Fitness & Drug and Alcohol Testing

Construction work is physical, and your body is your most essential tool. 

Because the construction and skilled trades industry is safety-sensitive, all applicants are required to complete both a fitness assessment and drug and alcohol (D&A) test as part of the application process. Drug and alcohol testing helps ensure participants are fit for duty and able to work safely in environments where any level of impairment can create significant safety risks. Common substances tested for include alcohol, cannabis (THC), cocaine, amphetamines/methamphetamines, opioids, and other controlled substances.

If you take prescription or over-the-counter medications, these are reviewed separately through a medical review process.

It’s important to know that this testing isn’t done to keep you from getting into your program – it’s to help you, Women Building Futures and your future employers make informed decisions on how to avoid incidents and injuries in training and on the job.

If you have questions about the drug and alcohol testing process, please contact admissions@womenbuildingfutures.com.

When Will I Be Assessed?

After a successful interview, your recruitment advisor will email you the information you need to book your testing.

Drug and alcohol testing is a standard requirement throughout the construction and skilled trades industry and is often not a one-time test completed only during admissions. As part of the application process, applicants are required to complete drug and alcohol testing to help prepare for industry expectations and site access requirements.

Once employed, many employers continue testing as part of their workplace safety programs. Depending on the employer, project, or client requirements, testing may be required before accessing a worksite, after an incident, for reasonable cause, as part of a return-to-work program, or at other times throughout employment. Maintaining a current and valid test is often a condition of accessing and working on many construction and industrial sites.

Testing Provider

Women Building Futures partners with SureHire, a leader in occupational health and fitness-to-work testing to conduct these tests.

SureHire has become a recognized leader in occupational testing with 10 independently owned testing facilities across Canada and one in the US, a network of over 80 exclusive testing facilities from coast to coast, and thousands of independent testing partners across North America.

How Do I Prepare?

Because being physically fit is key to injury prevention and a long-term career, fitness assessments are part of our application process. Test results are not shared without your consent.

If you want to work on your physical conditioning ahead of the test, here are some ways to prepare at home.

Strength Training

Try starting out with books, soup cans or bottles filled with water, sand or rocks. As you’re ready to add weight, you can replace the bottles with laundry detergent jugs.

Once you’ve mastered the weighted detergent jugs, try adding weight to any of the following:

  • backpack
  • purse
  • briefcase or suitcase
  • grocery bags

If you have a bathroom scale, you can put the bag on it to see how much weight you’re adding.

Cardio

Use the stairs inside or outside your home and step up and down the first 3 steps for 3 minutes. Put on some upbeat music to help keep your energy up.

Walk 30 minutes a day while carrying weights (grab that weighted backpack and take it for a walk!)

Try shadow boxing.

Resistance Training

If you don’t have resistance bands, try using bungee cords, leggings or pantyhose.

Core Strength

If you don’t have sliders, try using paper plates, dish towels or paper towels instead (depending on your floor).

On Your Test Day

Allow a half-day for testing in case there are delays.

Make sure you’re properly hydrated but restrict your fluid intake 2 hours before your appointment to ensure a proper sample can be collected. If your sample is too diluted, there will be delays.

When you go to the testing centre, wear workout gear, including proper shoes, and be sure to bring:

  • government-issued photo ID
  • your glasses or contact lenses, if you wear them
  • a list of medications, prescriptions or over-the-counter drugs you’re currently using

You will also need to give a medical history.

Important: After completing your paperwork, do not leave the facility until testing is complete. Doing so will be seen as refusal to do the test.