为就业目的进行背景调查的主要目的之一是安全。无论您招聘的职位是什么，就业背景调查都可以帮助您保护您的组织免受欺诈、暴力和犯罪的侵害。但是，如果您正在招聘对安全敏感的职位，则背景调查至关重要，并且可能是强制性的。下面将仔细研究什么构成了安全敏感职位，以及背景筛查和药物测试在维护重要安全协议中所起的作用。

什么构成安全敏感职位？

从事安全敏感工作的员工不仅要对自己的人身安全负责，还要对他人的安全负责。示例包括：

• 驱动程序

• 飞行员

• 药剂师

• 医疗保健提供者

• 老师

• 巡线员

• 警务人员

• 安全

• 托儿服务提供者

• 疗养院员工

• 重型设备操作员

虽然识别安全敏感职位似乎很明显，但重要的是要注意联邦、州和地方法律法规通常将某些工作指定为安全敏感职位，因此检查法律总是明智的。

背景筛查和安全

首先，您雇用的员工需要具备从事这项工作的资格。背景调查将验证您的新员工是否具有工作所需的教育、证书和经验。但背景审查也会发现犯罪记录和其他危险信号，这些危险信号可能会使候选人失去安全敏感职位的资格。让我们看几个例子来说明这两种功能如何与工作场所的安全相关。

驱动程序

对包括驾驶历史在内的驾驶员进行背景调查将确认候选人拥有他们将使用的车辆类型的有效驾驶执照。背景调查还将揭示他们的驾驶历史，以及他们是否有任何严重的交通违规或酒驾记录。

医疗保健机构

如果您正在雇用医疗保健提供者，包括医生、护士、医疗助理或 EMT，您需要确认他们具有必要的教育和执照。但这是最低限度的。安全协议还可能要求您检查以确保提供者未列在任何滥用登记、医疗保健欺诈观察名单或其他纪律处分名单上。

重型设备操作员

如果您的企业雇用人员来操作重型设备和机械，那么背景调查对于安全雇用很重要。您不仅会发现个人是否具有完成工作所需的经验，检查过去的参考资料和犯罪记录还将揭示是否存在可能使您的组织面临风险的暴力或其他行为的历史。

超越安全

我们已经建立了背景调查和安全之间的关系，但是员工筛选计划还有其他好处吗？将背景筛选作为标准招聘程序一部分的雇主可能会享受其他一些好处，包括：

• 减少工作场所安全事故

• 减少对不遵守联邦和州筛查规定的处罚和罚款

• 降低工作场所事故的责任成本

• 与工作场所安全或疏忽招聘行为相关的诉讼减少

• 降低工人的赔偿成本

• 提高生产力

• 更高的职场士气

要点：背景调查对企业有利。

药物检测的作用

药物测试是筛选安全敏感职位的重要组成部分。在受到药物或酒精影响的情况下从事这些工作会使员工和其他人面临伤害和严重伤害甚至死亡的风险。许多安全敏感职位要求个人通过 5 组尿液药物测试。该测试是美国交通部概述的标准，因此它是一个合理的起点。该测试筛选以下物质：

• 大麻 – THC

• 可卡因

• 苯丙胺和甲基苯丙胺

• 鸦片剂——鸦片和可待因衍生物

• 苯环利定 – PCP

其他药物面板也可用。如果您不受 DOT 或其他明确规定的法规的约束，您可以制定自己的药物检测标准。第三方背调 将与您一起确定满足您需求的协议。此外，您可以在不同时间要求进行药物测试，而不仅仅是在招聘之前。在法律允许的情况下，许多雇主选择如下药物测试：

• 就业前

• 当有合理怀疑时

• 正在进行的随机测试

• 意外跟随

• 检测呈阳性后重返工作岗位后

您可能还会发现其他测试（例如唾液测试或呼气测醉器）可能是检测酒精使用所必需的，尤其是在工作场所发生事故之后。与我们的药物测试团队联系以获取更多信息。

One of the primary purposes for conducting background checks for employment purposes is safety. Regardless of the position for which you are hiring, employment background checks can help you protect your organization from fraud, violence, and crime. However, if you are hiring for safety-sensitive positions, background checks are critical and may be mandatory. The following takes a closer look at what constitutes a safety-sensitive position, and the role background screenings and drug tests play in maintaining important safety protocols.

