Nationwide Drug Testing and On-Site Medical Services By Mobile Medical Corporation

Drug Abuse Hikes Workers’ Comp. Risks Many players in the workers’ comp system are failing to comply with guidelines that recommend periodic drug screening and psychological treatment. David M. Katz CFOs worried about mounting workers’ compensation costs at their companies should look closely at how freely — and chronically — doctors are prescribing narcotics to injured workers in states where the companies operate. The differences among states can be striking. At the top end, one in six injured workers in Louisiana and one in seven in New York were identified as “longer-term users of narcotics” on workers’ comp. claims made between 2009 and 2011, according to a 2012 study sponsored by the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) . In sharp contrast, fewer than one in 20 workers prescribed narcotics were identified as longer-term users in Arizona, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Indiana and Iowa, according to the study, which is based on data culled from nearly 300,...

Background Screening Cautions Employers Against Making Three Most Common Drug Testing Mistakes   Jacksonville Beach, FL (PRWEB) June 14, 2013   “The National Institute of Health estimates that drug and alcohol abuse costs the economy over $300 billion a year. The impact on the workforce in terms of increased accidents, medical costs, turnover and loss of credibility in the marketplace are enormous,” noted Don Dymer, president and chief executive office of SingleSource Services background screening company. Dymer discussed the impact on the workforce with colleagues during a recent SilkRoad conference in Hollywood, Florida. Dymer explains, “The object of the recruitment process is to identify and hire the best qualified for the tasks of the job, but an even greater emphasis must be taken to ensure that the many dangerous characteristics an employee may bring to the workplace are identified and excluded. Here are some sobering facts from the U.S. Department of Labor i...

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Sources tell CBS 3 the excavator operator involved with Wednesday’s deadly building collapse in Center City will face six counts of involuntary manslaughter. Sources tell CBS 3 that blood tests on the excavator operator, 42-year-old Sean Benschop, detected the presence of a prescription painkiller and marijuana. The blood, along with urine, was taken from Benschop at the hospital approximately two hours after the collapse at 22nd and Market Streets, which killed six people and injured 13. ( See Related Story ) Sources say investigators also noticed that Benschop, who has a history of 11 prior arrests, including a conviction for possession and dealing drugs, was speaking in what police considered an unusually slow, quiet way, “almost whispering,” according to a source. Crane operator Sean Benschop. Benschop also allegedly told investigators, according to a source, that he was in pain and taking pain medication after recently cutting his finger. Th...

Colorado and Washington, who are current medical marijuana states, have made history this Election Day by passing the first laws that allow for the legal use of “recreational” marijuana.  The recreational marijuana laws allow residents 21 and older to possess up to one ounce from licensed vendors, which the states plan to tax.   Amendment 64   Colorado : the state's constitution makes it legal for anyone over the age of 21 to possess marijuana and for businesses to sell it. Initiative 502   Washington : establishes a system of state-licensed marijuana growers, processors and retail stores, where adults over 21 can buy up to one ounce. It also would establish a standard blood test limit for driving under the influence. The laws legalizing recreational marijuana will certainly face federal scrutiny. Marijuana possession is still a federal crime and employers are seeking advice on how to approach this topic. Danielle Urban, an A...

Synthetic marijuana often sold in gas stations and convenience stores under names like “K-2,” “Genie,” or  “Spice” is a growing health threat to the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that 1 in 9 high school seniors have tried the drugs. Calls to poison centers about the drugs rose from 2,900 in 2010 to 7,000 in 2011 and hit 1,200 in the first two months of 2012. Synthetic cannabinoids are chemically engineered substances similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”), the active ingredient in marijuana. When smoked or ingested, synthetic cannabinoids can produce a high similar to marijuana. Initially developed for pain management research and the effects of cannabis on the brain, these substances have recently become a popular alternative to marijuana. The following 41 states have banned synthetic cannabinoids: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida ...

Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents at O’Hare Airport in Chicago , Illinois, have recently uncovered international drug smuggling activities at Chicago ’s O’Hare Airport Mail Facility.  CBP agents have discovered synthetic marijuana and methamphetamine in several packages and letters that have come into the facility from China and Europe . Steven Artino, Acting Director of CBP Field Operations in Chicago  said, “These unpredictable chemical combinations are sending some users to the hospital and others to the grave.” Synthetic marijuana is a mixture of common herbs sprayed with synthetic chemicals that mirror the high of marijuana. The American Association of Poison Control Centers reported that within the past year there have been over 500 cases of negative reactions to the still legal yet dangerous drug. In 2011, The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently evoked its emergency scheduling authority to control five chemicals used to...

Mobile Medical Corporation - A Pittsburgh based drug testing firm is reporting that Diagnostic Lab Services out of Hawaii recently released a study that concludes that 0.8 percent of the employees and potential employees tested positive for crystal meth or “ice” during the third quarter of this year. Albeit small, the increase has been observed for three consecutive quarters already — 0.5 percent during the first quarter and 0.6 percent during the second quarter. Mobile Medical Corporation (MMC) understands that in today's business and economic environment, risk management professionals and employers alike are looking to continuously improve job-site safety and workplace compliance. And that is why companies nationwide continually utilize MMC's vast array of cost efficient and diverse testing programs to maintain a better and safe work environment. Mobile Medical Corporation has offices in Pittsburgh, PA - Cleveland, OH - Baltimore, MD - New York, City - Sacramento, CA. 88...