JUNE 24-30, 2024 SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 45 FROM THE COVER Springfield-based Tomo Drug Testing, of Quest’s report. “It’s certainly consistent in the findings regarding overall drug use.” Moore said the report was released during an industry conference of the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association, for which he serves as a board member. The report comes amid an increasing number of states that are legalizing marijuana. Almost half the country – 24 states along with the District of Columbia – have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Those states also comprise the 38 that allow for the use of cannabis and its byproducts for medical purposes, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Since 2019, the incident rate of workers testing positive for marijuana consumption has jumped 45.2%, according to Quest’s report. Marijuana also is the report’s most frequently detected drug. Since Missouri voters approved legalizing recreational marijuana in 2022, Moore said he can’t recall any of Tomo’s clients ceasing tests for the drug. In the process Tomo primarily works in employee drug testing, Department of Transportation regulations, student prevention programs and testing for drug court, probation and parole matters, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. It has roughly 2,600 active clients, 1,600 of which are in Missouri, said President Angela Garrison. The 1991-founded company, previously known as Employee Services of Missouri LLC, has expanded in recent years to Indiana, Kansas, Nevada and Oklahoma. Moore said Tomo will begin operations in Texas by August. “We test many states across the country, and so there are still a few states that are hanging on with no marijuana legalization at all,” Garrison said. “But in states like Missouri that do have recreational marijuana, there is I think still a lack of education when it comes to the fact that just because it’s legal doesn’t mean you can use, and you won’t be drug tested for it at work.” Two parts of the testing process can identify cheating at Tomo, Moore said. “One is in the collection process of the specimen where our collectors are trained to identify if a specimen has been adulterated or substituted, whether that’s by odor or color or temperature,” he said, adding if it passes at the point of collection, there is a subsequent testing effort at the lab. Some companies utilize point of collection testing, he said, which provides a rapid method to determine possible drug or alcohol use. “In the case of anything that shows up, all non-negative tests at the point of collection are sent off to the lab to confirm,” he said. While Moore didn’t want to draw attention to popular cheating methods, he acknowledged there are several products online that claim ways to supposedly cheat drug tests. “We’ve had some people who have inserted a balloon inside themselves with somebody else’s urine,” he said, recalling one of the more bizarre cheating methods. “If there’s a way to cheat, people likely have tried it.” Employer challenges Chip Sheppard, an attorney and chair of the cannabis and marijuana law group at Carnahan Evans PC, said what stood out to him in the Quest study was further confirmation that Americans with pain issues are switching from highly addictive opioids to marijuana. That is creating an increased motivation to cheat on the tests, he said. According to the study, over the past five years, incidents of workers testing positive for oxycodone and hydrocodone has dropped over 30% and 37%, respectively. With the state’s marijuana legalization, challenges continue to exist for employers, particularly when it comes to hiring or firing decisions, Sheppard said. “If the employer policy is that a positive marijuana test result is a reason for not hiring or termination, they are finding it more difficult to hire qualified employees as many of the most qualified may test positive for marijuana use days or weeks before the test,” he said via email. Urine drug tests can detect THC for 30-45 days for frequent marijuana users and 1-7 days for light consumers, according to online cannabis marketplace and information resource Leafly. Sheppard said employers having a drug use policy is more of a priority in a safety sensitive workplace, such as health care and construction settings, versus an office environment. “At a minimum, any workplace drug testing policy should not rely solely on a positive marijuana test to take remedial action such as to discipline an employee unless it is a safety sensitive position that, due to governmental regulations, has negative ramifications for the employer such as fines, loss of licensing, among other issues,” he said. Sheppard recommended the policy also have a form for the employer to fill out that details observations by management and co-workers of the employee’s alleged behavior and statements that conclude that the individual has used alcohol or drugs. Drug testing can then be used to confirm or conflict with those observations. Springfield-based Penmac Staffing Services Inc., which operates 30 offices in eight states, has more than 600 client companies and employed over 20,000 associates in 2023, according to its website. Nancy Riggs, regional vice president with the staffing agency, said it drug screens all its employees seeking positions in the manufacturing sector. That includes THC testing, she said. “We work with hundreds of employers in the Springfield market, and they share their drug screening requirements with Penmac, and we follow their guidelines,” she said via email. “Since marijuana legalization, we have observed minimal changes in our customers’ drug screening policies. A few customers removed marijuana testing from their drug screens requirements, but in our experience, it was a small number and was based on their review of whether the positions were safety sensitive.” Riggs said employers face challenges in training supervisors on how to identify if workers are under the influence at work. Legal and drug testing officials speaking last summer at a Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce event agreed