Businesses need reliable data. Any decision that affects employee well-being, the bottom-line, customer satisfaction or a thousand other areas needs to be based on solid, reliable and trustworthy data.
Decisions about drug and alcohol policies in the workplace are no different. Where do Whatcom County businesses turn when they’re looking for trustworthy information about marijuana statistics, street drugs to watch for, car accidents related to drunken driving, or workplace stats related to employees under the influence?
At Bostec, we have decades of experience guiding companies in Bellingham, Lynden and throughout the Northwest on crafting ironclad workplace drug and alcohol policies that help keep employees, the public and the company safe. To do that, we also need to have reliable information.
Here are some of the drug and alcohol information sources that Bostec uses and trusts the most:
Quest Diagnostics, at https://www.questdiagnostics.com/. Quest Diagnostics is a company that provides a broad range of services and information related to health and health care. Specifically in the area of drug and alcohol testing for employers, Quest provides a plethora of helpful information online. It’s drug testing knowledge center includes such information as a savings calculator for drug testing, a list of frequently asked questions about urine testing, reasons for drug testing and more.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), at https://www.samhsa.gov/. SAMSHA produces a raft of helpful information on drug use, such as the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health. There’s also the National Mental Health Services Survey, the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, and more. For businesses looking for treatment options to recommend to employees in need, there’s the SAMSHA Treatment Locator, which provides advice on substance abuse treatment, behavioral health treatment, early serious mental illness treatment and more. Check it out.
The National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA), at https://www.ndasa.com/. The mission statement of NDASA is “to advocate for safe and drug-free workplaces and communities through legislative advocacy, education, training and excellence in drug and alcohol screening services.” It’s a member organization of drug and alcohol testing companies, company human resources managers, safety managers and many more, dedicated to providing industry training, governmental advocacy and education. NDASA works on behalf of the drug and alcohol testing industry to reduce issues and challenges.
The Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA), at https://www.datia.org/. DATIA works hard to ensure high levels of professionalism and quality control among drug and alcohol testers. The association also works to advocate for the industry in regulation and other legislative matters. DATIA also has developed a set of global drug and alcohol testing guidelines for the oil and gas industry. The association uses its Facebook page to keep members and others apprised of the latest updates related to drug and alcohol testing. For Whatcom and Skagit business owners with a particular interest in marijuana, DATIA has produced a couple of brochures that deal with myths related to marijuana.
Of course, business owners, HR managers, supervisors and others throughout the Pacific Northwest may always turn to Bostec for support when it comes to issues related to drug and alcohol testing, training and workplace policies. Bostec has been helping businesses both large and small create and implement their workplace drug policies for years, and we also provide training throughout the region on how to use Intoximeters breath-testing equipment.