Pre-employment drug testing in NZ is a common requirement for hiring a job candidate. Regardless of the industry, employers are responsible for keeping the workplace safe at all times. Drug testing can help keep your current employees safe from potential disruptions. Hiring the right people is crucial towards achieving a drug-free environment. Employers should also be transparent in their advertisements that drug testing is a prerequisite to their hiring process. Likewise, employees should also know about the workplace drug and alcohol policies as part of their employment terms.

As part of the screening procedure, the employer may request drug testing to determine risky behaviour among job applicants. Pre-employment drug testing in NZ is necessary for industries such as manufacturing and construction, where the risk for injury is greater. It is because accidents can occur due to drug or alcohol impairments. These impairments can cause low concentration, reduced coordination, or risky behaviour. For example, operating heavy equipment or transporting goods requires alertness and presence of mind. The pre-employment drug tests provide a general overview of a candidate’s possible recent use of substances that may affect workplace safety. The standard drug tests are urine and alcohol breath tests. A certified testing agency collects urine and breath samples. We can easily and quickly perform breath tests by using breathalyzers. For pre-employment requirements, devices like BACtrack workplace breathalyzers can provide reliable alcohol breath tests.

Pre-Employment Drug Testing in NZ: Substances Found

Urine tests can detect the presence of certain illegal drugs and prescription medication. The urine drug test usually screens for amphetamines, methamphetamines (meth), marijuana, cocaine, opioids (narcotics), to name a few. Meanwhile, a breath test can determine the presence of alcohol in the blood. A device like the BACtrack workplace breathalyzer is a device that measures the blood alcohol content (BAC) through a sample breath. For instance, all you must do when performing a breath test is breathe into the mouthpiece. Workplaces with a zero-tolerance policy prohibit alcohol or drug usage that may cause accidents or harm others. Therefore, pre-employment drug testing in NZ should identify recent drug and alcohol use that may cause issues.

Part of risk management is to minimize work hazards such as risky behaviour or impairments. Pre-employment drug testing in NZ combined with random drug tests can help deter potential substance use. It also reduces the probability of workplace incidents that cost companies a lot of money each year for hospitalization, rehabilitation, and damaged properties. Furthermore, alcohol consumption is prevalent among workers after work hours. The danger is that sometimes they come to work intoxicated, which can pose as risks hazards. Regular breath tests can help monitor and reduce alcohol impairments at work. Fortunately, nowadays, breathalyzers for workplace testing are easy and convenient to use. Furthermore, devices like the BACtrack workplace breathalyzer is suitable for high-volume applications done in the workplace.

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