employers should take the lead to ensure their policies regarding drug and alcohol use in the workplace are clearly defined and up to date. On that point, Sheppard said at least one staff member should be tasked by the employer to stay current on drug- and alcohol-related workplace issues, be the main contact with a drug policy consultant or attorney and familiarize themselves with side effects of marijuana, as well as other popular drugs and alcohol, to recognize an employee issue as soon as possible. The observation of a potential issue should adhere to a policy template, followed by testing, if deemed necessary. Regarding cheating, Moore said recovery-ready workplaces was a topic of discussion at the NDASA conference. The workplaces adopt policies that, in part, expand employment opportunities for people in or seeking recovery and facilitate help-seeking among employees with substance use disorder, according to the U.S. Department of Labor website. “What’s driving people to cheat may be the potential of what is the consequence if I’m caught, as opposed to how can we work with this individual to get through a situation they’re currently facing and still maintain our interest in a safe workplace, but also in the interest of helping others become the best versions of themselves,” Moore said, adding employers should seek solutions beyond ending an employee’s job in the event they test positive for drugs or alcohol. “Instead of immediate termination, what programs can I refer them to?” • Drug: Safety sensitive roles may be more of a priority Continued from page 1 Mickey Moore: Study’s data of increased drug positivity rate is consistent with industry findings. Chip Sheppard: Employers should have at least one member stay current on drug-related workplace issues. Angela Garrison: Lack of employee education persists on marijuana testing policies at workplaces. STAY UPDATED. Subscribe at sbj.net/e-news REPRINTS are an essential tool. Order today. ©2022 Springfield Business Journal REPRINTED FROM by Karen Craigo · kcraigo@sbj.net A half-century ago, Ross Ausburn and Chuck Bachus, two local employees of corrugated box manufacturer Hoerner Waldorf Corp. had the same idea at the same time. Bachus had been flown to the St. Paul, Minnesota, headquarters of the company, which was interested in hiring him as a regional sales manager. He came back and told his friend Ausburn that he maybe would rather start his own company instead. Thdat’s when Ausburn opened a desk drawer full of plans and cost estimates for just such a company. Eventually, 18 employees from Hoerner Waldorf came to start Southern Missouri Containers Inc., the precursor to SMC Packaging Group. The first box rolled off the line on April 1, 1972 – decades before a rise in e-commerce created a boom in the packaging manufacturing industry. It’s a story Rich Bachus, president of SMC and Chuck’s son, likes to tell. Rich’s brother Randy Bachus is the executive vice president, and Kevin Ausburn, Ross’ son, is chair and CEO. Fifty years later, the sons carry forth the vision of their fathers with four SMC locations in Springfield, plus satellites in Kansas City, with Arrowhead Containers Inc.; Conway, Arkansas, with Wonder State Box Co. Inc.; and Tulsa, Oklahoma, with Sooner Packaging Inc. While the pandemic stalled some industries, the opposite is true for corrugated packaging, which surged with the increase in e-commerce. Randy Bachus noted the corrugated industry value is up 45% in the last 18 months. For its part, SMC is on pace to sell $200 million in the fiscal year ending Oct. 31, 2022, according to Ausburn, and 1.5 billion square feet of corrugated boxing material will be produced by SMC’s 600 employees. Box boom Research firm Mordor Intelligence reports the worldwide corrugated board packaging market was valued at nearly $173 billion in 2021, and it’s expected to reach $212 billion in 2027. In addition, Shopify reports global ecommerce was projected even before the COVID-19 impact on the market to hit nearly $5 trillion in 2021. That’s almost a 400% increase in seven years. SMC serves some 2,000 companies, almost all of them in the United States, Canada or Mexico. Local firms make up less than a third of customers, Rich Bachus said. SMC’s website lists a handful of customers, such as Smith Titanium, Empire Candle Co., Munro Shoes, Big Blanket Co., Snap-on, Red Monkey Foods and Vital Farms. Shopify notes one of the market drivers in the corrugated surge is convenience foods. Additional drivers, according to market research firm Technavio, are a heightened demand for packaging as more tech-savvy customers move to online shopping. Another trend is a rise in boutique online sales and subscription services, many of which use printing both inside and outside their boxes for a bespoke touch. Rich Bachus said boxes are an important part of the marketing for companies that are sold solely online instead of in retail stores. SMC made a fortuitous purchase of its 145,000-square-foot plant at Partnership Industrial Center East and added 20,000 square feet to the building, increasing its size to 415,000 square feet. The plant opened in February 2020. The facility was purchased in 2018, before COVID-19. Rich Bachus said in March 2020 and for two months after, SMC, like other companies, took a step back, but then customers worldwide ramped up e-commerce purchasing, and the company found itself busier than ever. Expansion work finished in July with some equipment purchases, and HEATHER MOSELY BOX STARSAt 50-year mark, SMC is equipped for packaging surge From left, Chair/CEO Kevin Ausburn, President/CEO Rich Bachus and Executive Vice President Randy Bachus lead SMC Packaging Group, started as Southern Missouri Containers by their fathers. For more information email adminsbj@sbj.net or call 417.831.3238 Commercial Real Estate Presented by GERALD ZAMORA Broker / Senior Advisor Cell: 417.522.9940 105 W Church Street Ozark MO 65721 Gerald.Zamora@zamora.pro www.zamora.pro 15,000 SF INDUSTRIAL BUILDING FOR SALE OR LEASE ON 3.3 ACRES IN REPUBLIC 555 W STATE HWY 174 Republic, MO 65738 EXECUTIVE MARKETPLACE 100% LEASED
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy