Random Number Generator
You can use the Random Number Generator option to produce a random employee list for alcohol and drug testing. Remember that the Random Pools approach requires job history records for every employee in the group. The Random Number Generator helps you create a randomized employee list to use for testing if you do not have computerized data on all employees.
Before generating (printing) a list, you must enter the Pool Size, Sample size (in percent or by raw number), and Extras needed (in percent or by raw number), for the sample you are generating. If the exact size of the pool is not known, you should overestimate the size to ensure that all employees in the pool have an equal chance of being selected. (If you underestimate the number of employees in the pool, some have zero chance of being selected.) Also, include plenty of extras (alternates) to ensure that you will not run out of names if a number of selected employees are unavailable.
| Label | Description |
|---|---|
| Pool Size | Total number of employees in the pool. |
| Sample | Size of the sample. Enter either the percentage of the pool to be sampled or the actual number of employees to be selected for testing. SYSTOC computes and enters the equivalent value in the other field. |
| Extras | Additional employees needed for extras. Enter either the additional percentage of the pool to be sampled or the additional number of employees needed as alternates. SYSTOC computes and enters the equivalent value. Extras are used when selected employees are unavailable. |
| Total Sample | Overall size of the sample, (selected employees + extras). SYSTOC computes the value based on the preceding field entries. |
| Print List | Generates the list of random numbers and sends it to your default printer. |
| Clear Form | Clears all field entries except Pool Size. |
The list of random numbers generated by the Random Number Generator option is used in conjunction with a numbered list of all employees in the pool to create the employee list for a given alcohol and drug testing sample. It does not matter in what order the names in the pool are numbered, only that each participant is represented in the numbered list by a number. The output from the Random Number Generator is a list of Lottery Positions (representing selection order) and a list of corresponding Reference Lines. The employee list for testing is created by matching the Reference Line number for each Lottery Position with its counterpart (number and name) in the numbered list of employees in the pool.
Suppose that a specimen collector arrives at a company called Custom Ceramics, obtains a list of eligible employees, and generates a random number list, as shown in the image above. The collector looks at Lottery Position 1, and find that it corresponds to Reference Line 5. Checking the numbered list of employees at the company,
s/he determines that Kathy Smith, number 5 on the employee list, is the first person to be tested. If Kathy is unavailable that day, the first extra is chosen. In our example, the first extra is John Jones, who is number 1 on the employee list.
After obtaining a sample from the first subject, the collector would ask for the person with Lottery Position 2, Harry Smith. The process would continue in this manner until the collector had acquired sufficient specimens to complete the sample. We emphasize again the importance of having an adequate number of extras or alternates; in this example, there may not be enough.