Your Policy and Products

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Current views on workplace drug and alcohol policies point to a range of initiatives that suit the individual needs of a particular business or industry site/model. Rather than a single-focus approach that templates out a drug and alcohol policy in a generic fashion, each specific industry or business requires the address of multiple factors that keep abreast of current research, views and legislative and legal issues relating to AOD’s and their impact on a workplace’s health and safety. Such an approach mitigates employer responsibilities in light of duty of care and allows for appropriate protection against potential litigation or culpability.

While this is true, the underpinnings of a multi-faceted approach must be founded on current guides and legalities that outline employers’ roles and responsibilities in a clear fashion. For example, employers must ensure “the health and welfare of all employees by providing:

• A safe workplace environment
• Safe work systems and procedures
• Information, instruction, training and supervision of all employees
• A process of consulting with employees, involving them in decisions and informing them of decisions that may affect their health and safety
• Processes for identifying hazards, assessing risks and elimination or control of risks
• Processes for regular review of risk control measures

The details of the actual machinations and implementation of these facets of the approach may be site specific, whilst the legislative guidelines and underpinnings remain fixed. The approach to drug and alcohol policy development links in with the need for a clear identification of hazards and risks, and the elimination and control of these risks. Constructive address of this may indeed involve drug testing. In short, “the decision to use alcohol and other drug testing should be made in consultation with employees, OHS representatives and union representatives. Agreement may be sought where a risk assessment has identified that there are risks involved in undertaking certain activities whilst under the influence of alcohol and other drugs.”

The mode of testing required will depend on site, site culture, remoteness, economic considerations, gender issues and a host of other factors. Portable testing products, on-site wall fitted units, oral saliva drug test or urinalysis testing are just a small selection of options and considerations that businesses, industry and work environments need to consider when modeling a drug testing program as part of an overall risk management strategy and OHS policy.

CMM Technology offers a range of testing products that can be adapted to individualized workplace AOD procedures and policies.

Alcohol testing products such as the hand-held Alcosense Precision Breathalyser, engineered with an electrochemical fuel cell that “can measure the concentration of alcohol exhaled from human breath precisely and accurately to three decimal points,” is a portable and cost-effective unit particularly suited to small business that may not require the overheads of a more advanced and stationary breathalyser model. It portability may also be favoured by law enforcement and the medical profession.

Alternatively, the Wall Mounted Breathalyser BTA-30-DAS-I is a high end model favoured in heavy industry where a rugged, fast and accurate mode of breath testing is required. The rapid throughput (with two tests per minute) allows for installation at site gates, therefore streamlining and minimising the intrusion of alcohol breath testing in a large-scale workplace or environment. This model requires no off-site recalibration, which leads to both time and cost savings for larger businesses and industries.

The Ethics of Urine Drug Testing

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While there is often debate surround the ethics of AOD testing, CMM Technology welcomes open discussion, viewing it as an opportunity to refine and define current practices and enter into accurate dialogue. This in turn leads to objective appraisal of drug and alcohol testing, and allows us to weigh up health and safety issues against oft-cited civil liberties and privacy issues and the accusation of potential for violations.

In “Drug Use and Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) Toni Makkai cites criticism in recent years that urinalysis testing is “dehumanizing, an infringement of civil rights, and may also undermine trust.”

But is this really the case?

And how is it justifiable for the inappropriate actions of one individual and their subsequent privacy rights to be placed ahead of the rights of all?  In essence, this is a jurisprudential and ethical issue that requires consideration and rectification.

The modern industrial and workplace climate is one of complexity, streamlining, heavy workloads and individual and team pressure and performance. And more than ever, industry and business is required to adhere to adequate legislative and statutory guidelines that encompass adequate duty of care and the ongoing occupational health and safety of the workplace. Even in areas where legislation does not exist in relation to drug and alcohol testing, the onus is still firmly on industry and business to deliver quality safety and security measures for its workplace community.

In 2006, Griffith University’s Professor Tim Prenzler’s presented new research focusing on the views of Senior Police in relation to urine and other drug testing. And, “while drug and alcohol testing programs had been used in a number of jurisdictions as a means of revealing and deterring police corruption, tests were being criticised as unethical, especially in terms of entrapment”. However, as is outlined in the study, new evidence and statistical research in fact showed “drug and alcohol testing received very strong support. Overall, the results showed willingness on the part of police leaders to embrace radical measures to combat corruption…and drug usage.” Therefore, when a thorough study was performed and presented – one that moved beyond the day to day hearsay of office and workplace commentary – use of urine drug test as an ethically viable means of detection received profound and consistent support from police employees and management.

Perhaps, as Prenzler’s study indicates, when push really comes to shove, we recognise the need to support and safeguard best practice procedures for the benefit of all.

CMM Technology offers groundbreaking urinalysis procedures and products for your business concern. These include adulterant testing kits as well as the revolutionary Medix Integrated Pro-Split Cup and Chain of Custody forms and Full Starter Kits. Contact CMM Technology for the best in testing products and procedures on 618-9204-2500.

Drug Focus – Cannabis

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 Most individuals have a clear understanding of pot, dope, hash or the familiar and colloquial terms used to describe marijuana. But how many are actually aware of the chemical make-up and the effects of this apparently “harmless” plant?  Is marijuana a congenial little green tree that should be welcomed onto balconies and into backyards across Australia, as is currently the case in the Australian Capital Territory, or is it more of a safety and health concern than originally thought?

According to the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre based in Rand wick, Sydney, “there are a range of health and social harms associated with cannabis use. In recent times there has also been a marked increase in presentations to specialist alcohol and other drug treatment services for problems associated with it.” Marijuana, with its the chemical compound THC (cannabinoid) that gives the “high,” is the most commonly used drug in our country, and over 600,000 Australians have smoked it or imbibed it in the past seven days. In addition, 49.5% of 20-29 year old have at some time, used the drug.

And of concern to industry and business is that 13.5% of the workforce has used cannabis at some point, with a greater proportion of trade’s people using cannabis than any other occupation. Both short and long term effects of the drug are known to impact workplace safety, team morale and appropriate decision-making. Significantly, the following side effects commonly associated with THC may pose an even increased risk in relation to heavy machinery and vehicular operations in areas such as mining, transport, aviation etc:

•              Short-term memory problems
•              Impaired thinking
•              Loss of balance and co-ordination
•              Decreased concentration
•              Changes in sensory perception
•               Impaired ability to perform complex tasks
•               Decreased alertness
•               Decreased reaction time. 

Pidd, in “Drugs and Alcohol Abuse and Testing of Workers for the Presence of Drugs and Alcohol,” states that “research evidence links hazardous and/or harmful use with negative outcomes for both individuals and work organisations…illness and injury, accidents, high absenteeism, prosecution under OHS legislation, risk of litigation, poor performance, bad publicity, low morale and low productivity.” 

In addition, long term effects include:

•                   Increased risk of respiratory disease including lung cancer
•                  Decreased memory and learning abilities
•                  Decreased motivation in areas such as study, work, concentration
•                  Possible exacerbation of mental health issues and psychosis

Drug Testing for THC in both urine and oral saliva specimens is now legislated for, and implemented in many industries throughout Australia. CMM Technology delivers accurate testing using the Oraline Saliva Drug Test which can identify bio-available drug traces that are still recent and “active” within the body. It also delivers urinalysis test products such as the Medix Integrated Pro-Split tests, which successfully identify leftover metabolites in the urine. These products are also accompanied by new testing processes for the increasingly problematic synthetic cannabinoid compounds – JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-250 (marketed in Australia under the brand name Kronic,) that are gaining popularity in certain sectors.