Finnish guidelines for workplace drug testing

Lillsunde, Pirjo; Haavanlammi, Katariina; Partinen, Ritva; Mukala, Kristiina; Lamberg, Matti

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2007.03.006

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The samples are most commonly tested for amphetamines, cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates and sometimes benzodiazepines and alcohol [12-14]. The finding of a drug or drug metabolite in urine will not indicate drug impairment at the time of sampling; it merely indicates that the drug has been used within a time period of several days or more prior to sampling, including use that does not directly affect working safety or productivity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of alcohol and drugs by Norwegian employees: a pilot study using questionnaires and analysis of oral fluid

Gjerde

Christophersen

Moan³

et al. 2010

J Occup Med Toxicol

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BackgroundThe use of alcohol and drugs may affect workplace safety and productivity. Little is known about the magnitude of this problem in Norway.MethodsEmployee recruitment methods with or without individual follow-up were compared. The employees filled in a questionnaire and provided a sample of oral fluid. Samples were analysed for alcohol, ethyl glucuronide (EtG; a biological marker of recent large alcohol intake), psychoactive medicinal drugs and illegal drugs.ResultsParticipation rates with and without individual follow-up were 96% and 68%, respectively. Alcohol was negative (≤0.1 mg/ml) in all samples, but 21.0% reported the intake of alcohol during the last 24 h. EtG was positive (>2.2 ng/ml) in 2.1% of the samples. In-efficiency or hangover at work during the past year was reported by 24.3%, while 6.2% had been absent from work due to the use of alcohol. The combination of self-report and analytical testing indicated that medicinal or illegal drugs had been used during the last 48 h by 5.1% and 1.7% of the participants, respectively; while only 4.2% and 0.4% admitted the use in the questionnaire.ConclusionsSelf-reported data suggest that hangover after drinking alcohol appears to be the largest substance abuse problem at Norwegian workplaces, resulting in absence and inefficiency at work. Analysis of oral fluid revealed that the use of illegal drugs was more common than drinking alcohol before working or at the workplace. The analysis of oral fluid may be a valuable tool in obtaining additional information on alcohol and drug use compared to using questionnaires alone.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of alcohol and drugs by Norwegian employees: a pilot study using questionnaires and analysis of oral fluid

Gjerde

Christophersen

Moan³

et al. 2010

J Occup Med Toxicol

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“…In some European countries, WDT is not as developed as in the USA, since the relevant legislation has started to be introduced some 10 or 15 years later and because only in a few countries the matter has been approached with firmness and resolution . Different EU member states have confronted the problem in different ways: Finland for instance, one of the first countries to legislate on this matter, has laid down a comprehensive set of regulations on consent, laboratory requirements and results of the analytical tests . At present days, conversely, most European countries have not got a legislation on this issue yet.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[9] Different EU member states have confronted the problem in different ways: Finland for instance, one of the first countries to legislate on this matter, has laid down a comprehensive set of regulations on consent, laboratory requirements and results of the analytical tests. [10] At present days, conversely, most European countries have not got a legislation on this issue yet. In some of them, such as the UK or Norway, neither are there laws mandating the testing nor prohibiting it: laboratories performing WDT have therefore co-operated in producing a few guidelines for a legally defensible WDT in urine samples.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Workplace drug testing in Italy – critical considerations

Vignali

Stramesi

Morini

et al. 2013

Drug Testing and Analysis

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Workplace drug testing (WDT) was established in Italy on 30 October 2007. Two tiers of survey are required: the first tier concerns drug testing on urine samples, the second involves both urine and hair analysis. Between July 2008 and December 2011, 10 598 workers' urine samples and 72 hair samples for opiates, cocaine, cannabinoids, amphetamines, methylenedioxyamphetamines, methadone, and buprenorphine were tested in our laboratory. Urine analyses were performed by immunological screening (EMIT); hair analysis and confirmation tests in urine were performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Employees tested positive in urine for drugs of abuse numbered 2.8% in 2008, 2.03% in 2009, 1.62% in 2010, and 1.43% in 2011. As regards the second level of analysis, we observed that only one-third of the workers who had been tested positive for drugs of abuse were referred to an Addiction Treatment Unit in order to verify drug addiction. Our experience shows that, four years after approval of the law on WDT, the percentage of workers positive for drugs of abuse in urine has reduced in comparison to the first year. Moreover, our data show that most of the times employees who tested positive are tardily referred or not referred at all to a Public Addiction Treatment Unit to verify drug addiction. This makes us believe that the legal provisions are widely disregarded not paying the right tribute to the fact that Italy is one of few European countries with legislation on WDT.