What Constitutes a Safety-Sensitive Position?

Employees in safety-sensitive jobs are responsible for their own personal safety as well as the safety of others. Examples include:

• Drivers

• Pilots

• Pharmacists

• Medical care providers

• Teachers

• Linemen

• Police officers

• Security

• Childcare providers

• Nursing home employees

• Heavy equipment operators

While identifying safety-sensitive positions may seem obvious, it’s important to note that federal, state, and local laws and regulations often designate certain jobs as safety-sensitive, so it’s always wise to check the law.

Background Screenings and Safety

First and foremost, the employees you hire need to be qualified to do the work. Background checks will verify that your new hires have the education, credentials, and experience required for the job. But background screenings also uncover criminal records and other red flags that may disqualify candidates from safety-sensitive positions. Let’s look at a handful of examples that illustrate how both these functions relate to safety in your workplace.

Drivers

Running a background check on a driver that includes driving history will confirm that the candidate has a valid driver’s license for the type of vehicle they will be operating. The background check will also reveal their driving history and if they have any serious moving traffic violations or DUIs on their record.

Healthcare Providers

If you’re hiring healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, medical assistants, or EMTs, you need to confirm that they have the requisite education and licenses. But that’s the bare minimum. Safety protocols may also require you to check to ensure that providers are not listed on any abuse registries, healthcare fraud watch lists, or other disciplinary action lists.

Heavy Equipment Operators

If your business hires folks to operate heavy equipment and machinery, background checks are important to making safe hires. Not only will you discover if the individual has the experience needed to do the job, checking past references and criminal records will reveal if there is a history of violence or other behavior that might put your organization at risk.

Beyond Safety

We’ve established the relationship between background checks and safety, but are there other benefits to an employee screening program? Employers who make background screenings part of their standard hiring procedures may enjoy several other benefits, including:

• Fewer workplace safety incidents

• Fewer penalties and fines for non-compliance with federal and state screening mandates

• Lower liability costs for workplace accidents

• Fewer lawsuits related to workplace safety or negligent hiring practices

• Lower worker’s compensations costs

• Improved productivity

• Higher workplace morale

The takeaway: Background checks are good for business.

The Role of Drug Testing

Drug testing is an important component of screening for safety-sensitive positions. Performing these jobs while impaired by drugs or alcohol places the employee as well as others at risk for harm and serious injury, potentially even death. Many safety-sensitive positions require an individual to pass a 5-panel urine drug test. This test is the standard outlined by the United States Department of Transportation, so it is a reasonable place to start. This test screens for the following substances:

• Marijuana – THC

• Cocaine

• Amphetamines and methamphetamines

• Opiates – opium and codeine derivatives

• Phencyclidine – PCP

Other drug panels are also available. If you aren’t subject to DOT or other specifically mandated regulations, you can develop your own drug-testing standards. Accurate will work with you to determine a protocol that will meet your needs. In addition, you can request drug tests at various times, not just prior to hiring. Many employers choose to drug test as follows, when permitted by law:

• Pre-employment

• When there is reasonable suspicion

• Ongoing random testing

• Following as accident

• Following the return to work after a positive test

You may also find that other tests such as saliva tests or breathalyzers may be necessary to detect alcohol use, especially following workplace accidents. Talk to our drug testing team for more information.

A special note about marijuana:

Laws are continuing to evolve regarding the use of recreational marijuana. As a result, many employers are questioning the inclusion of marijuana and its metabolites in regular drug screens. However, it’s important to know that any marijuana use, even where it’s legal, may still be a problem for safety-sensitive positions. Consult the experts at Accurate and your own legal team about the best strategy for handling marijuana in your drug testing policies.

Beyond Safety

Again, the benefits of drug screening go far beyond safety.

• A clear drug testing policy serves as an effective deterrent to non-sober applicants and to employees who wish to maintain their employment.

• Drug tests provide proof of wrongdoing in the event of a workplace accident caused by mind-altering substances.

• Workplaces that are free from substance abuse enjoy greater productivity and higher employee morale.

•