Do Security Guards Get Drug Tested?

Last year, in the UK alone it was reported that around 3.2 million people between the ages of 16 and 59 have taken drugs. Because of this, drug testing at jobs has become a lot more popular around the world. But are security jobs included in that list? And do security guards get drug tested? We’ll be discussing this and more such as the different types of drug testing and whether security guards should get drug tested.

What Is Drug Testing?

Drug testing is when employees have been asked by their employer to take a test, to see if there are any drugs in their system. These tests only happen if an employee is aware that their company has a drug testing policy. And if they have agreed to it beforehand. Drug tests normally take place on random days and at random times. This is to prevent predictability in the testing process.

Why Do Companies Do Drug Testing?

There are many reasons why companies may do drug testing. Some of them are:

• Health and safety reasons, as companies will often want to ensure the safety of their staff members.
• Drug tests can help to protect a company or a business. If an employee is found taking drugs at work or is under the influence of illegal drugs, this could ruin a company’s reputation.
• Drug tests may happen because of a job area that an employee is in such as people who work with vehicles, heavy machinery, or in safety-critical areas.
• Or a company may do drug tests just to see if any workers are taking illegal drugs.

What Are The Different Types Of Drug Tests?

There are three main types of drug testing which are used throughout jobs. These are:

•  Pre-employment testing, which is when employers will test potential employees or applicants before them being employed.
• Post-incident is when drug testing happens after a safety risk incident has occurred within the workplace and employers suspect that drugs could be involved.
• Random drug testing, which is when drug tests take place randomly. For random drug testing, companies will typically pick a day when people won’t be expecting it.

Do Security Guards Get Drug Tested?

Security guards may have to take drug tests but this would depend on many things such as the country’s laws around drug testing and what the security companies’ own rules are about drug testing.

In the UK, drug testing is allowed in certain circumstances. For example, when companies feel their employees’ safety may be at risk. According to the government, workers in the UK are allowed to refuse drug tests but may have to face disciplinary action by companies. It is unclear, whether security guards in the UK must get drug tested but it would depend on the security companies themselves; and what their own regulations are about drug testing.

In California when applying for a guard card, security guards don’t have to take drug tests. However, in the USA security guards may have to take random drug tests when they are hired.

In places like Turkey, people who work as security personnel might have to do drug tests. As they work in a safety-critical area.

What Kind Of Drug Tests Do Security Guards Take?

Security guards may be expected to take drug tests before they are hired by a company and whilst they are working for a business. Some of the drug tests that guards may take are:

• Urine drug tests.
• Oral saliva drug tests.
• Alcohol breath drug testts.
• Blood testing drug tests.

Do Security Jobs Get Drug Tests?

As well as security guards, there are many other jobs within the security and protection industry that will contain possible drug tests. These are:

• Door supervisors.
• CCTV operators.
• Police officers.
• Store detectives.

How Often Do Security Guards Get Drug Tested?

A common question asked by security personnel about drug testing is how often they will be expected to take drug tests. And honestly, there is no exact answer to this question as most job drug tests will be random and could happen at any time.

Some security guards have only had one drug test per year, while others may experience multiple drug tests throughout the year. It is will normally be up to the security company that has hired the guards to decide how often drug tests happen.

Why Might Security Guards Need Drug Testing?

Health and safety could be a big reason why security guards would be asked to take a drug test. This is because the main role of a security guard is to protect people. Companies would want to be absolutely certain that their guards can do this effectively and that they aren’t under the influence of drugs. The job area that security guards are in can also play a factor in why security guards might have to be drug tested; as security guards work in a safety-critical area.

Should Security Guards Take Drug Tests?

There is a common debate about whether security guards should be drug tested or not. Some people believe taking drug tests at work is an invasion of privacy – while others believe that drug tests promote safety within the workplace.

Drugs can often influence others and cause them to act recklessly. Because security personnel work closely with health and safety regulations and are sometimes hired to protect people, it is extremely important that guards are in a clear mind and aren’t under the influence of any drugs or alcohol. This is why many security firms believe that guards should take regular drug tests as a safe precaution to ensure that their staff are in good health and that their actions aren’t influenced by any bad substances.

So, Do Security Guards Get Drug Tests?

Overall, yes, some security guards will have to take drug tests. But this will often depend on the area of the world that a guard is working in, and it will also depend on the guidelines of the security firm that has hired them.

If you would like to hear more of the latest security guard news – why not head over to our blog? Where you can find articles about static security guards and whether security guards should be in schools.

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