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“…Warto podkreślić, że warunkiem uzyskania miarodajnych oznaczeń WDT w próbkach biologicznych jest posiadanie przez laboratorium akredytacji w tym zakresie [2].…”

Section: Wstępunclassified

Chemical analysis of wastewater as a new way of monitoring drugs and medicines consumption at workplace

Wiergowski¹,

Sołtyszewski²,

Anand³

2015

Med Pr

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StreszczenieInformacje, które można uzyskać na temat jakości i częstości stosowanych przez pracowników nielegalnych substancji psychoaktywnych lub leków używanych niezgodnie z ich przeznaczeniem, są najczęściej nieaktualne już w chwili ich opublikowania. Wynika to z intensywnego wprowadzania na czarny rynek nowych, syntetycznych narkotyków, zmiany trendów w rekreacyjnym stosowaniu leków oraz braku łatwo dostępnych i pewnych testów służących do ich szybkiej identyfikacji. Strategia wykrywania stosowania narkotyków i pozamedycznego stosowania psychoaktywnych leków w miejscu pracy powinna uwzględniać wszystkie możliwe źródła informacji. Do klasycznych źródeł informacji opisujących stosowanie substancji psychoaktywnych w miejscu pracy należą: dane statystyczne (ogólne informacje na temat trendów i wielkości zjawiska narkomanii i lekomanii gromadzone m.in. przez Komendę Główną Policji, Krajowe Biuro Do Spraw Przeciwdziałania Narkomanii oraz jednostki ratownictwa medycznego), badania ankietowe, testy psychomotoryczne oraz analizy jakościowe i ilościowe materiału biologicznego. Do nowych i obiecujących metod stosowanych w ostatnich latach na świecie należy analiza chemiczno-toksykologiczna wód powierzchniowych i ścieków. Zwiększenie zainteresowania wielu instytucji państwowych i naukowców badaniem ścieków komunalnych może w istotny sposób uzupełniać wiedzę o zjawisku narkomanii i lekomanii uzyskiwaną klasycznymi metodami. Wydaje się, że takie badanie może mieć istotne znaczenie w bieżącym monitorowaniu używania substancji psychoaktywnych i/lub leków przez wybrane subpopulacje ludzi (np. studentów, wojskowych, strażaków, policjantów itd.). Med. Pr. 2015;66(6):837-847 Słowa kluczowe: substancje psychoaktywne, używanie narkotyków, badanie w miejscu pracy, analiza ścieków, nadużywanie leków, analiza materiału biologicznego AbstractThe available information on the quality and frequency of illegal psychoactive substances used or medicines misused by workers, are often out of date at the time of its publication. This is due to the dynamic introduction of new synthetic drugs on the black market, changes in trends in the recreational use of medicines and the lack of readily available and reliable tests for fast identification. Strategy for detection of narcotic and non-medical psychoactive drugs use at workplace should embrace all possible sources of information. Classical sources of information on the use of psychoactive substances at the workplace include: statistical data (general information on trends and magnitude of drug and medicine addiction collected by the Polish National Police, the National Bureau for Drug Prevention and emergency medical services), surveys, psychomotor tests and qualitative and quantitative analyses of biological material. Of the new and promising methods, used throughout the world in recent years, chemical-toxicological analysis of surface water and wastewater deserve special mention. An increasing interest in the study of urban waste water can significantly complement the source of knowledge a...

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Finnish guidelines for workplace drug testing

Cited by 9 publications

References 4 publications

Use of alcohol and drugs by Norwegian employees: a pilot study using questionnaires and analysis of oral fluid

Use of alcohol and drugs by Norwegian employees: a pilot study using questionnaires and analysis of oral fluid

Workplace drug testing in Italy – critical considerations

Chemical analysis of wastewater as a new way of monitoring drugs and medicines consumption at workplace

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