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Recent amendments to the Building Code 2013, which took effect this October, require the implementation of drug and alcohol testing policies on construction sites. All building industry participants involved in Commonwealth funded building work must ensure that a zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol is enforced.
Although these amendments apply only to certain government funded projects at this stage, the policies should be considered best practice for all construction projects to achieve a safer workplace.
For further information on drug and alcohol testing under the Building Code 2013, click here.
Commence drug and alcohol testing within just 4 weeks
As Australia's largest supplier of saliva drug detection devices, the Pathtech team can help you identify and eliminate the use of both drugs and alcohol on your construction site.
Our workplace device range includes the Securetec DrugWipe: the very same device Pathtech supplies to every police jurisdiction across Australia for random, roadside drug screening.
We are able to supply saliva or urine based drug detection screening devices and breath alcohol breathalysers. We will work with you to understand your workplace and identify which device best suits your requirements.
| Method | Collection | Device | Detection Time | Detects | Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saliva | Involves collection of a sample of saliva from inside of the mouth using a swab or similar | Securetec DrugWipe | 8 mins | Amphetamines / methamphetamines, cannabis (THC), cocaine, opitates & benzodiazepines 6S only | As used by Australian police for roadside screening Requires only a small amount of saliva (wipe down the tongue) Ease of sample collection Overall reliability greater than 95% Ability to detect even small doses of cannabis |
| Urine | Involves an employee producing a urine sample into a sterile tamper proof container | Proscreen Urine Test Cups | 2 mins | Amphetamines / methamphetamines, cannabis (THC), cocaine, opitates & benzodiazepines 12 panel cup: as above plus oxycodone, barbiturates, propoxyphene, morphine, methadone, MDMA & buprenorphine | Simple and easy to use. Single step Built in specimen validity test to defeat specimen adulteration |
| Breath | Involves an employee exhaling into a hand held breathalyser | Intoximeter Breathalysers | < 1 min | Alcohol | Light and ergonomic Certified to Australian standards Over 70 years experience |
We also offer drug and alcohol starter kits which are ideal for workplaces looking to introduce drug and alcohol screening on a trial scale or for small to medium sized workplaces. Our starter kits include our most popular Intoximeter breathalyser and either saliva or urine based drug screening devices. View our range here.
We recommend saliva based devices as a preferred testing method to detect potential drug abuse at your workplace. Saliva drug testing can detect drug use anytime, from immediately after the most recent use to up to 24 hours after use. By comparison, urine cannot accurately determine if drug use was recent or days prior, therefore making saliva the best option to assess an individuals "fitness for work" or in post incident testing.
In addition, saliva testing is less intrusive than urine sampling and lessens the need for handling bodily fluids, while still delivering accurate and reliable results quickly.
Drug and Metabolites Detection Time Frames
| Saliva | Urine | |
|---|---|---|
| Meth / Amphetamines | Up to 24 hours | 2-4 days |
| Benzodiazepines | 6 hours | 3-8 days |
| Cocaine & Metabolites | Up to 15 hours | 2-3 days |
| Codeine & Morphine | 6 hours | 2-3 days |
| Cannabis / Marijuana (THC) | 6 hours | 10-30 days |
| Opiates | Up to 21 hours | 2-3 days |
For further information on saliva drug testing versus urine testing, read our article on the case for saliva drug testing.
When introducing workplace drug and alcohol testing, a key consideration is whether to conduct your testing "in-house" or whether to engage an outsourced testing provider. Managing your testing in-house is generally far cheaper than engaging a testing provider and allows you to retain control and test at your convenience. Perhaps of greatest benefit, managing your testing in-house provides a greater ability to scale up or down in you're testing with ease and be responsive and flexible in the event of a workplace incident. If you decide an in-house solution is the best option for your workplace, we can supply devices to you directly. Furthermore, we can assist in the development of a drug and alcohol policy and provide full product and testing training to ensure you are compliant with Australian Standards.
If you would prefer an outsourced solution, we also have relationships with preferred testing providers (who use Pathtech devices) right across Australia.
