Pubdate: Thu, 30 Jul 2015
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2015 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Author: Charles Hamilton
Page: 3

SPIKE IN FAILED DRUG TESTS MAY BE 'ANOMALY'

No surge seen in recent years

The company that tests thousands of workers in the mining industry has
not seen a spike in failed drug tests in recent years, and high
failure rates among people applying to work for one Saskatchewan
company could be "an anomaly," says a spokeswoman for the testing company.

According to Leonard Banga, owner of Xtreme Mining and Demolition,
over a 10-day period last month, 22 of 26 people who wanted a job with
his company

failed the drug test. Banga told The StarPhoenix he was frustrated
with what he sees as a growing problem among people seeking jobs in
the mining sector.

Judy Plotkin, a spokesperson for Well Point, which tests thousands of
potential mining employees every year - many of them in Saskatchewan -
said her company is not seeing anything similar to what is happening
with Xtreme Mining.

"We are not seeing an increase. Our data doesn't support that," she
said.

While Plotkin would not give specific numbers because of worries about
competition, she said her company works with 1,800 employers across
Canada, including mining companies in Saskatchewan. She said the
typical rate of failure among those required to take drug tests has
remained steady at around three per cent for years.

Cameco spokesman Rob Gereghty said similarly that his company has seen
no upward trend in people failing mandatory drug tests.

Cameco requires drug tests for prospective employees seeking jobs in
"safety sensitive sites," he said.

In the last 18 months, he said Cameco has ordered 450 pre-employment
drug tests and saw a 99 per cent pass rate.

"We are satisfied with the overall effectiveness of our existing
program for testing for drugs and alcohol," Gereghty said in a written
statement.

Similar results were found at PotashCorp of Saskatchewan.

"We certainly don't have a large number people failing drug tests for
jobs at mine sites or safety sensitive positions. In fact, it's quite
rare," company spokesman Randy Burton said.

Plotkin said companies should make sure their drug testing is done
properly, by certified companies, to make sure people aren't failing
because of faulty tests.

"We just want to make sure the problem is not in the testing," she
said.
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MAP posted-by: Matt