Industry News & Updates

Can employers serve alcohol at workplace functions and still meet their WHS obligations? The answer is yes, but planning is essential. From setting expectations and promoting respectful behaviour to reviewing your Drug & Alcohol Policy and Procedure, this article explores practical steps for managing workplace risk at work-related events.

If an employee uses cocaine on the weekend and returns a positive workplace drug test days later, is it still a workplace issue? The answer often depends less on when the drug was consumed and more on your Drug & Alcohol Policy, Procedure, risk profile and fitness-for-work requirements.

Do you need a Drug & Alcohol Policy, a Procedure, or both? While WHS laws require organisations to manage workplace risks, they do not prescribe exactly how. This article explains the difference between policies and procedures, what each should contain, and how they work together to support safer workplaces.

From 30 June 2027, Alcolizer Technology will cease repairs and calibration services for handheld breathalysers operating under the AS 3547:1997 standard, including HH3, HH4 and LE5 instruments. Learn what this means for your workplace, key transition dates, upgrade benefits, and how to prepare well in advance.

Behind many of the recent headlines is a common thread – the impact of drugs and alcohol. Their effects on judgement, reaction time, and decision-making can have serious consequences for individuals, colleagues, and the broader community… If a serious incident occurred tomorrow, could you confidently demonstrate that your organisation took reasonable steps to manage the risk?

Drug and alcohol testing is standard practice across the mining industry, but is the technology behind your program delivering the efficiency, visibility and reliability today’s operations require? Discover how reviewing your testing equipment, systems and methodology can improve compliance, reduce administration, streamline workflows and support safer, more productive mining operations.

Australia recorded nearly 57,000 drug-related hospitalisations in 2023-24, a 10.5% increase on the previous year. With amphetamine and cocaine-related harms rising, organisations should review their drug and alcohol policies, training programs, and testing procedures to ensure they remain effective, compliant, and aligned with today’s evolving workplace risks..

Join us for a practical and informative webinar exploring the interpretation of workplace drug testing laboratory reports under AS/NZS 4308:2023 (Urine) and AS/NZS 4760:2019 (Oral Fluid). Participants will gain a better understanding of screening and confirmation testing, laboratory reporting terminology, cut-off concentrations, prescription medications and factors that may influence result interpretation.

The Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) recently released a safety message highlighting the importance of competency management and its role in reducing safety risks across rail operations.

While the guidance is directed at rail transport operators, the underlying principles apply equally to organisations operating in safety-critical environments, including mining, transport, construction, manufacturing and businesses managing workplace drug and alcohol testing programs.

Drug trends are changing faster than many workplace safety programs can keep pace with. Understanding emerging risks, adapting testing strategies, and maintaining effective policies are becoming essential for organisations committed to protecting their people, meeting compliance obligations, and creating safer workplaces.

Generating response Copilot said: From 1 December 2026, Queensland will introduce tougher drink and drug driving penalties, including higher fines, longer licence disqualifications and stricter consequences for repeat offenders. The changes highlight the importance of strong workplace drug and alcohol management. Alcolizer Technology supports organisations with testing, training, policy development, onsite services and toxicology expertise.

A Federal Court ruling on workplace drug and alcohol testing. Discover what the Opal Packaging case means for random testing, employee consultation, and effective AOD policy design.