Oil and Gas Industry Says Too Many Workers Fail Drug Tests Posted: Thursday, January 10, 2013 Onsite Occupational Screening Development of oil and gas fields in Ohio's Utica shale formation is expected to ramp up in the next two years. But industry leaders say they've hit a snag. Too few potential workers can pass a required drug screen. From Ohio Public Radio member station WOSU in Columbus, Tom Borgerding reports. The richest deposits of oil and natural gas in Ohio’s Utica shale formation are believed to be in counties east and north of Columbus in the foothills of Appalachia. There’s new demand for workers. But industry officials say too few qualify, in part, because they cannot pass a required drug screen. RHONDA REDA: “This is becoming a bigger problem, or people are finally being made aware that this is a bigger problem than we ever realized.” Rhonda Reda is head of the Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program. She says abuse of prescription and illegal drugs makes it difficult to find enough workers. BORGERDING: “Percentage wise what’s the rejection rate among actual applicants?” REDA: “From the companies we’ve spoke to and what actual numbers that we’re getting is 50, 60 percent. That’s pretty high.” http://www.ideastream.org/news/feature/51306