Post-Accident Drug Test Tampering on the Rise

Drug test tampering is on the rise, increasing more than six times in 2023 compared to 2022. Additionally, the rate of positive post-accident drug tests in the general U.S. workforce has continued to rise. What can employers do to tackle this dual challenge?

Recent analysis from Quest Diagnostics shows that the percentage of employees in the general U.S. workforce whose drug tests showed signs of tampering increased by more than six times in 2023 compared to 2022. This is the highest rate ever in the drug testing company’s more than 30 years of annual reporting and is based on analyzing about 9.8 million workforce drug tests. 

Researchers also found that the increase in substituted urine specimens in the general workforce, a population of over 5.5 million, was 633% (0.015% in 2022 versus 0.11% in 2023). Also, according to Quest Diagnostics, invalid urine specimens in the general workforce increased by 45.2% (0.31% in 2022 versus 0.45% in 2023). A test result of a “substituted” or “invalid” for a specimen indicates it has been tampered with in an attempt to conceal drug use, Quest said. 

“The increased rate of both substituted and invalid specimens indicates that some American workers are going to great lengths to attempt to subvert the drug testing process,” said Suhash Harwani, Ph.D., Senior Director of Science for Workforce Health Solutions at Quest Diagnostics. “Given the growing acceptance and use of some drugs, particularly marijuana, it may be unsurprising that some people feel it necessary to try and cheat a drug test. It is possible that our society’s normalization of drug use is fostering environments in which some employees feel it is acceptable to use such drugs without truly understanding the impact they have on workplace safety.” 

The Data Also Shows an Increase in Post-Accident Drug Test Positivity

Quest Diagnostics also reported a 114.3% increase in post-accident positivity between 2015 and 2023 in the general U.S. workforce. Additionally, workers testing positive for marijuana use escalated in states that have legalized recreational marijuana as well as in professional office-based industries. 

The increase in positive post-accident drug tests (PADTs) aligns with Prescient National’s data: 

• 2020: 8% of PADTs were positive
• 2022: 9% of PADTs were positive
• YTD 2024: 12% of PADTs were positive

 “Cheating on drug tests not only undermines workplace safety but also jeopardizes the safety of society as a whole,” said Katie Mueller, a senior program manager at the National Safety Council focusing on cannabis safety, in the Quest Diagnostics report. “Companies, regulators, and policymakers must prioritize accountability for the well-being of all individuals in our communities; lives depend on it.”

Working to Ensure the Efficacy of PADTs

Employers must be aware that both drug test cheating and positive results are on the rise. They must have sound policies and procedures in place to ensure the efficacy of their drug-testing programs.

Prescient National works with employers to implement PADTs to better understand the cause of an accident, implement safety measures, reduce workplace injuries, and improve an organization’s loss history. We recommend 10-panel testing along with saliva-based swab drug testing. Ten-panel testing detects cocaine, amphetamines, opiates, PCP, marijuana, barbiturates, diazepines (e.g., valium), methadone, methaqualone, and propoxyphene. 

Unlike urine collection, which is often performed unobserved and can be potentially manipulated, saliva-based swab testing allows an employer to maintain chain of custody over the test sample and is less prone to tampering. Saliva-based testing can be conducted on-site following the workplace incident, is easy to use, and provides fast results. In addition, saliva tests are less expensive than many brick-and-mortar medical providers that conduct post-accident drug testing. Prescient National has partnered with a provider for employers to purchase saliva tests in bulk at a discount. 

It’s also crucial that the PADT be performed on a timely basis, within hours of the workplace accident, to maintain the efficacy and usability of the results for Workers’ Compensation cases. In many states, you must perform a PADT within a certain period (typically two to three hours after the accident) for the test to be admissible as part of the Workers’ Compensation claim. 

For assistance in enhancing your Post-Accident Drug Testing program or to purchase saliva-based drug tests, email us at info@prescientnational.com.