HOW IT WORKS
FAQs
Drug & Alcohol
There are several variables that will determine how long a substance will remain detectable in an individual’s oral fluid sample but ultimately, it’s dependent on the substance ingested and the individual being tested.
Cheating a drug test is incredibly difficult, and it’s only getting harder as drug testing technology improves and becomes ever more sophisticated.
It takes approximately 5‒10 days from the time of drug use for the portion of the hair containing that drug to grow above the scalp.
Oral Fluid express testing provides a qualitative, preliminary result, however, a lab-based oral fluid test is required to obtain a quantitative, court-admissible test result.
Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, making it harder to think clearly and move with coordination. High levels of alcohol consumption can also have a negative impact on the heart (high BP, stroke, arrhythmia), liver (fibrosis, cirrhosis, steatosis), pancreas (pancreatitis) and the immune system making the body an easier target for diseases.
Fitness-to-Work
The SureHire Fitness-to-Work (FTW) program involves a series of medical and musculoskeletal assessments as well as critical strength and mobility stations. The program is based on the physical job demands of each unique job type (identified by your company in the Physical Demends Analysis
FTW assessments provide employers with a candidate’s medical, musculoskeltal, and critical strength and mobility status so they can safely place candidates within their workforce. SureHire provides employers with a recommendation to hire using a Level 1–5 assessment scale and is based on matching the candidate’s abilities to the physical demands of the job being applied for.
A Physical Demands Analysis (PDA) can be completed for each work position before employers implement Fitness-to-Work testing. If a PDA is completed, the testing parameters are based on the results of the PDA.
All candidates should consume a light snack 1 hour prior to FTW testing or consume a larger meal 3 hours prior to FTW testing.
Occupational Health
Audiometric
Noise is any unwanted sound that is measured on a decibel (dB) scale. Any loud noise exposure at work or during recreation can impact hearing health.
Noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time may start to damage your hearing. Loud noise above 120 dB can cause immediate harm to your ears. Here are the decibels of some familiar sounds:
- Whisper = 30 dB
- Hand Drill = 98 dB
- Jet Engine = 140 dB
How loud something sounds to you is not the same as the actual intensity of that sound. Sound intensity is the amount of sound energy in a confined space. It is measured in decibels (dB). The decibel scale is logarithmic, which means that loudness is not directly proportional to sound intensity. Instead, the intensity of a sound grows very fast. This means that a sound at 20 dB is 10 times more intense than a sound at 10 dB. Also, the intensity of a sound at 100 dB is one billion times more powerful compared to a sound at 10 dB. (CDC)
Lung Health
The most common airborne hazards that employers must monitor for (based on occupational health and safety laws) include:
- Asbestos
- Coal Dust
- Silica
Quantitative Respirator Fit Testing is considered the “gold standard” for fit testing. SureHire uses the OSHA, CSA, HSE and ANSI compliant Portacount Pro Respirator Fit Tester.
Qualitative Respirator Fit Testing relies on the worker’s sensory response to determine if there is a leak in the respirator seal.
Lead Health
If lead levels are high enough, even short-term exposure can result in serious health problems. However, because lead poisoning is often initially asymptomatic, it is often difficult to catch until after the damage to organs is done, which is why employee monitoring is so critical. Anemia, kidney and brain damage are all severe symptoms of exposure to excessively high levels of lead. It can also cross the placental barrier and damage a baby’s central nervous system. Additional symptoms of adult exposure can include:
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Loss of appetite
- Memory loss
- Pain or tingling in the hands and/or feet
- General weakness
The long-term effects of lead poisoning can be even more damaging. Lead is considered a carcinogen by both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other organizations. Long term exposure is also linked to high blood pressure (hypertension), heart disease, kidney disease, and reduced fertility. Additional risks associated with long term exposure to lead can include:
- Abdominal pain
- Constipation
- Depression
- Forgetfulness
- Irritability
- Nausea
Workers in the following industries are at the highest risk of occupational exposure to lead:
- metalwork;
- manufacturing;
- demolition;
- working with scrap metal;
- and working with batteries (manufacturing and recycling)
A number of other occupations also carry a high risk of lead exposure, including all of the following:
- artists, jewelers and potters
- battery or metal recycling workers
- chrome plating workers
- demolition & renovation workers
- electronic manufacturing workers
- foundry workers
- galvanizing or galvanized metal processing workers
- glass manufacturer & recycling workers
- lead abatement workers
- lead manufacturers, miners
- refiners & smelters
- painters that apply industrial coatings
- plastics manufacturing
- plumbers & pipefitters
- radiator & automotive repair technicians
- shooting range workers
- type press printing & stamp production workers
welders
Have a question we haven’t covered?
VIDEOS
Drug & Alcohol Testing FAQs – Erin Baird
In this series, SureHire subject matter expert, Erin Baird, answers some of our most frequently asked questions about drug & alcohol testing.
Drug & Alcohol Testing FAQs | Part two – Brittaney Down
FTW FAQs – Dean McDougall
Morgan Construction Interview
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