Companies comply with laws and industry standards to improve and maintain workplace safety and productivity. Illicit substances may affect an individual’s ability to perform tasks safely and efficiently. Moreover, drug and alcohol impairments can be significant safety risks if the role requires operating heavy equipment and machinery. Workplace drug and alcohol testing and alcohol screening are one of the most practical solutions to protect employees from the dangers of substance use. Therefore, companies create and implement workplace policies to ensure the safety and well-being of all employees. 

Workplace Drug Testing

Workplace drug testing and alcohol screening aim to reduce safety hazards by monitoring the workers’ current state and ensuring they are free from substance impairments. Many companies prefer to carry out onsite testing because it is more convenient and cost-effective. Moreover, organisations can employ various drug and alcohol test methods to detect the presence of alcohol and illicit substances. Standard test procedures include examining samples from urine, breath, saliva, blood, and hair.

Workplace drug testing commonly utilises urine or saliva tests to determine drug use or impairments. On the other hand, alcohol screening using breathalysers can determine the exact Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) or degree of intoxication. A workplace breathalyser is a compact, handheld device that analyses a person’s breath sample for alcohol. Innovative and efficient breathalysers like the BACtrack from Breathalysers New Zealand use fuel cell sensor technology to measure precise BAC levels. In addition, fuel cell sensors do not react with other compounds, only ethanol. Therefore, fuel cell breathalysers are less likely to produce false-positive BAC readings. If you seek the ideal workplace alcohol tester, you may visit Breathalysers NZ to view the complete selection of professional models. Breathalysers NZ also offers personal devices for employees for individual monitoring. 

Workplace Drug Testing and Alcohol Testing: Procedures

Drug and alcohol impairments are the most common causes of workplace accidents. Impaired employees increase the risk of manual errors, falls from high places, and serious injuries. Consequently, impairment or accidents leads to low or poor work output, high absenteeism, and high costs. Therefore, high-risk industries or areas like mining, construction, transportation, and manufacturing mandate strict workplace drug testing and alcohol screening to prevent work disruptions and low productivity. In particular, drug testing analyses commonly abused substances such as marijuana, cocaine, meth, and amphetamine. Moreover, workers with positive substance test results may face disciplinary actions depending on the workplace policy and the company’s discretion.

Workplace drug testing and alcohol screening are excellent strategies to manage safety risks. A clear and thorough workplace policy can help promote safe and healthy lifestyle practices. Undoubtedly, companies can achieve an alcohol and drug-free work environment through workplace breathalysers and drug-testing services. Nowadays, alcohol screening is more convenient, practical, and easy to perform because of portable breathalysers. For instance, employees no longer need to take a day off to go to a testing facility for alcohol testing. The BACtrack professional breathalysers offer a one-button function for ease of use and provide highly accurate BAC readings within 10 to 15 seconds. Moreover, these testing services and alcohol testers allow companies to effectively maintain workplace safety and improve productivity with more frequent and reliable tests. An excellent example of a reliable breath testing device is the SHIELD Express unit.

Importance of Workplace Drug Testing and Alcohol Testing

With the increasing drug and alcohol abuse issues, companies and business owners opt to implement stricter policies and procedures to reduce workplace incidents. Several companies with workplace drug testing program also include employee education and training to help identify signs of substance impairment and promote safe and healthy awareness and practices. Therefore, drug and alcohol programs can significantly help improve workplace safety and prevent employee substance usage, especially during working hours. The availability of instant drug testing kits and alcohol breath testers has enabled companies to maintain their workplace policies effectively. Fortunately, Breathalysers NZ has a selection of BACtrack workplace models perfect for conducting onsite alcohol testing. Moreover, New Zealand businesses benefit from these alcohol breath testers to ensure a substance-free work environment.

Workplace drug testing can benefit companies by reducing health insurance costs and preventing substance-related accidents or injuries. Furthermore, companies should also consider the time, effort and expenses it takes to train new hires to have experienced and fit workers. Workplace testing ensures that all employees do not have substance abuse problems. In addition, more frequent and reliable workplace testing helps make the work environment safer and helps improve employee morale. Companies can conduct drug and alcohol testing in these scenarios:

• Pre-Employment Testing
• Random Testing
• For-cause or reasonable suspicion 
• Periodic, annual or blanket testing
• Post-Accident or incident
• Return to work or duty 
• Post-treatment or rehabilitation 

Essential Breathalyser Features

Many business owners wonder what the best workplace drug testing method is. Choosing the proper procedures and devices is vital to improving workplace health and safety. A reliable and highly accurate device helps establish trust and credibility between the Management, Employees, and the general public. Therefore, companies should pick a reliable workplace breathalyser like the BACtrack from Breathalysers NZ based on the following criteria:

• Sensor accuracy – workplace breathalysers use fuel cell sensors to precisely trace alcohol concentration. Professional devices from Breathalysers NZ can estimate and display BAC readings in three decimal points, enhancing their accuracy. 
• Ease of use – unlike testing laboratories, breathalysers can be operated without the help of licensed technicians. In addition, BACtrack breathalysers offer a one-touch operation for quick and convenient alcohol testing. 
• Calibration frequency – all breathalysers require recalibration to maintain sensor accuracy. Most devices need recalibration between 6 to 12 months.
• New Zealand Standard certification –a device that complies with local and international standards is vital. The pro-grade devices at Breathalysers NZ are FDA-approved and have AS/NZ 3547 certification. 

BACtrack from Breathalysers NZ

Workplace drug testing and alcohol screening are more convenient with portable devices or testing kits. Fortunately, alcohol testing using breathalysers offer efficient monitoring. Breathalysers New Zealand offers highly accurate and dependable devices that many companies trust. Furthermore, the BACtrack workplace breathalysers utilise enlarged fuel cell sensors to trace alcohol concentration over a complete BAC range. Therefore, it helps industries with zero-tolerance policies detect alcohol at the lowest BAC level. In addition, they also have an optimal breath capture system that ensures only the deep lung air goes through the sensors. Breathalysers NZ offers the following pro-grade workplace devices:

• BACtrack S80 Pro Gen2 
• BACtrack Mobile Gen2 
• Alcovisor Mercury
• Alcovisor Alcotorch

Conclusion

Substance monitoring is vital in minimising safety hazards in the workplace. In addition, companies may conduct workplace drug testing to ensure safer and healthier practices. On the other hand, using a workplace breathalyser is a cost-effective and practical solution for alcohol monitoring. It enables companies to conduct alcohol breath tests as often as required. Consistent substance monitoring with a reliable device can significantly improve workplace productivity and decrease absenteeism rates. Breathalysers New Zealand offers various alcohol testers suitable for varying workplace needs.