MORE EMPLOYERS TESTING FOR DRUGS

Greenville - The number of employers requiring drug screens for
potential workers is rising as companies try to meet federal workplace
rules and limit their liability, according to company officials and
testing firms.

And the number of tests turning up positive for drug use also is
increasing.

In 1988, the Drug Free Workplace Act mandated that all federal
agencies and any business recipients of federal grant money or
contracts be drug-free. Since then, drug-testing company officials say
they've seen an increase in employers requesting the testing.

"It's becoming an acceptable part of the hiring process," said Dr.
Robert Bennett, who owns a testing facility in Charleston.

Drumm Enterprises Inc., of Greenville, has had a 50 percent increase
in businesses requesting pre-employment drug screens, said Cheryl
Lunn, occupational health coordinator.

At the same time, the company has had a 40 percent increase in the
number of pre-employment positive tests, Lunn said. Drumm processes
150 to 200 samples each month for Upstate employers.

Most tests look for five substances: marijuana, cocaine, PCP, opiates
and amphetamines, Lunn said.

Businesses with fewer than 50 employees make up the bulk of new
testing requests, Lunn said. Pest control companies, water carriers
and landscapers are all on the list of new clients.

Smaller companies, especially contractors, are beginning to test for
drugs to comply with the policies of larger companies they contract
with, she said.

Some large corporations receive discounts on liability insurance and
workers' compensation if they drug-test their employees, Lunn said.

Several large Upstate companies test potential workers for drugs
before hiring.

All potential BMW Manufacturing Corp. employees must submit hair for
drug screens, spokeswoman Bunny Richardson said.

Michelin has tested all job candidates since 1985, said Andy Delscamp,
manager of community relations. Once employed, each of the company's
4,300 employees is subject to random drug testing, and employees
involved in safety-related issues are given drug tests within hours of
any incident, Delscamp said.

"We need everyone to be fully cognizant, fully capable and operating
with the best judgment they can at all times," he said. "In a
manufacturing environment, safety is our No. 1 concern."

The Greenville Hospital System began drug-testing its employees seven
years ago, human resources vice president Douglas Dorman said.

"You can't have 7,500 employees and not have some low percentage of
the population with a substance abuse problem," he said. "We wanted to
keep that at an absolute minimum."