| About
EDI |DTS Home Page|EDI Home Page |
||
| Return to EDI site | KNOW YOUR PEOPLE |
|
| EDI Newsletter | March 2008 | |
|
We also have a range of support products available at great prices. Call today
Express Diagnostics NewsISO 13485:2003We are pleased to announce our certification with ISO 13485:2003, the international standard for quality in medical devices and services.  As defined by the International Organization for Standardization: ISO 13485:2003 specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to provide medical devices and related services that consistently meet customer requirements and regulatory requirements applicable to medical devices and related services. CE Certification
“CE” is an abbreviation for the French: “Conformité Européne.” Inclusion of CE marking indicates conformity with respect to European Union (EU) distribution standards. Certification allows manufacturers to freely distribute products throughout the 27-member EU market of nearly 500 million people.
|
|
Drugs in the workplace The Department of Labor reports that approximately 74.8% of drug users are currently employed in the United States. Research also indicates that between 10-20% of people killed in the workplace are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Don't panic! There are steps you can take to help your employees stay safe. Industries with a high risk of work place accidents include: construction, 1. Create a policy.If you don't already have a drug and alcohol policy in your workplace, 2. Supervisor Training.This training can help your Managers/Supervisors detect the indicators of
3. Employee Education.
4. Employee assistance.One of the most important components of a drug policy is an Employee Assistance Program. They are very effective in addressing a downturn in an employee's performance, which may stem from personal problems such as substance abuse. The US Department of Labor tells us that, "EAPs are an excellent benefit to employees and their families and clearly demonstrate employers’ respect for their staff. They also offer an alternative to dismissal and minimize an employer’s legal vulnerability by demonstrating efforts to support employees". In addition to counseling and referrals, many EAPs offer other related services, such as supervisor training and employee education. At a minimum, businesses should maintain a resource file from which employees can access information about community-based resources, treatment programs and help lines. 5. Drug Testing.Drug Testing is a very important component of your drug policy. Remember that your drug policy must cover everyone in your organization, not just a select few. This means, that if you drug test, then you drug test everyone. We understand that this can be a huge step for some companies and even a little scary, but if you do it correctly then your workplace will be safer and happier. Before you do anything then follow theses few steps. 1. Who will be tested? Will it be new applicants? Everybody? Safety-sensitive positions? Some state laws may dictate who you test for certain types of testing. 2. When will you test? Possibilities include: pre-employment, upon reasonable suspicion or for cause, post-accident, randomly, periodically and post-rehabilitation. Once again you should be sure that your state laws don't dictate how you test for each category. 3. Which drugs will be tested for? It is common for companies to test for illegal drugs for pre-employment testing and a broader range of drugs for employees. Remember that prescription drugs account for more hospital admissions than any of the illegal drug categories. 4. How will tests be conducted? I have covered the types of testing available in previous newsletters and I encourage you to read them. There are many ways to test including urine, saliva and hair. All have advantages and disadvantages and some states dictate how you should test. Check out this link to the USDOL web site which can help you research State Law. It is very important to remember that there are federally mandated testing laws that cover DOT tests. To find out more about this please visit the Department of Transport web site.
Orders To place orders please call our offices on either of the following numbers
You can fax orders to:
or you can email me directly on mark@drugcheck.com
Mark Cotter |
mining, manufacturing and wholesale it's probably no surprise that they are also the industries that report a higher level of drug use. What can you do? Lets start with these 5 simple steps.
then you need one. It needs to be in writing and copies given to all employees. Communicate to everyone within your organization that you support a drug free work place. Place this message in your job postings and on the walls of the workplace. Be sure that everyone knows how the company feels and actions that will be taken if anyone breaches this policy.
drug use in the workplace and help them become comfortable with the company policy and taking action to prevent problems associated with substance abuse at work. This training should be carried out annually. 
Distribute information to all employees about drugs, your company policy and assistance programs. Encourage healthy lifestyles within your organization. Continually send out the message that you are a drug free workplace through signs education, and perhaps occasionally, place the message on workers pay stubs. Be sure to place information on job postings that you are a drug free work place also be sure to distribute your drug policy to all people in your organization. 
