Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing with a Difference
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ONE INCIDENT COULD RUIN YOUR BUSINESS FOREVER!

Drug and Alcohol Testing at the Workplace

An employees’ drug taking choices could be jeopardising your business and compromising the safety of those who work in it.

Employers are legally bound to provide a safe workplace.

WHS legislation states that employers are to “secure the health and safety of workers and workplaces through the elimination or minimisation of risks” and “workers and others are to be given the highest level of protection from hazards and risks”.

Failure to do so compromises the safety of your workers and leaves company owners and directors exposed to the risk of litigation and losing
everything they have worked hard for.

As Australia’s Drug Epidemic worsens the chances of a drug or alcohol related incident occurring at your work site are increasing.

Facts About Alcohol and Other Drugs in the Community

As a company at the forefront of alcohol and other drug (AOD) solutions in the workplace, Drug-Safe Australia has always sought to create better understanding of the issues around substance abuse within our unique and treasured Australian society. Some of the more startling statistics we’ve discovered include…

1

facts-1Almost 70% of Australian illegal drug users are employed.

2

facts-2 Lost productivity due to alcohol and other drug abuse has been estimated to cost employers in Australia $16 billion annually.

3

facts-3 Alcohol is the second greatest cause of drug-related hospitalisations in Australia.

4

facts-4About six million Australians aged 14 years and over have used an illegal drug.

5

facts-5 The most commonly used drugs, in descending order are: cannabis, ecstasy, methamphetamine/amphetamine, and painkillers/analgesics. However, the use of “ICE” or methamphetamine is increasing dramatically with the result of destroying families and young lives. It is a catalyst for violence and extremely difficult to end addiction.

6

facts-6 Methadone is a synthetic heroin. Methadone users are not cured heroin users but maintaining a highly dependent addiction through a controlled programme.

7

facts-7 80% of heroin users who wish to end their addiction and go through a detox programme will relapse. Successful heroin detox is approximately 20%.

8

facts-8 According to Workcover statistics, in serious workplace accidents where alcohol or other drugs are present, 80% of the injured are non-users.

9

facts-9 26% of Australian psychiatric patients have a dependency on marijuana.

10

facts-1080% of the crime committed in Australia is drug related.

11

fact-11 Mixing marijuana with alcohol increases the risk of having an accident from 3 to 48 times.

12

fact-12Two out of three drug users will find it difficult to abstain for a whole day and will ‘top-up’ at work.

All It Takes Is One Alcohol Or Drug-Related Incident At Work To Experience…

Drug Accident

  • Injuries to workers, contractors, customers or the public
  • SafeWork & Work Cover investigations and penalties
  • Damaged vehicles, equipment and machinery
  • A drop in staff morale
  • Valued employees leaving the business
  • Reduced productivity and profitability
  • Customers losing trust in you
  • Your hard earned reputation being destroyed

Can You Afford The Risk?!

Why Drug-Safe And
Not Drug-Free?

The reality of 21st Century society is that it is an impossible dream to focus upon a Drug-Free Community. So, trying to create a 100% drug-free workplace is a pointless goal when many people require medication or prescribed drugs to lead a normal, productive and pain-free life.

The drugs in the Australian Standards for testing, and alcohol, are ones that are known to effect a person’s behaviour and fitness for duty. Through education and training programmes we are able to demonstrate why taking these drugs is not acceptable either at work, in sport, at school or generally within the social fabric of the Community.

Our Complete Drug-Safe Solution has been proven over and over…

Our innovative approach gives your workplace, sports facility of Community a comprehensive solution and includes

  • policy development,
  • educational workshops,
  • certified training course,
  • products for testing,
  • on site screening in house or in our mobile clinics
  • Comprehensive testing and results analysis.

We pride ourselves on having the experience and knowledge to manage the launch period and subsequent testing stage so that objections are professionally handled with minimal problems or objections.

Latest Articles

What should I do if I suspect an employee is taking drugs?

Employees who take drugs come with great risks. Whether they take it during work hours or off-hours is not the issue here. If an employee is taking drugs, acting fast could save lives.

The fact is that drug use in any form poses significant problems to your employees, clients, civilians, and your workplace and business. 

It is not the type of work environment you want to maintain. Employees who take drugs almost always bring down other people with them. There are financial and social costs associated with biding your time before addressing the issue. 

If you suspect an employee is taking drugs, what do you do? When can you drug or alcohol test an employee? Well, it involves many steps. 

 Read More

Drug Abuse in Western Sydney

An incident early this year shows us how illicit drugs can influence a user’s thought process and actions. 

Matthew Branagan, a well-known creative professional, was convicted of sexual assault. He had climbed into a window and forced himself on a sleeping woman. 

Mr. Branagan blamed his actions on his cocaine habit. 

 Read More

Top 7 Mistakes Employers Make When Testing For Alcohol and Drugs

Having a workplace drug-testing program fosters a healthy work environment and keeps your employees safe and productive. However, employees can make many drug testing mistakes, since this is such a sensitive area. The consequences can be expensive and potentially fatal for both people and the company. 

Here are the top 7 mistakes employers make when testing for alcohol and drugs. 

 Read More

What Should I Do if I Suspect a Colleague is Using Drugs?

So you noticed that a colleague at work had been acting rather oddly the past week.

First, you see him just staring blankly into space while sitting at his desk. Then, as you passed by each other on your way to the water cooler, you notice that your co-worker’s eyes are bloodshot and glazed. Later, as he handed you some documents, you couldn’t help but notice that he keeps on wearing long-sleeved shirts even when the weather is hot. With everything you’ve observed, you are beginning to suspect your work colleague is using drugs.

If you suspect that a colleague is taking drugs, you cannot just ignore it and hope it will pass. Especially if that colleague also happens to be a friend. Just consider the impact drugs can have on your colleague, their family, your employer/company and your other co-workers.

 Read More

Alcohol and its Effects on the Australian Workforce

Alcohol and its consumption has a sizable impact on the Australian workforce. Employed Australians are more likely to drink alcohol than those who do not belong to the workforce.

In a study conducted by the National Alcohol and Drug and Knowledgebase (NADK), alcohol has been linked to a variety of negative outcomes at work.

 Read More

The 6 Essentials of a Workplace Drug and Alcohol Policy

As an employer, you may be unsure about what to include in your workplace drug and alcohol policy. Rightly so, as there is no one size fits all.

As with any workplace policy, crafting a comprehensive policy regarding the use of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) requires collaboration with your HR employees and, if possible, a professional that specialises in risk assessment. 

 Read More

Drug Safe Workplace

Create a Drug Safe Workplace

Together we can minimise risks, increase safety and establish a positive and productive workplace.

With almost two decades of industry experience, Drug-Safe Workplaces is proud of having the professionalism, outstanding quality and client confidentiality to give you real peace of mind.

Workplace Drug Testing Across Australia

Drug safe workplaces area map

Whether you are in a capital city or in the remote parts of Australia. With our fleet of mobile drug testing units and locations across Australia, we can cover most of the continent.

  • Discrete
  • Professional
  • Fast
  • Cost-Effective
  • Comprehensive

Find your nearest provider

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