Manufacturers that conduct workplace drug and alcohol testing must be careful when addressing drug test results and employee disclosures of prescription medication use, especially as drug use has surged across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a Quest Diagnostics study, the manufacturing industry’s drug positivity rate has increased steadily each year from 2016 through 2020. Other studies, including a report by the American Medical Association, documented the increase in drug use and overdose deaths during the pandemic.

Employees in manufacturing often operate or control high-tech, safety sensitive equipment or work in potentially dangerous areas. Manufacturing employers correctly are concerned about ensuring safety in the workplace and preventing accidents. Manufacturers must be careful when addressing drug test results and employee disclosures of prescription medication use.

Testing and Prescription Medication

Drug tests conducted by manufacturers typically test for amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, opioids, and phencyclidine, among others. While a few of these drugs are illegal, some of these categories may include legal prescription drug use. For example, a positive opioid drug test result could be caused by heroin use or by prescription opioid use.

To help them determine whether a positive test is due to legal or illegal drug use, employers routinely use medical review officers (physicians with expertise in analyzing drug test results who are...

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