The key to effective management in the workplace is to have a policy that details your approach including:

• Tolerance
• Disciplinary Outcomes
• Education
• Testing
• Support and Followup

We can provide assistance with all of the above including brief presentations from our AMROA accredited occupational physician regarding education and testing.

We can also assess employees who have returned positive results and advise on appropriate follow up.

Drug & Alcohol use mirrors that in the community, however, the potential impact on workplace safety is an issue that mandates measures to mitigate the risks. Testing employees is one risk management tool, best performed as part of an overall policy (see Quick Tips).

It must be performed in accordance with the accepted industry standards AS/NZS 4308, AS/NZS4760:2019 and AS 3547. Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASR) Part 99.

Collection & Testing

• AS/NZS:4308 is the standard recognised across industry for the collection and analysis of urine drug screening (UDS). For any sample to be defensible the standard must be followed. If not, any result can potentially be challenged and ruled invalid.
• Urine or Oral? Each matrix has it’s own pros and cons. Find out more.
• Instant or Lab? Instant screening provides an answer at time of testing. The dilemma arises when a screening test is non-negative in which case it is best sent to the lab to clarify.

Education & Prevention

• Important in a policy is setting the threshold of tolerance. It could be 0 tolerance.
• Following from this are stipulating what disciplinary measures should the tolerance threshold be breached.

MRO & DAMP Services

• A Medical review Officer (MRO) is trained in the requirements of testing & the interpretation of alcohol & other drug testing results.
• Drug testing sounds straight forward in theory however in practice there are potential pitfalls that often require expert interpretive assistance ).