the management in this company. If they would fire a few of these guys for wrecking the trucks maybe the others would take the hint. You can bet the guys wrecking stuff are in the bars later laughing about it. In Canada you can't fire people for failing a drug or alcohol test. They must be coddled.

 

[ONERCBOATER]

Re: Drug testing

take test....fail fired end of story.
unfortunately there is no test for the worker who doesn't care about the equipment that you give him to do his/her job.... that said if my employees mistreat the equipment and are easily replaceable they get replaced ASAP... those that are especially hard to replace....well i have learned to move them to vehicles more suitable for their care practices.... if they can keep that equip in good shape and clean without further damage for a yr... then i consider giving them a better vehicle... the usual vehicle to give someone like that is a already beat to death f150 from like 1985 or so with the old 300 straight six and an auto tranny.... these poor trucks have bounced across construction sites for their whole lives and they are uncomfortable no heater or A/c no radio.... but ALL THE SAFETY EQUIP works great. the point is usually made after 1 yr.

there is no place for druggies,liars or unsafe employees at my place of work, nor for attitude problems.
oh and random testing does work... heck i got tested 4 times in 6 weeks once while working here.

Sean

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Drug testing

Unconstitutional!

Not in privately held organization. Its your choice, submit to drug testing or find another place to work.

 

[64osby]

Re: Drug testing

I have a little different take on the subject.

Background - I used to enjoy THC, It's been over 10 years, reason - adult responsibility, kids and just grew out of it. I still enjoy adult beverages, but NOT at work. I am not subjuct to drug tests at this time. I used to employ over 50 people in the construction field.

I don't agree with drug testing, just because someone has an accident and they have THC in their system does not mean that is was part of the cause of the accident.

For example, if someone were to go on a week long fishing trip and smoke a little weed, then 3 weeks later have an accident at work, get tested and show positive. They could/would get fired. I don't think that is fair. I think it is an invasion of privacy.

If they could determine if the drug was used just prior to the accident then thats a different story. Simular to testing your alcohol level.

I have known many people who are better off smoking than drinking. They are ugly drunks and pretty nice when stoned.

You can drink and drive, make and consume moonshine, take prescription drugs to get stoned. ... and go to work everyday and not be subject to testing issues.

I have experienced many drugs in my past, so did Dan Rather so he could report on a factual basis. I do not advicate drug use, it is a personal choice.

If you are signing on with an employer and they have drug testing, it is your choice to adhere or move on to a different company.

There is a job site I have a project on right now where if you ever had a felony conviction in your life, you can not work there. Even if it was 20 years ago when you were 18 and stupid. It did not effect me, but some of my subcontractors employees were not allowed to work there.

There is a few company's in Michigan that won't hire you if you have smoked cigarettes within the last year, on the basis of healthcare cost. Is that fair???

Bottom line- If the drug can be shown to have a direct effect on the accident or incident then yes there is probable cause and effect. In that case testing is good. If it shows that there is residual amounts of a drug in your system, X parts per million, then I think drug testing is a waste of time money and invasion of privacy.

My $.04 A long quick reply

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Drug testing

There is a few company's in Michigan that won't hire you if you have smoked cigarettes within the last year, on the basis of healthcare cost. Is that fair???

Yes.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Drug testing

Yes.

As tabacco is a legal substance, I think that one would be a tough one to justify in a court of law, I understand not allowing smoking in your place of business, but not hiring based on the use of a legal substance that is not a mind altering substance per say, I think you could make a pretty good case, that seems to be about the same as an insurance company refusing you based on a pre-existing condition, which is what they are trying to prevent with the health care bill..

I acknowledge that yes, tabacco cause health problems, heck I am a smoker, but in that case you charge the individual more in their premium.

 

[bekosh]

Re: Drug testing

So long as you are clean and sober on Monday morning, it's none of the company's business what you were doing all weekend.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Drug testing

but in that case you charge the individual more in their premium.

Actually MTb, I think that was more what I was saying yes to. Sadly, these days, higher cost for health care is going to equal not hiring.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Drug testing

So long as you are clean and sober on Monday morning, it's none of the company's business what you were doing all weekend.

I would agree as long as your weekend activities don't involve illegal substances, of course if you party harty all weekend long and it involves illegal substances, its going to show in your drug screen, when it comes to drinking party on alcohol all weekend and you will still show a alcohol content in your screen on Monday morning. I pulled screens on my men when they should up on duty and looked or acted like they were hung over..They knew they were subject to testing if they showed up hung over, so they actually stayed pretty clean at least 24 hours before reporting for duty..

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Drug testing

Actually MTb, I think that was more what I was saying yes to. Sadly, these days, higher cost for health care is going to equal not hiring.

We had a large national company here where I live, that tried that, and it ended up costing them quite a bit of money when they were ruled against because they pay for the employees insurance, what they ended up doing, was continuing to pay the premium rate for a non tobacco user and the user pays the extra the insurance company charges..but it ended up costing them in the millions before it was all over with..

The case was really close to the cases that have happened around the country because of denying hire for a pregnant woman, that was found to be illegal as well, you can't even ask if a woman is pregnant, or going to get pregnant now a days...