About Alcohol Testing: Why Test For Alcohol?

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Why do numerous American employers test for alcohol? here is increasing pressure being exerted on drunk driving legislators by organizations such as MADD.

In addition, there is more confirmation that most, if not all, alcohol-related highway fatalities can be prevented.

Not only this but increasing amounts of proof have been documented that conditions such as fetal alcohol syndrome are preventable.

In a similar manner, an increasing number of college, junior high, and high school administrators are stepping up their efforts to eliminate or significantly reduce student alcohol abuse.

And finally, there are increasing efforts to reduce very preventable alcohol-related accidents and injuries in the workplace.

As a result of all of these factors, it is apparent that alcohol testing and alcohol tests will clearly become even more widely used and implemented in the near future by various organizations and institutions and that workplace alcohol testing will increase and become even more sophisticated.

The bottom line: employers test for alcohol to save money, to provide a more productive and safer work environment, and to upgrade their workforce. And since alcohol testing is actually part of "drug testing," it would appear that drug and alcohol testing will expand in the U.S. workplace.

A Growing Demand for Alcohol Tests

Statistics reveal that for U.S. employers, alcohol abuse accounts for approximately 67% of total number of substance abuse complaints.

Not only this but in the United States, the use or abuse of alcohol is associated with half the automobile fatalities and almost half of all industrial accidents.

As a result of these and many more reasons, there is a growing demand for more effective alcohol detection and alcohol tests in this country.

To drive the point home more forcefully, an ever increasing number of companies, organizations, agencies, and institutions, educational and otherwise, are employing alcoholism screening tests and random alcohol tests as part of their workplace alcohol testing program or alcohol testing policy.

And because of increasing pressure on drunk driving legislators by organizations such as MADD to make the penalties more unforgiving for DUI violations and increased alcohol-related traffic fatalities and accidents, alcohol testing will surely become more entrenched and utilized in the foreseeable future.

image: female ad for alcohol and drug rehab

Workplace Alcohol Testing: Why Employers Test for Alcohol

Alcohol and drug abuse costs companies a lot of money because of damaged equipment, theft, reduced productivity, high employee turnover, workers' compensation claims due to alcohol or drug-related accidents and injuries, and employee absenteeism.

image: doctor explaining drug and alcohol tests to parents of alcoholic teenager Drug and alcohol tests can be a screening aid during the pre-employment process and an effective way to check for alcohol and drug abuse by the existing employees.

Implementing a successful drug and alcohol testing policy and procedure will hopefully reduce all of the alcohol and drug-related issues and problems listed above and will also create a safer, more productive work environment.

One way that employers can upgrade their workforce is by conducting pre-employment drug and alcohol tests and random drug and alcohol tests at different times for all employees.

It is no guarantee, but by screening prospective employees for drug and alcohol abuse and by testing all of the current employees, workplace alcohol testing can go a long way in creating a drug and alcohol-free work environment.

image: nurse talking to alcoholic about her alcohol test Another reason why many employers implement drug and alcohol testing is to take advantage of the discounts offered by workers' compensation.

More precisely, if workers' compensation discovers that alcohol or drugs were contributing factors in an on-the-premises accident or injury, the employer's premiums will be reduced.

Are drug and alcohol testing programs affordable? According to drug and alcohol testing experts, a company with 100 employees will probably be able to pay for a workplace alcohol testing and/or drug testing program for less than $1,000.00 per year.

The savings to employers comes from significantly reducing all of the drug and alcohol-related costs outlined above and also in employing more dependable, more productive employees who exhibit less turnover.

A final reason why employers perform drug and alcohol testing is to conform to state and federal laws that require drug and alcohol testing in jobs where safety is critical (for instance in the transportation industry) and in occupations where public trust is a requirement (for example in the banking and financial industry).

The Five Kinds of Alcohol Tests

There are basically five different types of alcohol tests that are available for workplace alcohol testing protocols: saliva alcohol tests, alcohol breathalyzer tests (also called alcohol breath tests and breath alcohol tests), alcohol blood tests (also called blood alcohol tests), urine alcohol tests, and hair alcohol tests.

It can be noted that hair alcohol testing is relatively recent. More specifically, until 2008, hair tests could not detect alcohol and were consequently used to test for drugs other than alcohol.

One half of all traffic fatalities and one-third of all traffic injuries are related to the abuse of alcohol. Accidents and suicides that are associated with alcohol problems are especially prominent in teenagers.

