Employers have been administering drug tests with increasing frequency in the last 20 years or so, for a number of reasons. These include safety, trustworthiness with sensitive information, and health/ insurance costs. Some privacy advocates have protested these policies, especially when they occur randomly rather than due to reasonable suspicion, but employers have found the benefits to be substantial.

Rather than send potential employees (or employees chosen for random testing) to a clinical laboratory, some employers have begun performing their own on-site drug testing. Benefits of on-site drug testing include cost, convenience and accuracy.

The most commonly used method in on-site drug testing is the oral swab. Employers like this method because it costs only about $1.00 for each test. This is a huge amount of savings compared to urine or other lab tests. Additionally, obtaining a sample for testing via oral testing is significantly less embarrassing for employees than obtaining a urine sample. Oral testing is also fast. Instead of waiting 24 to 48 hours for results, an on-site drug test of this kind produces results in only about ten minutes. With an accuracy rate of about 98%, many employers are turning to this quick and cost-effective way to screen their staff.

Other employers prefer the continued use of urine samples. One product used for on-site urine testing is a urine dipstick. By collecting the urine sample in the provided cup, a human resources officer can test the urine for the presence of drugs for up to eight hours. These specially designed cups keep the urine at room temperature for several hours, ensuring a fresh sample.

Cost and convenience are also reasons for on-site drug testing. This may be especially important to small businesses with limited resources. By eliminating potential drug abusers and saving on costs from testing, employers are finding on-site drug testing to be a pleasant alternative to traditional means.