Evaluation of drug testing in the workplace: Study of the construction industry

During the past two decades, drug testing in the workplace has gone from virtual nonexistence to widespread employer acceptance. This growth is particularly critical for the construction industry. High rates of alcohol and other drug use, coupled with the high-risk, safety-sensitive nature of the industry, have prompted the implementation of a variety of drug surveillance and prevention strategies. Despite this growing vigilance, however, no scholarly works have examined the impact of drug-related policies in the construction industry. The present study investigates the efficacy of workplace drug-testing programs in reducing injury incident rates and workers' compensation experience-rating modification factors within the construction industry. Analyses indicate that companies with drug-testing programs experienced a 51% reduction in incident rates within 2 years of implementation. Furthermore, companies that drug test their employees experienced a significant reduction in their workers' compensation experience-rating modified factors. Policy implications are discussed in light of the current findings.