The Fundamental Characteristics of Urine Alcohol Tests

Urine Alcohol Tests have the following characteristics:

They are considered an intrusive method of testing.
They can be affected by abstaining from drinking for a period of time before the test.
They detect alcohol ingestion mainly within the past week, or longer with regular drinking.
They are often temperature tested to assure sample integrity.
They are the least expensive of the alcohol testing methods.
They indicate the presence of alcohol in a person's system, but it takes up to 2 hours for the alcohol to show up in urine.
They can be used at home, for instance, by parents, though lab verification is required for accurate results.

The overriding plan of action when experiencing a possible alcohol overdose situation is this: Do not take chances when someone's life is at stake. If you suspect that a person has alcohol poisoning or is overdosing on alcohol, get immediate medical assistance, even if the person is underage.

Urine Alcohol Tests Pros

They provide the most flexibility in testing different drugs, including alcohol and nicotine.
They have a high assurance of reliable results.
They are relatively inexpensive.
They are the most likely of all drug-testing methods to withstand legal challenge.

Urine Alcohol Tests Cons

The specimen can be adulterated, substituted, or diluted.
They indicate the presence of alcohol in a person's system, but it takes up to 2 hours for the alcohol to show up in urine. A positive urine test does not necessarily mean the individual was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the test. Rather, it detects and measures the use of alcohol within the previous day or so.
They have a limited window of detection (typically 1 to 5 days).
They are considered as invasive or embarrassing form of testing.
They present a biological hazard when the specimens are handled and shipped to the lab.

Today, substance abuse is the number one debilitating force among Alaska Natives. More specifically, the suicide rate for Alaska Natives is four times more than the national average and almost 80% of all Alaska Native deaths are related to alcoholism or to alcohol abuse.

Blood Alcohol Tests

Blood alcohol tests measure the amount of alcohol that is in the blood at the time a blood sample is drawn. One drawback of a blood alcohol tests is that they do not show how long an individual has been drinking.

Another shortcoming of alcohol blood tests is that they do not necessarily reveal whether or not the individual has a drinking problem.

Since more than few medications and prescriptions can modify the alcohol blood test results, individuals undergoing a blood alcohol test need to inform the physician, lab, or test administrator about all the prescription and nonprescription medications they are taking.

Moreover, if an individual is presently taking a blood-thinner or has bleeding or clotting problems, he or she needs to inform the agency or test administrator of these issues before a blood sample is drawn.

Alcohol blood tests (also known as blood alcohol tests) have the following characteristics:

Alcohol blood tests are the most intrusive method currently in use for testing a person's blood alcohol content.
Blood alcohol testing is one of the most expensive methods for testing an individual's blood alcohol content.
Alcohol blood tests are one of the most accurate methods for testing an individual's blood alcohol content.
Due primarily to their intrusiveness and high costs, alcohol blood tests are usually the least common method used for testing a person's blood alcohol content.

One study of Midwestern States found that 46 percent of ninth graders who reported drinking alcohol in the previous month said they obtained the alcohol from a person aged 21 or older.

Saliva Alcohol Tests

Saliva alcohol tests detect the presence of alcohol in the saliva, and are a relatively good approximation of blood alcohol content (BAC), also known as blood alcohol level.

Due to the fact that the concentration of alcohol in saliva is very likely to be similar to the BAC that is in the blood, saliva is the preferred alcohol testing method when compared with blood alcohol testing.

Alcohol detoxification is the process of letting the body rid itself of alcohol while managing the withdrawal symptoms in a safe environment. This form of treatment is typically done under the supervision of a medical practitioner and is frequently the first step in an alcoholic treatment program.

Saliva Tests have the following characteristics:

They are slightly more expensive than urine testing, but less than hair or blood testing.
They are a relatively non-intrusive method of drug testing.
They are becoming more common compared to the other methods of testing.
They are easy to administer but require lab processing for accuracy.
They detect use primarily within the past day or so.

During the third stage of alcohol dependency, the drinker starts to experience serious relationship, work-related, and financial problems. Additionally, he or she starts to avoid friends and family and experiences a loss of interest in things that used to
be important.

They can detect more recent drug use than other testing methods.
They have no nationally accepted cutoff concentrations or standards for detection. This makes the results more dependent on the specific product employed and could make results less-reliable and/or acceptable for legal considerations.
They are more reliable for the detection of methamphetamine and opiates and less reliable for THC or cannabinoids.

Heavy drinking can increase the risk for certain cancers, especially those of the throat, voice box (larynx), liver, and esophagus. Excessive drinking can also cause immune system problems, brain damage, harm to the fetus during pregnancy, and cirrhosis of the liver.

