The Department of Transportation (DOT) has approved use of non-urine specimens for occupational drug testing. There are benefits and disadvantages to each specimen type.
Reasons for requesting drug testing:
(1) pre-employment
(2) random testing according to company policies
(3) return to duty
(4) follow-up (making sure the patient remains drug free after return to duty)
(5) reasonable suspicion (for cause)
(6) post-accident
|
Situation
|
Hair
|
Oral Fluid
|
Sweat
|
Urine
|
|
pre-employment
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
|
random testing
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
|
return to duty
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
|
follow-up
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
|
reasonable suspicion
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
|
post-accident
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
One consideration of the choice deals with the need to collect the specimen under direct observation (for reasonable suspicion, others). An alternative specimen may be desirable if:
(1) there is no person of the donor's gender available to observe the collection.
(2) a significant delay may occur before the urine specimen can be collected (transporting the person to a testing site, etc.).
If a problem occurred with a previous specimen (adulterated, substituted, invalid, etc.) then consider:
(1) urine specimen collection under direct observation
(2) hair testing, since this allows retrospective evidence of drug use while the hair has been growing
