10-panel drug tests are the most complete and comprehensive drug test available for one simple reason: they screen for the widest range of frequently abused drugs making them the most cost-effective drug test for workplace safety, regulatory compliance, and employment drug screening. As an employer developing a drug-free workplace policy, or as an employee getting ready to undergo a pre-employment screening, it’s helpful to know how the test works and why it’s performed. This blog provides a straightforward and straightforward answer to all the important questions.
What is a 10-drug test and what drugs does it test?
A 10-panel drug test is a urine test that detects the presence of 10 different types of drugs. It is the most extensive standard drug test in a variety of commercial drug testing programs for employment, across all industries. The panels are specific to a drug class, providing employers with a more comprehensive and reliable picture of drug use that might not be captured by a more limited panel like a 5-panel.
Most Common Workplace Drug Test
- The 10 panels include marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetamine, opiates, phencyclidine, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, methadone and propoxyphene, the most commonly used drugs that are found in workplace drug use cases.
- Urine is the sample commonly used as it typically has a detection window of several days to weeks (depending on the substance and frequency of use).
- Negative screens are generally available in 24-72 hours and positive screens require further time for laboratory confirmation.
- The test is non-intrusive, accepted by most industries, and fulfills most of the Federal and State workplace drug testing requirements in place.
Why would companies opt for a 10-panel drug test over other types of drug testing?
The 10-panel test is the preferred option for employers because it provides the greatest breadth of coverage including all the relevant substances—in one simple test. In industries where there is a legal and moral obligation to prevent industrial accidents — such as the transportation industry, healthcare, construction, and manufacturing — a wider screening will help limit liability and demonstrate a commitment to employee safety and compliance with regulations.
Keeping workplaces safe and compliant
A 10 panel drug test helps prevent work related accidents because it screens for 10 drug classes prior to or during employment. Expanding screening helps minimize the likelihood of impairment-related incidents, keeps co-workers and the public safe, and helps ensure that a documented, compliant, drug-free workplace environment is maintained.
What are the general times a 10-panel drug test is usually required throughout the work search process?
Drug testing isn’t just for people who are getting a job offer. 10-panel tests are performed at various stages of an employee’s career; each test has a specific safety, legal or compliance justification that is not completely covered by a pre-employment screen.
Pre-Employment, Random, Post-Accident, and Reasonable Suspicion Testing
- Pre-employment testing is applied once a conditional job offer is given to ensure that the job-seeker will not be using drugs on the first day of work.
- Random drug testing is performed throughout employment on a random basis – it is an ongoing workplace accident prevention tool for safety-sensitive jobs.
- Testing may be required after a workplace incident to determine if there was a contributing role of substance use for what happened.
- The reasonable suspicion testing process begins when a supervisor observes behavior, appearance, or conduct that may be associated with workplace impairment during working hours.
What is the validity of 10-panel drug tests and how do positive test results get confirmed?
Employment drug screening is accurate but there are two phases of the process, and they are designed to be accurate. When an initial screen is conducted, preliminary information will be obtained, and if this is not negative, it will be passed to a certified lab for a confirmatory test prior to any action. In this two-step procedure, both the employer and the employee are safeguarded against a single unconfirmed result.
Screening Methods, Confirmatory Testing and Reliability
- Initial screening is performed with immunoassays and looks for the presence of drug metabolites in the urine sample above the regulatory standards-specified cutoff concentrations.
- If the result is positive, the result is automatically forwarded for confirmatory testing with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), the gold standard analytical technique used to determine the presence of specific substances with almost absolute certainty.
- Confirmed positive test results are reviewed by a Medical Review Officer who ensures that there is proper and appropriate recognition of legitimate prescription medications in the process.
- The probability of a false positive is very low when confirmatory testing is done, so that’s why it’s important to go through a CLIA-accredited laboratory for accurate and legally defensible results.
Choice DNA collaborates with CLIA-certified drug testing laboratories to deliver professional drug testing employment services with 10-panel drug testing, all performed under rigorous quality control requirements and with all results verified, accurate, and documented. In addition to drug testing, Choice DNA also provides urine drug testing services that have helped to resolve criminal investigations and court cases and now brings the same professional rigor to all testing scenarios. In the event that workplace safety and legal defensibility are both considered, then professional laboratory processing is the only acceptable standard.
Take the First Step to Safety: Book Your Drug Testing Today!
Conclusion
One of the best tools an employer can use to keep their workplace safe, compliant and productive is a 10-panel drug test. Its full spectrum of testing services makes it a top option for comprehensive workplace drug-free programs, ranging from pre-employment to post-accident testing. You can count on accurate results and a documented process that you can act on with professional, CLIA-accredited drug testing and DNA testing services from Choice DNA. Seek professional assistance; workplace safety decisions require laboratory-quality certainty for each result.
