Opinions - Amazon and Drug testing

[Sven99]

Near where I live is a big Amazon distribution warehouse. Its only been built fairly recently, and has been doing a lot of recruiting recently - and as a result I've had a few friends get offers of work through agencies there. The agency staff have advised however that the company practises mandatory drug testing for new employees.

Now call me cynical, but whats the particular need to drug test warehouse staff? I'm considering writing them a letter to advise them they won't be getting any of my business because of this policy.

[merlion497]

I would guess that since you are going to be operating heavy machinery, or be around it, IE forklifts, insurance dictates that you need to be drug free. i have seen alot of my jobs drugtest because of this, they just need to cover their asses. Imagine if you are working and some high as hell dude cripples you with a forklift. the company wants to be able to say they took all the required precautions to prevent drug users from working there. That amazon is not held liable for it. This is all speculation, just what i figure.

[Sven99]

Originally Posted by merlion497

I would guess that since you are going to be operating heavy machinery, or be around it, IE forklifts, insurance dictates that you need to be drug free. i have seen alot of my jobs drugtest because of this, they just need to cover their asses. Imagine if you are working and some high as hell dude cripples you with a forklift. the company wants to be able to say they took all the required precautions to prevent drug users from working there. That amazon is not held liable for it. This is all speculation, just what i figure.

That would make sense, if the test included a test for alcohol - the drug most likely to be used that would cause inebriation to the level that could be dangerous when operating machinery. However it doesn't. Since the majority of class A drugs are out of the system within a few days, its mostly going to catch pot-smokers - even if they only toke once a month, it'll still be in their system.

[merlion497]

Haha, you are correct. I never thought about the fact that alcohol wasn't part of those tests. Funny picturing someone stumbling into the office, passing a piss test, then stumbling back home with a new job having passed, ready to drnk more in celebration.