Drug & Alcohol Testing in the Workplace
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Drug & Alcohol Testing in the Workplace

Why Workplace Drug & Alcohol Testing Matters

Workplace drug and alcohol testing helps identify workers who may be affected by alcohol or other drugs, reducing the risk of incidents and supporting a safer workplace. Depending on your workplace requirements, testing can be conducted using urine or oral fluid (saliva) and breath alcohol testing with all services performed in accordance with the relevant Australian Standards.

Initial on-site screening provides fast results, with any non-negative results sent to a NATA-accredited laboratory for confirmation. Whether you're implementing a workplace testing program or responding to a specific incident, professional testing provides reliable, defensible results you can act on with confidence.

What to Expect

From your first enquiry through to final reporting, we manage the entire testing process professionally, efficiently and with minimal disruption to your workplace.

1

We Confirm the Details

We'll confirm the testing required, the number of workers, your preferred testing method, site requirements and scheduling. Whether it's planned testing or an urgent request, we'll work with you to arrange a smooth testing process.

2

We Arrive at Your Site

Our purpose-built mobile testing vehicles travel across NSW, bringing professional drug and alcohol testing directly to your workplace. Our vehicle includes private facilities for urine testing, if required, ensuring privacy and maintaining chain of custody requirements.

3

Instant On-Site Results

Testing is carried out professionally, respectfully and in accordance with the relevant Australian Standards. Depending on your requirements, testing may include urine or oral fluid (saliva) and breath alcohol testing, with chain of custody maintained throughout the process.

4

Instant On-Site Results

Initial screening results for urine, oral fluid and breath alcohol testing are available on site within minutes. If a non-negative result is identified, we immediately notify your nominated workplace representative and follow chain of custody procedures.

5

Laboratory Confirmation

Any non-negative screening result is sent to our accredited laboratory for confirmatory testing. Most confirmation results are returned within 48 hours, providing accurate, legally defensible results you can rely on.

6

Reporting & Documentation

Once testing is complete, you'll receive a clear summary report for every individual tested. Where laboratory confirmation is required, a final report is issued as soon as results are available, providing confidential, audit-ready documentation to support your workplace policies and compliance requirements.

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Testing Types

A Testing Program Built Around Your Needs

We offer a wide range of testing types to match every situation your business might encounter — from proactive, scheduled programs through to immediate response testing when incidents occur.

Pre-Employment Testing

Screen candidates for substance use before they join your team or set foot on site. Pre-employment drug and alcohol testing helps you make informed hiring decisions and reduces the risk of bringing impairment-related risk into your workforce from day one.

Random Testing

Randomly selected testing of employees or contractors — conducted without prior notice — is one of the most effective deterrents against substance use in safety-critical workplaces. We manage the random selection process and arrive unannounced, maintaining the integrity and credibility of the program.

Blanket Testing

All employees and contractors on site or within your organisation are tested at the same time. Blanket testing is often used at the commencement of a major project, during site shutdowns, or in response to a specific safety concern — providing a complete picture of your workforce's compliance at a single point in time.

Post-Incident / Near Miss Testing

Testing conducted in the immediate aftermath of a workplace incident or near miss to determine whether substance impairment was a contributing factor. Speed and discretion are critical in these situations — we respond promptly and manage the process in a way that supports, rather than disrupts, your incident management procedures.

For-Cause / Suspicion Testing

When a supervisor or manager has reasonable grounds to suspect that an employee's behaviour, appearance, or performance may be affected by substance use, for-cause testing provides a formal and documentable response. Our technicians handle these situations with particular care for sensitivity and procedural correctness.

Return-to-Work Testing

Return-to-work testing supports employees returning to work following a previous non-negative result or as required under your workplace drug and alcohol policy. It helps employers manage the return-to-work process fairly while maintaining a safe workplace.

Scheduled / Policy-Based Testing

Many organisations operate drug and alcohol testing programs that run on a defined schedule or in line with a specific workplace D&A policy. We integrate seamlessly with your existing policy and schedule, providing a consistent, reliable service that supports your program over the long term.

Testing Methods We Use

Oral Fluid (Saliva) Testing

Our most widely used testing method. Oral fluid testing is quick, non-invasive and detects recent drug use, making it ideal for random, post-incident and for-cause workplace testing where current impairment is the primary concern. Conducted in accordance with AS/NZS 4760:2019.

Urine Testing

Offers a longer detection window than oral fluid testing, making it well suited to pre-employment and scheduled testing programs, or where your workplace policy specifically requires it. Conducted in accordance with AS/NZS 4308:2023.

Breath Alcohol Testing

Provides an immediate indication of breath alcohol concentration using calibrated breath alcohol testing equipment. Ideal for pre-start, random, post-incident and for-cause testing. Conducted in accordance with AS 3547.

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Why Us?

Why Choose Hayden Health & Safety for Drug & Alcohol Testing

NATA-Accredited Laboratory

All confirmatory testing is processed through our accredited lab, giving you results that are accurate, defensible, and legally reliable

Chain-of-Custody Protocols

Every sample is handled with rigorous chain-of-custody procedures from collection through to laboratory reporting

Private On-Site Facilities

Our flagship/larger van includes a private bathroom, ensuring urine testing can be conducted to standard without relying on your site's facilities

Discreet & Professional

Our team handles every testing scenario with sensitivity, whether it's a routine random program or a post-incident response

Rapid Turnaround

On-site screening results within minutes; laboratory confirmations typically within 48 hours

Flexible Across All Testing Types

From one-off post-incident response to year-round scheduled programs, we adapt to your needs

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Compliance & Regulations

Managing Workplace Impairment Risks

Under NSW workplace health and safety legislation, employers have a duty to eliminate or minimise risks to the health and safety of their workers. While drug and alcohol testing is not mandatory for every workplace, many organisations use it as part of their safety management system to help manage impairment risks, meet industry requirements and support a safe workplace.

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Standards & Regulations

  • AS/NZS 4308:2023 – Procedures for specimen collection and the detection and quantitation of drugs in urine
  • AS/NZS 4760:2019 – Procedures for specimen collection and the detection and quantitation of drugs in oral fluid
  • AS 3547 – Breath alcohol testing devices
  • NSW Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • NSW Work Health and Safety Regulation 2025
  • Industry-specific requirements where applicable (e.g. mining, rail, aviation and transport)

A Note on Workplace D&A Policy

A compliant drug and alcohol testing program begins with a well-drafted workplace drug and alcohol policy. If you don't yet have one — or yours needs updating — our team can advise on what a policy should cover and point you toward appropriate support. Testing without a policy in place can expose your business to legal risk; we'll help you get the foundations right.

We provide full documentation for every test conducted, and our chain-of-custody protocols ensure every result is audit-ready if needed.

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Need Drug & Alcohol Testing Supplies?

One Partner for Testing Services and Equipment

Whether you conduct all of your workplace testing through Hayden Health & Safety or manage some testing in-house, our sister company Fit For Purpose PPE can supply the equipment you need. We stock trusted Dräger drug screening kits, breath alcohol testing devices and workplace testing consumables, with expert advice to help you choose the right solution for your business.

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