Saliva Drug Tests Pros

They provide samples that are acquired under direct observation.
They present a minimal risk of tampering.
They spare patients the discomfort of repeated vein punctures.
They are non-invasive.
They present no risk of infection, thrombosis, or anemia.
They present lower total testing costs since no special staff training is required for collection.
They provide for samples that can be collected easily in almost any environment.
They can detect alcohol use.
They reflect recent drug use.
They provide a relatively short window of detection, approximately 10 to 24 hours.

Saliva Drug Tests Cons

They present some detection limitation since drugs and drug metabolites do not remain in the saliva as long as they do in the urine.
They are less efficient than other testing methods in detecting marijuana use.

Hangovers are another effect that occurs after large amounts of alcohol are consumed. Symptoms including headache, nausea, thirst, dizziness, and fatigue.

Breathalyzer Tests: The Breath Alcohol Test

Breath alcohol tests such as breathalyzer tests have the following characteristics:

They do not directly measure blood alcohol concentration or content.
They estimate blood alcohol concentration or content indirectly by measuring the amount of alcohol in one's breath.
They not only detect the ethyl alcohol found in alcohol beverages, but also in other substances that have a similar molecular structure.
They can result in false BAC readings caused from electrical interference, tobacco smoke, moisture, dirt, police radios, and cell phones. They can also result in false BAC readings from compounds or materials found in cleaning fluids, lacquers, gasoline, celluloid, and paint removers.
They can lead to false BAC results from alcohol present in the individual's mouth, vomit, or blood.
They can result in false BAC readings due to an individual's breathing rate caused by hyperventilation, a person holding his or her breath, or from vigorous exercise.
They can result in false BAC readings if law enforcement personnel use the breathalyzers incorrectly or fail to properly maintain and re-calibrate the units when necessary.

“Eye-openers” are common during the third stage of alcoholism. That is, drinks that are taken whenever the person awakens. Eye-openers are normally taken to lessen a hangover, calm the nerves, or to quiet their feelings of remorse the drinker experiences after a period of time without a drink.

Hair Alcohol Testing

As the hair grows, it absorbs special markers called fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) and ethyl glucuronide (EtG). The FAEE and EtG markers stay in the hair for an indefinite period of time as long as the individual doesn’t cut his or her hair or shave his or her head.

Since EtG and FAEE markers are only produced when there is alcohol in the person's bloodstream, the higher the number of markers, the more alcohol the person has ingested.

image: male ad for alcohol and drug therapy

Wide-ranging scientific investigations on FAEE and EtG tests have enabled researchers to generate a consistent base line for EtGs and FAEEs pertaining to the drinking behaviors of diverse groups of individuals such as social drinkers, non-drinkers, and heavy drinkers.

image: doctor writing alcohol test results in alcoholic's chart Due to the fact that the concentration of blood to the body hair is unsuccessful in eliciting reliable results, only scalp hair leads to an accurate alcohol evaluation when employing hair alcohol testing.

Even though perms, hair dye, bleach, and other common hair processes cannot modify the results of the test, it should be highlighted that the hair test will not work if the individual shaves his or her head or has extremely short hair (less than ½”).

One of the primary benefits of hair alcohol testing is that it is non-invasive and can provide an accurate "window" of alcohol ingestion that goes back in time quite a few months, if not years.

Hair Alcohol Tests have the following characteristics:

They provide accurate results for social drinkers, heavy drinkers, and non-drinkers.
Alcohol hair tests detect alcohol use over a longer period of time than any other type of alcohol testing method (for example, hair alcohol tests can provide precise test results going back several months or years).
No adulterants have been found that can defeat alcohol hair test results. Not only this, but the risk is minimized since every collection is easily observed.
They are virtually a non-intrusive method of alcohol testing.
Alcohol hair testing reduces the need for recurring random alcohol testing.
Hair alcohol tests currently costs many times more than urine tests.
They require a sample of hair roughly 1.5 inches long and approximately the diameter of a pencil.
Until the past year or so, due to the fact that they could not detect alcohol, alcohol hair tests were employed almost entirely for the detection of drugs other than alcohol.
Hair alcohol tests can accurately detect drugs, alcohol, and combinations of both.

To make the argument for alcohol abstention and pregnancy even stronger, according to recent studies, women who continue to drink even small amounts of alcohol while trying to become pregnant, may reduce their chances of conceiving.

