Drug & Alcohol Testing

The Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 requires an employer to take all practicable steps to eliminate any hazard which may be present in the workplace, and prevent that hazard from causing harm to any employee.

The behaviour of one person and its likely effect on another person, is specifically included in the definition of hazard in the legislation.

A person under the influence of unlawful drugs or alcohol at work may be a hazard in the context of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and accordingly a drug/alcohol testing policy may be an appropriate hazard-management step.  The standard that controls the procedures for specimen collection and the detection and quantity of drugs of abuse in urine is the AS/NZS 4308:2008.

Types of drug/alcohol testing:

  • Pre-employment testing
  • Post incident testing
  • Reasonable cause testing
  • Random testing

Employers who wish to implement any type of drug testing regime should ensure appropriate policies and/or changes in employment agreements are made to notify employees that drug testing may occur.  Once policy is created and implemented, drug testing should clearly be for a health and safety purpose, on reasonable notice, and should occur with due regard to the employee’s rights.

Can TriEx undertake drug testing outside normal business hours?
TriEx business hours are 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday and appointments can be made at our office during this time. To allow for drug testing for the purposes of post incident or reasonable cause outside of normal business hours TriEx offers a 24 hour sample collection facility.

 

For further information please email info@triex.co.nz or phone 343 2997.