Drug and alcohol screening improves workplace safety as the use of alcohol and recreational drugs can present a hazard in the workplace. In addition, drug and alcohol screening is a statutory requirement in some industries.
Jobfit aims to assist and support employers maintain a safe workplace by providing drug screening and alcohol screening in a sensitive and professional manner.
Our drug and alcohol screening services cover pre-employment, random or for cause, and extends to instant or laboratory dependent on your requirements.
drug and Alcohol Screening Services Tailored to Specific Requirements
- Urinary drug screening to Australian Standard AS/NZS 4308:2008
- Oral fluid drug screening to Australian Standard AS/NZS 4760:2019
- Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) certified urine and oral fluid collection
- Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GCMS) confirmatory testing by a certified laboratory of non-negative instant results
Gas Chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) Confirmatory Testing
To clarify, the Australian drug screening standards state:
“Where on-site testing is utilised for screening test, specimens with results equal to, or greater than cut-off concentrations shall be subjected to confirmatory testing. A confirmatory test shall be performed on such specimens before a final result is issued.”
The following information is provided as an explanation of the different results and why GCMS confirmation testing is a MUST.
Negative Test
No drugs and/or alcohol was detected in the provided sample
Non-negative Test
An instant test when a drug metabolite is detected in an initial test. This does not confirm that drugs are definitely detected. Compliance with the Australian Standard requires that a non-negative drug test must be sent for confirmation testing within a NATA accredited laboratory to confirm the presence of drugs within the specimen
Positive Test
A positive drug result can only come from a report provided by a laboratory. Most importantly, please note that a positive test may not mean the use of illicit drugs as medications including painkillers and sleeping tablets can return positive drug test results. As a result, the report will comment that the drug use is consistent with foodstuffs and/or declared medication. It is recommended for those workplaces that are inexperienced in interpreting drug results to consider the use of an Occupational Medical Doctor or Medical Review Officer (MRO) to review the results and provide advice.
Confirmation Testing
Non-negative results require a sample to be sent for confirmation (GCMS/LCMS) testing in a NATA accredited laboratory. That is to say, the confirmatory testing can determine drug concentration levels and if the result may be consistent with medications, foodstuffs or illicit drug use.
The original instant urine sample can usually be divided up and sent for testing. Furthermore, saliva confirmation testing requires a second saliva sample to be sent to the laboratory. What’s more, the second sample is collected immediately after the instant test result is available.
For more information about drug and alcohol screening, please contact us.
