The constant need for companies to maintain adequate drug and alcohol policies has dramatically increased the need for more frequent workplace drug and alcohol testing. That is why providing accurate testing by having an individual with a drug and alcohol screening certification in the workplace is the best solution. The HLTPAT005 training course will give an individual sufficient experience and knowledge to collect drug and alcohol testing samples. In addition, with the help of devices like the workplace breathalysers from Breathalysers Australia, more efficient tests can be done by the certified individual. 

Drug and Alcohol Screening Certification: What is the HLTPAT005 Training Course?

The “HLTPAT005 – Collect specimens for drugs of abuse testing” is a nationally accredited drug and alcohol screening certification course. It is a comprehensive pathology-based training course. This course trains people in conducting drug and alcohol testing for workplace use. Moreover, it aims to provide procedures for ethical, legal, and safe drug and alcohol testing following Australian/ New Zealand Standards. Training in the HLTPAT005 would include urine, oral, and alcohol breath testing. Additionally, it also contains confirmation testing and chain of custody procedures classes.

This certification’s purpose is to help maintain the integrity and validity of the tests. The validity of the tests would be most useful when being used as evidence in court. Hence, it would prove to be quite helpful against a disgruntled employee who got fired for testing positive during screening. Preparing for collection procedures and effective specimen collection are other course outlines given during this drug and alcohol screening certification course.

Australian/ New Zealand Standards in accordance with the HLTPAT005 drug and alcohol screening certification course:

• AS/NZS 4308-2008 – Procedures for specimen collection and the detection and quantitation of drugs of abuse in urine
• AS/NZS 4760-2019 – Procedures for specimen collection and the detection and quantitation of drugs in oral fluid
• AS3547:2019 – Breath Alcohol Testing Devices for Personal and Workplace Use

Drug and Alcohol Screening Certification: How to become certified?

Many educational facilities and online websites in Australia offer the HLTPAT005 – Collect specimens for drugs of abuse testing course. However, be sure to check first if they are nationally accredited. Whether the training will be on-site or remote, finishing and passing the course should always yield a drug and alcohol screening certification. Moreover, ensure that the training course follows the OH&S requirements. Those requirements are what every drug and alcohol testing officer needs to have in order to hold a Statement of Attainment per the Australian Quality Training Framework under the definition of ‘Collector’ in the relevant Australian/ New Zealand Standards. Many training facilities have their own curriculum. However, ultimately they should have the same outcome. The standard course outline for the HLTPAT005 drug and alcohol screening certification course should include:

• Introduction
• Types of drugs (and their effects)
• Review of Australian/ New Zealand Standards
• Different kinds of drug testing methods
• How to arrange a drug test
• Types of drug testing equipment (urine drug test cups & oral fluid/ saliva drug tests)
• Confirmatory testing at the laboratory
• Requirements for chain-of-custody
• Importance of drug test integrity
• Conducting a urine drug test
• Conducting an oral fluid/ saliva drug test
• Basics of using a breathalyser
• Performing and recording a breath alcohol test

Drug and Alcohol Screening Certification: More Learning

Aside from the technical aspects of the HLTPAT005 drug and alcohol screening certification course, collectors should also know the proper testing practices. The course should include procedures for certain testing etiquette as a sample collector. For example, these could include:

• Outlining collector and the employee roles and responsibilities
• Detailing the best practices of principles to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of employees
• Ethical, fair, legal, and safe practices (including race, gender and cultural sensitivity)
• How to plan and conduct appropriate drug and alcohol testing guidelines
• Ensuring compliant communication regarding testing guidelines and outcomes
• Responding effectively to testing outcomes, primarily when a positive test result occurs
• How to provide drug and alcohol testing in remote locations
• How to deal with employees refusing to undergo drug and alcohol testing
• Outlining information and record-keeping requirements

What happens after the HLTPAT005 training course?

After the courses and training, the trainee must undergo an assessment test to acquire the drug and alcohol screening certification. To earn the certification, one must meet specific conditions; some of these conditions include knowing what suitable equipment, resources, and facilities to use for client interaction assessment and sample problem/error solving. In addition, it is industry standard that those who hold this certification should complete a refresher training course every two years.

BACtrack Workplace Breathalysers at Breathalysers Australia for Alcohol Breath Testing

To complement the training from the HLTPAT005 drug and alcohol screening certification course, having efficient equipment would prove helpful. Devices like the BACtrack workplace breathalysers at Breathalysers Australia would be the most beneficial option because they can identify alcohol usage with police-grade accuracy. Trained and certified sample collectors with accurate and effective breathalysers would help establish more frequent alcohol breath tests within the workplace. Moreover, BACtrack breathalysers use an advanced fuel cell sensor technology. This sensor only detects ethyl alcohol in breath samples, making sure to yield the most negligible chances of ‘false-positive’ results.

Individuals with the HLTPAT005 drug and alcohol screening certification would find the BACtrack workplace breathalysers most reliable. These devices have a one-button operation feature, making them quick and easy to use. Furthermore, these breathalysers can process Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) results within 10 to 15 seconds. This feature makes back-to-back alcohol breath testing in the workplace very plausible. It will be most beneficial for companies that require high-volume alcohol breath testing. Additionally, safety-critical industries that require a zero-alcohol policy can make good use of BACtrack breathalysers at Breathalysers Australia. It is because of professional-grade accuracy that these devices have.

Conclusion

With more and more devices like the BACtrack workplace breathalysers and the availability of drug and alcohol screening certification courses, maintaining and improving office safety for companies has never been easier. Companies can now cut costs by hiring an individual with an HLTPAT005 drug and alcohol certification instead of calling upon mobile testing units now and then for random drug tests and suspicious employees. Moreover, conducting alcohol breath testing is now more cost-effective and less time-consuming with the help of BACtrack workplace breathalysers at Breathalysers Australia. Frequent and reliable tests within the company may also help their employees keep and maintain a healthier and safer lifestyle. Thus, decreasing the chances of substance or alcohol usage before, during or after work.

In conclusion, companies investing in a sample collector with an accredited drug and alcohol screening certification and BACtrack workplace breathalysers at Breathalysers Australia ensure the validity of any workplace testing requirements.