Industry News & Updates

In terms of compliance to a standard, ie AS/NZS 4760:2019 (which relates to the procedure for specimen collection and the detection of drugs in oral fluid) and AS3547:2019 (for electronic breath alcohol testing devices), there is a significant distinction between certification and verification.

The festive season can be a time to gather amongst family and friends and enjoy a few alcoholic beverages. It can also be very easy to over-indulge with flow on effects. For some, alcohol provides enjoyment and stress relief however for others, particularly around the holidays it can present a challange in avoiding consuming alcohol in quantities that put their health at risk.

Employers and employees have responsibilities in regard to fitness for work with a general duty of care to maintain a safe and healthy workplace and protect people at work from hazards. An employee needs to ensure their own health and safety at work.

Victorian medicinal cannabis users will no longer automatically lose their licence if caught driving with traces of the drug in their system. Instead, magistrates have been given the power to exercise sentencing discretion for drivers who test positive for the cannabinoid chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), if they hold a valid prescription for medicinal cannabis and are unimpaired while driving.

Data collection is playing a greater part in business today allowing companies to be more informed to make better decisions. Focusing spend in increasing efficiencies particularly with the collection of accurate data to strengthen integrity and confidentiality in alcohol and drug workplace testing is critical.

For breathalyser devices purchased prior to March 2021 and designed to the Australian standard current at that time (AS3547:1997), it may be worthwhile considering the benefits of the revised standard to see if it will improve your testing efficiences. Particularly with our new bundles recently released offering significant savings for our HH4 device.

In workplace drug testing, vaping can present unique challenges as it may impact the detection and interpretation of results, particularly in oral fluid testing. Vaping can introduce drug residues into the mouth and oral fluids, especially if the individual has recently vaped substances containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (from cannabis products) or synthetic cannabinoids, which can be detected in oral fluid.

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) has released its latest wastewater report, revealing a mixed picture of national drug consumption. Report 23 of the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program is based on data collected in April (capital cities & regional areas) and June 2024 (capital city sites only) to provide a comprehensive picture of Australia’s drug consumption habits.

Introducing the latest benchmark in workplace urine drug testing: AS/NZS 4308:2023. This new standard marks a significant departure from its predecessor, AS/NZS 4308:2008, bringing about key changes that have implications for your Workplace Drug Testing Program (urine).

This month we are proud to support a Charity Golf Day raising funds for Blood Cancer Research WA (BCRWA). Since inception in 2019, BCRWA has made over 139 clinical trials available to West Australians and treated over 1,000 patients. Our founder and director of Alcolizer Technology, Gary was a patient of theirs and knows what a difference they made to his life.

The Australian & New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4760:2019 procedure for specimen collection and the detection and quantification of drugs in oral fluid outlines the procedures for the collection of oral fluid, on-site drug testing, handling and dispatch of specimens to the laboratory and confirmatory testing.

Workforce Management solutions provide real-time visibility and automated performance management of key competency and operational information for employees. Solutions can log attendance, let you know exactly who is onsite and prevent non-compliant frontline workers from entering. They can ensure timecard precision for payroll calculations and offer a pro-active approach to managing site health and safety.