The Drug and Alcohol Test Guide for Businesses

Nowadays, businesses usually ask their staff to take alcohol and drug tests. However, the drug and alcohol test is only acceptable if this is agreed upon in the employment contract and included in the workplace drug and alcohol testing policy. Furthermore, employers would typically hire testing facilities to provide these tests. These facilities combine alcohol breath testing and urine or saliva drug testing methods to help manage workplace health and safety. Testing at work can reduce drug and alcohol-related incidents and improve workplace safety. Moreover, these workplace accidents can also disrupt a company’s workflow and reduce its productivity. Therefore, companies nowadays would highly prioritise improving workplace safety.

The drug and alcohol test at work can reduce workplace risks

Under the law, both the business and staff are responsible for ensuring that the workplace is safe from any risks. The company should provide staff with adequate protection from hazards within reason. The drug and alcohol test an employer provides can drastically help reduce accidents and workplace risks. The staff are also held accountable for their own and others’ safety in the workplace. Furthermore, staff must must strictly follow any workplace policy or program relating to employee health and safety, including the drug and alcohol workplace testing policy. Strictly following these guidelines can help employees and employers reduce workplace risks. 

Workplace Policies

Drugs or alcohol use can negatively impact the business’ reputation, success, workplace safety, the staff, and its customers. Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol on the job is a health and safety hazard. Therefore, alcohol and drug impairments are strictly watched out for in the workplace. The drug and alcohol test at work can help identify employees with recent drug or alcohol use, leading to impairment during working hours. Drug abuse not only affects performance and productivity but also causes work impairments. Here are some negative impacts of drugs and alcohol abuse in the workplace:

• Absentmindedness 
• Carelessness
• Risky behaviour
• Poor judgment
• Increased tardiness and absences 
• Loss of productivity
• More serious workplace accidents

Businesses should work with the staff on establishing workplace policies and procedures regarding risk management in the workplace. The drug and alcohol test at work policy and procedures should be easily understood and outlined. Therefore, the policy should include the terms, conditions, testing protocols and the repercussions of failing or refusing the test. The workplace drug and alcohol policy should always focus on prevention and protection.

Workplace breath testing

The drug and alcohol test at work using alcohol breath testers is an efficient way of testing employees. Businesses must always have a workplace drug and alcohol policy before they can test their employees. Furthermore, employers must ensure that the employees are able to access and understand this policy easily. Moreover, the company must always update their employees about changes made to this policy. A workplace breathalyser is one of the necessary devices companies can use for workplace testing once the policies are clearly set. There are various types of breathalysers used in the workplace. Breathalysers New Zealand supplies genuine breathalysers that are perfect for workplace testing. Here are some workplace breathalyzers that we offer:

• S80 Pro Gen 2
• Trace Gen 2
• Mobile Pro Gen 2

The BACtrack S80 Pro GEN2 breathalyzer uses fuel cell sensor technology that provides police-grade accuracy. Furthermore, the BACtrack Mobile Pro GEN2 breathalyzer provides remote alcohol monitoring, perfect for workplace testing. These breathalyzers require the user to blow into a mouthpiece. After a short period, the breathalyzer can process and estimate the BAC levels. The drug and alcohol test at work using alcohol breath testers is a quick and easy method for conducting frequent tests. Testing employees for drug and alcohol use is essential for ensuring workplace safety and productivity. 

The drug and alcohol test at work safety duties

The drug and alcohol test at work policy typically includes pre-employment testing in safety-sensitive jobs. This condition included in the policy shows that the business is serious about workplace alcohol and drug risk management. Moreover, businesses should always inform potential applicants that pre-employment testing may be required. Furthermore, businesses can require staff to take drug or alcohol tests under certain situations (like after an accident) if it is part of their contract. Staff have to observe all legal and justifiable requests from their employer. The testing may be necessary to protect the health and safety of workers. However, this may also be an invasion of privacy. Testing for alcohol or drugs will prove problematic if the employment agreement does not state otherwise. Therefore, any business considering drug testing staff should seek legal advice.

Workplace policy considerations

The business must strictly develop the workplace policy. The business should establish a drug and alcohol test at work policy, and the company’s applications should be fair and equal. It is vital to consider the aim of establishing a workplace drug and alcohol testing policy. Furthermore, management must constantly and strictly enforce the drug and alcohol test and with its policies throughout the business. There should be no exceptions; both management and staff have responsibilities. Therefore, it is best to have an effective and well detailed policy ready in the workplace. 

The drug and alcohol test at work policy should have clear procedures for what happens if staff do not observe the workplace policy. Therefore, the business should be clear about what may happen to the employee and their job. Drug and alcohol testing may be reasonable if the goal is to improve the safety of staff and the general public. Testing an individual for a specific purpose is reasonable if there is efficient evident. Testing may be appropriate if the employee:

• Shows symptoms of being impaired by drugs or alcohol.
• If the employee is involved in a workplace incident.

Consider Alcohol Testing

If you are conducting alcohol tests in the workplace, Breathalysers New Zealand is a perfect choice. The drug and alcohol test at work is perfect for industries like aviation, mining and jobs that require operation of heavy machinery. The products we offer provide highly accurate and constant BAC readings with each test. BACtrack professional models are ideal for workplace testing. Every product we supply is ready for use, FDA-cleared, and are certified for accuracy. We are the exclusive representative for BACtrack breathalysers and are the only company certified to recalibrate their equipment. The recalibration requirement for the BACtrack Xtend® Fuel Cell Sensor range is 12 months or 1,000 tests.