On Sept. 15, 1986, Pres. Reagan established the goal of a Drug-Free Fed. Workplace. The Exec. Order required the head of each Fed. agency to establish a program to test for the use of illegal drugs by Fed. employees in sensitive positions and required the Sec. of Health and Human Services (HHS) to promulgate scientific and technical guidelines for drug testing programs. It also required HHS to assist in the development and improvement of training programs on illegal drug use and to mount an intensive drug awareness campaign throughout the Fed. workforce. This handbook provides guidance to collectors who will be collecting urine specimens in accordance with the Mandatory Guidelines for Fed. Workplace Drug Testing Programs.

This comprehensive text provides clear explanations of the effects of drugs on human performance and the need for workplace drug testing. It provides essential information on the regulatory and legal frameworks around the world, how to set policies and coverage of all aspects of drug analysis and the associated interpretation of results.Contents include:* epidemiology of drug use in the working population* the evidence base and guidelines for workplace drug testing* legal, regulatory aspects and policies for drugs and alcohol* urine and alternative sample collection process* analytical techniques and specimen adulteration.Case studies of successful programmes are also included to illustrate the principles discussed.Written by internationally acknowledged experts this informative book will be essential reading for anyone interested in workplace drug testing or setting up such a system including clinical and forensic toxicologists, occupational health physicians, nurses, human resources, drug counselling and treatment providers, analytical chemists and lawyers.Alain Verstraete is Professor at the Department of Clinical Chemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium and Department Head of the Toxicology Laboratory of the Laboratory of Clinical Biology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.