A workplace drug test result may look simple – but the systems behind it are anything but. From external proficiency testing to routine quality control checks, disciplined processes help ensure results remain accurate, consistent, and defensible. This article looks at how independently verified quality assurance supports compliance and confidence in workplace drug testing programs.

A Fair Work Commission ruling has ordered a transport employer to pay $34,904 in compensation after dismissing a truck driver over a positive cannabis test without proving workplace impairment or following fair process.

Many workplaces unknowingly weaken their drug and alcohol programs by mixing testing methods. When screening and confirmation don’t align, detection windows clash, results are misinterpreted, and real risks slip through. Learn why matrix consistency matters – and how fixing this blind spot strengthens safety, fairness, and defensibility.

A sharp rise in deaths linked to novel benzodiazepines has been labelled a major public health concern by UNSW Sydney researchers. These unregulated synthetic drugs mimic prescription benzos but are more potent and unpredictable. Since 2013, 258 fatal poisonings have been recorded, highlighting risks for health services, regulators and workplaces.

Psychological health is now a core part of workplace safety across Australia, with Victoria’s new 2025 regulations completing national alignment. Employers must identify and control psychosocial hazards with the same rigor as physical risks, prioritising higher order controls and demonstrating effective systems that protect worker wellbeing and prevent psychological harm.

Many organisations rely on drug and alcohol testing as a mitigating risk and safety tool — but new research shows that drug and alcohol testing alone can’t drive cultural change within an organisation. When workers fear punishment, they stay silent. That silence is exactly what allows risks to grow unchecked.

Severe flooding across South Australia and New South Wales has caused major disruptions to Australia’s rail and road freight networks, leading to delivery delays nationwide. With key rail lines closed and road access limited, transit times may extend over the coming weeks. We’re working closely with freight partners to minimise impacts.

Workplaces are strengthening their Drug & Alcohol programs, including how training is delivered and tracked. Our training team can provide SCORM‑ready training packages for organisations using an LMS – offering internal control, consistent content, detailed reporting, and easy integration. Customisable and scalable, SCORM brings our trusted training directly into your environment.

Roadside drug risk has surged – and the same substances detected on our roads are showing up in workplaces. With drug driving now outpacing drink driving employers can no longer treat these as separate issues. Road risk is workplace risk.

A THC result can mean two very different things: recent use of active Delta‑9 THC, or the presence of THC‑COOH, an inactive metabolite that lingers for weeks. Knowing the difference is critical to interpreting results accurately and making fair, defensible safety decisions.

Safety collapses the moment someone decides the rules don’t apply to them. The Natasha Jansen case shows how one avoided consequence can fuel the belief that risk won’t catch up. Recognise these quiet rationalisations before they become loud, costly incidents – and apply controls that don’t bend.

When a business owner discovered employees smoking cannabis in a company vehicle, drug testing revealed nearly the entire workforce was affected. Suddenly, he faced an impossible choice: uphold safety and risk losing staff, or look the other way. It’s a dilemma many employers confront.