Alcohol Hair Tests Pros

They offer relatively great stability (that is, they do not deteriorate).
Hair alcohol tests offer a collection procedure that is not invasive or embarrassing.
They are almost impossible to adulterate.
Hair tests detect the combined use of alcohol and other drugs.
They provide accurate results for non-drinkers, social drinkers, and heavy drinkers.
Hair alcohol tests are a non-intrusive form of alcohol testing.
They provide convenient shipping and storage, since they do not require refrigeration.
Hair alcohol tests have a relatively long window of detection (for example, hair tests for alcohol can provide accurate test results pertaining to alcohol use going back many months or years).

Currently, nearly 14 million Americans, 1 in every 13 adults-abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Several million more adults engage in risky drinking patterns that could lead to alcoholism.

Alcohol Hair Tests Cons

No matter how long the hair is, hair alcohol tests cannot be performed on a single hair.
They are so recent that many, if not the vast majority of U.S. employers are unaware of their availability.
Hair tests for alcohol will not work on body hair and therefore only work with scalp hair.
They will not work if the person shaves his or her head.
Hair alcohol tests will not work on hair that is less than 1/2" to 1" long.
Hair tests for alcohol are relatively expensive.

A study of fifth and sixth-grade students found that those who demonstrated an awareness of beer ads also held more favorable beliefs about drinking and intended to drink more frequently when they grew up.

Alcoholism Videos

image: 2 females discussing their alcoholic boyfriends We have included some alcoholism videos so that you can see and hear directly from various people about their struggles with this disease.

If you, a family member, or one of your friends has a "drinking problem," seeing what others have gone through and how they attained successful recovery is much more "real" than any information you can read about.

Furthermore, watching these videos may help you understand what others with a drinking problem are experiencing. And from a different perspective, after watching these videos, you may better understand why alcohol tests are increasing and why workplace alcohol testing has become a reality for many U.S. employers. So make sure you look at these excellent videos!

An alcoholic will negatively impact the lives of 4 or 5 other Americans (such as associates, family, and friends) while under the influence of alcohol.

Conclusion: About Alcohol Testing - Why Test For Alcohol?

Why do so many U.S. employers test for alcohol? With increasing efforts to reduce preventable alcohol-related injuries and accidents in the workplace; with more evidence that most, if not all, alcohol-related highway fatalities can be prevented; with an increasing number of junior high, high school, and college administrators cracking down harder on student alcohol abuse; with increasing pressure being exerted on drunk driving legislators by organizations such as MADD to make the penalties more harsh for DUI violations; and with more confirmation that medical conditions such as fetal alcohol syndrome are preventable, alcohol tests will certainly increase in number and in scope in the near future.

Indeed, increasing numbers of companies and organizations are implementing random alcohol testing and alcoholism screening tests as part of their workplace alcohol testing policies and procedures.

It would not be surprising, moreover, to see alcohol testing policies and protocols extended to academic, social, and political settings.

Why do organizations and companies test for alcohol? Why is workplace alcohol testing increasing? Why will alcohol tests continue and even increase in the near future?

There are three main reasons why workplace alcohol testing exists and why employers test for alcohol: to upgrade their workforce, to provide a safer, more productive work environment, and to save money.

In short, alcohol tests affect the bottom line, and when employers can efficiently increase their economic viability in a cost-effective manner, they will.

Due to the fact that there are currently only five real options employers have when considering the type of alcohol testing program they will implement, it should come as no surprise if scientists develop a more tamper-proof, more sophisticated, and a more accurate alcohol test or series of tests in the near future.

Not only this, but because alcohol testing falls under the "drug testing umbrella, it is safe to say that drug and alcohol testing will continue and probably increase in U.S. corporations, organizations, and institutions.

The five types of alcohol tests currently used by U.S. employers are: saliva alcohol tests, breath alcohol tests (also called alcohol breathalyzer tests and alcohol breath tests), hair alcohol tests, alcohol blood tests (also called blood alcohol tests), and urine alcohol tests.

About 43% of U.S. adults -- 76 million people -- have been exposed to alcoholism in the family -- they grew up with or married an alcoholic or a problem drinker or had a blood relative who was an alcoholic or problem drinker.

image: male ad for alcohol and drug rehab

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It is truly sad that the "fun" and the "buzz" that many people experience when drinking frequently motivates them to drink more each time they drink and to drink more often. At some point, the line between alcohol abuse and alcoholism gets blurred as the person gradually becomes more reliant on alcohol until he or she simply needs to drink in order to function. Similar to silent killers such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, however, realizing the damaging consequences of alcoholism may come too little, too late.

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