One of the biggest myths around drug and alcohol testing, particularly for smaller businesses, is that it’s too expensive to implement. While it certainly isn’t inexpensive to test people in the workplace, focusing on expenses alone isn’t the wisest thing to do. You should also consider the potential cost of not conducting testing.
In this blog, we’ll look more closely at the cost of drug and alcohol testing in your workplace. We’ll also look at what resources may be required and the potential costs if you decide not to conduct testing.
The cost of drug and alcohol testing
As we highlighted in the introduction, it’s fair to say that it’s not inexpensive to implement drug and alcohol testing in your workplace. However, it’s a cost that is not prohibitive for most businesses.
Providing an exact estimate of the cost is difficult, because of the factors involved. For example, the number of tests required and the location or locations where testing will take place. We do encourage you to contact Integrity Sampling to get a quote on drug and alcohol testing for your workplace, so you can make a judgement based on precise figures.
Other things to keep in mind when it comes to drug and alcohol testing costs include:
- If costs are prohibitive, we have potential cost-effective testing options available. Contact us to talk about these options and whether they may be right for you.
- If comparing quotes, make sure you check for add-ons. Integrity Sampling has an all-inclusive pricing structure, with no hidden extras. Some companies might not be as transparent about additional costs like penalty rates for after-hours testing and administration fees.
Drug and alcohol testing resources
Resources required to conduct drug and alcohol testing can include aspects such as the time of staff to oversee testing and of course the time for employees and others in your workplace to be tested.
When it comes to staff, if you use Integrity Sampling our technicians look after the entire testing process, so there will be minimal requirements. However, if you choose a cost-effective option that includes conducting your own testing, staffing requirements may increase.
The time it takes for employees to be tested can’t be discounted, however, it’s not significant. Most workplaces understand the importance of spending time and resources conducting safety training, pre-shift meetings and other safety initiatives. Conducting workplace drug and alcohol testing is simply another important safety activity in your workplace.
The cost of not conducting drug and alcohol testing
You shouldn’t consider the costs of conducting drug and alcohol testing in your business without also factoring in the potential costs of not undertaking testing. It could be significant.
Accidents caused by employees under the influence of drugs or alcohol can have devastating implications. For example:
- Drug-related workplace accidents cost around $1.3 billion annually in Australia, with employers bearing approximately half of this cost.
- Alcohol and drug misuse results in $2.9 billion annually in lost productivity and absenteeism.
- In Victoria alone, alcohol and drugs are a factor in about 6% of work-related fatalities.
What’s the potential cost to your business? It’s obviously difficult to estimate but it could be immense, particularly if an accident results in serious injury or death. It’s not just potential fines, compensation, legal and other financial costs that you need to consider. With tough laws in each state and territory in Australia, prison terms for managers and other leaders is also a possibility, particularly in cases where fatalities are involved.
When weighing the cost of implementing drug and alcohol testing, consider these factors. For most workplaces, investing in testing is a small price to pay compared to the potential costs of a workplace accident involving drugs or alcohol.
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For most workplaces, investing in drug and alcohol testing is a small price to pay compared to the potential costs of a workplace accident involving drugs or alcohol.
