What happens when I go to be tested?
Most drug testing methods today involve analyzing urine specimens. This process is known as “urinalysis”.
The urine specimen is given at the collection site. Bostec Inc. has a relationship with several labs that have collection sites across the nation. Some companies request collection “on-site” at their location. On a case-by-case basis Bostec Inc. will also provide this service. Whether on-site or at the office, the procedures followed are the same. The employee will provide the specimen in private. A person, who is trained in the collection process seals and labels the specimen, then prepares both the specimen and the accompanying paperwork for shipment to a drug testing laboratory. Each step of the process is documented on a “chain of custody” form. The collections and chain of custody procedures ensure the specimen is properly identified and tracked throughout the testing process.
Test results are reported as POSITIVE or NEGATIVE for illicit drugs. A positive test means the drug has been used in the recent past, usually a period of days. A urinalysis cannot determine if a particular individual is “impaired” by the drug level found, and it cannot tell when an employee last used a drug. Test samples sent to the laboratory are generally available for electronic results the next day. Samples that need further testing and/or confirmation can take 2-5 days for results.
There are some companies who prefer to use a “quick or instant” test process for pre-employment testing. For non-regulated companies, we offer this option at the same price as the normal non-dot test. For these tests we report the result as NEGATIVE and NON-NEGATIVE. A non-negative test means that the quick or instant result was not a negative for at least one of the drugs and the sample was sent to the laboratory for a more complete analysis.
For companies that have to comply with Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, there is an additional step. The urine specimen must be split in two and put into a primary and secondary specimen bottles. This is known as a “split sample” procedure.
In a split specimen procedure, both bottles are sent to the laboratory, but only the primary specimen is opened and used for the initial screening and confirmatory tests. The secondary specimen bottle remains sealed and stored at the laboratory. If the confirmation test on the primary specimen is positive, the employee has 72 hours to request that the split specimen be sent to another certified laboratory for analysis. The split specimen procedure essentially gives employees an opportunity for a “second opinion” if their drug test comes out positive.
May donors be required to remove clothing or empty pockets prior to the test?
You do not have to strip, but you may be asked to remove outer garments such as a coat or jacket that could conceal items or substances that could be used to tamper with or adulterate the urine specimen. For DOT test collections the collector is required to have the employee display (empty and put back) the contents of their pockets.
How much urine must I provide for the drug testing sample?
Not very much - thirty (30) milliliters for the primary specimen and fifteen (15) for the secondary specimen - if a DOT test - a total of about 1 – 1 ½ fluid ounces.
What if I just can’t “go” right then (shy bladder)? Can I leave and come back later?
If the employee is unable to provide a specimen initially, fluids are provided. The employee is allowed to drink up to 40 ounces of fluid through a period of up to three hours, or until the employee is able to produce a sufficient specimen, whichever comes first. The employee must remain at the collection site. If, after a three-hour period, an employee has not provided an adequate specimen, the employer will be called and the collection process is over.
What if I am physically unable to provide a specimen?
Specific documentation of the an individual’s medical condition, including the fact that he or she is unable to provide a urine specimen, should be obtained and furnished to the employer.
