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Why conduct drug testing in a Brisbane workplace?

Announcement posted by Integrity Sampling 01 Aug 2016

If you’re a Brisbane business owner or manager, why should you conduct drug testing in your workplace?
If you’re a Brisbane business owner or manager, why should you conduct drug testing in your workplace?

We can think of many good reasons why drug testing in a Brisbane workplace, or any workplace in Australia for that matter, is a business imperative, but if you’re only looking for one reason it’s simple: it may be the best way to protect your business.

Why? Because if one of your employees is involved in an accident in your workplace and is then proven to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, it can have a devastating impact on your business. For example, if the accident is a fatality the case will go to the Coroners Court, where you’ll be asked if your workplace has a drug an alcohol policy. You’ll also be asked to provide evidence of how you act on the policy and how you police it, including details about the drug testing carried out in your Brisbane business.

Hopefully you’ll be able to provide the answers the Coroner is looking for!

Drug testing in Brisbane workplaces a part of any good safety program

Conducting drug testing in your Brisbane business, and having drug and alcohol policies and procedures, is a vital part of any robust workplace safety program. Your policies and procedures should clearly detail the responsibilities of everyone in the workplace, what types of drug testing are carried out, the procedure for someone who is detected under the influence of drugs or alcohol, including disciplinary actions, and the support available for those needing help.

Apart from protecting your business, here are a few other key reasons why having a drug and alcohol policy and procedures, and acting on these policies and procedures, is vital:

• In some cases, your employees won’t be able to get onto a work-site if your company doesn’t have drug and alcohol policies and procedures. For example, building contractors covered by the Building Code and working on a site being developed using federal money must now have drug and alcohol policies and procedures.
• By having drug and alcohol policies and procedures, and educating your employees about the details, they’ll know what’s expected of them and understand the importance of being fit for work and not coming to work under the influence of drugs.
• If you don’t have a policy or procedures, how will you deal with an employee who you suspect is under the influence? How will you provide their infraction and what will be the consequences?

Integrity Sampling conducts drug testing in Brisbane, as well as the regional Queensland locations of Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton and Townsville. The company has more than 30 locations throughout Australia.

For more information about Integrity Sampling’s drug and alcohol testing services in Perth, see Integrity Sampling’s Brisbane page.