Alcohol and Drug Test Price Guide

Alcohol and drug tests are becoming a standard practice for many workplaces in New Zealand. It can form part of employment policies and agreements. Therefore, everyone in the workplace, employer and employees, must comply. Drug test prices and alcohol test prices can be expensive especially in bulk. However it greatly benefits the company since it reduces the risk of accidents and incidents that can happen in a workplace due to alcohol and drug abuse.

Alcohol and drug test prices can vary depending on the type of drug test. It is also essential to know the policies for every workplace regarding who will pay for the tests in a workplace and pre-employment testing. Alcohol and drug test prices are considerably high when it is taken at a clinic or laboratories. That is why some workplaces use test kits. These kits do not require a laboratory or a healthcare professional to administer the tests. For alcohol testing, workplaces use breathalysers, which can be sourced from Breathalysers New Zealand.

Alcohol and Drug Test Price Guide: Types of Alcohol and Drug Test

Aside from the alcohol and drug test prices, it is also essential to know what type of test a workplace will follow, depending on the situation.   

• Blood test – Blood testing is more intrusive than breath or urine testing, but it is the most successful at detecting precise alcohol concentration levels.
• Breath test – Breath tests are regularly used by law enforcement authorities to check for alcohol consumption in drivers. It is a standard procedure because sample collection is non-invasive and convenient for roadside testing. Employers can use this for breath tests in the workplace. Breathalysers Australia have a variety of devices to suit anyone’s needs.
• Hair test – Drug compounds reach the scalp’s blood vessels. The hair filters the drug substances, which preserves a permanent record of drug use. Because drug residues stay in the hair, a user who consumed cocaine, marijuana, or other substances several months ago will test positive.  
• Saliva test. Saliva testing is another least intrusive drug testing procedure. However, saliva can only detect recent drug substance use. As an example, saliva tests for marijuana can only give accurate findings if the patient has smoked or used marijuana in the preceding 4-10 hours.  
• Urine test – The most common approach for identifying illegal drugs is a urine test. However, urine samples are less successful at detecting drugs and alcohol than other procedures due to their short detection period. Thus, urine tests are less likely to detect frequent drug use beyond 48 hours. Urine tests are also susceptible to tampering.

Alcohol and Drug Test Price Guide: Prices and Who Will Pay 

For current employees of a company, alcohol and drug test prices or expenses should be undertaken by the employer. However, for positive results from such tests, the employee can be required to pay for the costs of follow-up tests and laboratory needs. This method discourages employees from consuming alcohol and abusing drugs in the workplace. Also, for pre-employment, applicants are sometimes required to undergo alcohol and drug testing as part of the process. Employers usually will reimburse all the expenses if the applicant is accepted for the job or position an applicant applied for. For positive results, since most likely, an employer will not hire an applicant due to it, then employers will not reimburse expenses.     

Employers tend to incur considerable expenses for alcohol and drug test prices alone. Alcohol and drug tests conducted at a laboratory test site or clinics have prices ranging from $30-$80. This is also depending on the alcohol and drug test type. Additionally, this price range is for a single test alone. Testing several applicants or a mass of employees would undoubtedly incur a higher cost. However, further or evidential tests may even have higher prices or incur much greater expenses. Moreover,  follow-up tests usually require expensive clinics and laboratories to process.

Alcohol and Drug Test Price Guide: Test Kits and Breathalysers

Alcohol and drug test prices from clinics and laboratories are costly. Nowadays, most employers rely on alcohol and drug test kits which have lower prices than those services offered by clinics or laboratories. Also, the results will be faster since anyone can use the test kits anytime and anywhere. Also, without any health care professionals, anyone can use these kits.

Alcohol testing kits such as breathalysers are small devices for testing an individual’s Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). Breathalysers detect alcohol use in workplaces. Unlike test kits, employers can use a single device multiple times. Breathalysers from Breathalysers NZ provide accurate results in seconds. Compared to alcohol and drug test prices from laboratories, these devices are usually the most cost-effective method for alcohol breath tests. However, getting positive results from alcohol and drug test kits and breathalysers would need a laboratory or clinic for follow-up testing, which has higher prices. But, with negative results, it will not be necessary.

Breathalysers from Breathalysers New Zealand

Breathalysers New Zealand is a New Zealand owned and operated company that specialises in Workplace and Personal Breathalysers. They have the knowledge and experience to provide the best advice and product recommendations for individual or workplace breath alcohol testing needs. Since the beginning of 2012, they have specialised in breathalyser sales and services. Since breathalysers are capable of multiple testing, it is cheaper than alcohol and drug test prices from laboratories and clinics. Breathalysers New Zealand offers a wide range of breathalysers, and the prices are as follows:  

• Personal Breathalysers– Breathalysers are available in many forms and sizes. Small compact keychain models like the BACtrack C6 or C8 are ideal for personal use, are economical and fit into small bags and pockets. Larger, more durable variants are suitable for usage at work, in a glove box, or at home.
• Smartphone breathalysers– A smartphone-linked breathalyser is one of the last decade’s most significant innovations in breath testing for alcohol. The breathalyser connects to the smartphone via Bluetooth. They work similarly to a standard handheld or keychain breathalyser. A user can blow into a mouthpiece that transmits information wirelessly to a smart device, such as a phone. The user can then read their BAC result on their smartphones.
• Workplace Breathalysers– Workplace breathalysers are capable of multiple breath tests with high accuracy. This is due to fuel cell technology which most police-grade breathalysers also use.

Conclusion

Alcohol and drug test prices may vary on the type of test used. The price also varies if the test requires a laboratory or not. Most companies appreciate the relatively small cost of providing testing for drugs and alcohol in the workplace. The safety and the well-being of employees and those around them are usually the most important aspects when implementing a Drug and Alcohol policy. Moreover, breath testing with the BACtrack breathalysers from Breathalysers New Zealand is fast, easy, accurate and cost-effective. Employers can use these breathalysers for their drug and alcohol policies and workplace monitoring. Having a safe workplace benefits the employers, their employees, and everyone else.