Alcohol and drug use can present serious health consequences and safety risks. It also accounts for many workplace accidents, costing millions of dollars every year. For that reason, more companies are implementing a workplace program to help manage preventable hazards. Therefore, maintaining a safe environment is vital in ensuring the general welfare of the employees. One of the effective measures for managing risks is executing a consistent drug test with alcohol breath testing. The employer can carry out drug and alcohol tests through a workplace policy. The policy establishes the guidelines for workplace testing that can benefit employers and employees. In addition, workplace programs have great potential to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and other drugs.
Alcohol intoxication can present multiple risks in the workplace. Firstly, a high alcohol level can lead to impairments in the senses, judgment, and motor skills necessary to carry out specific tasks. Likewise, intoxication causes lack of concentration, slow reflexes, and poor coordination when operating heavy equipment. Thus, mining, transport, logistics, construction, and manufacturing industries enforce a zero-tolerance policy on alcohol and drugs. Therefore, high-risk industries consider any alcohol level unsafe for work. Workplaces manage hazards by conducting a regular drug test with alcohol breath tests. It can identify substance use and protect employees. In addition, other industries also adopt workplace policies to help prevent accidents from happening and lower their annual costs.
Kinds of Drug Test with Alcohol Breath Test
The employer may screen the workplace for drugs and alcohol use through several methods. An independent, accredited laboratory can perform workplace testing upon the employer’s request. In particular, the testing facilities in Australia conforms to international standards to ensure the accuracy and validity of the test results. Specifically, a drug test with alcohol breath testing takes a specimen sample for examination. They analyse the samples to get the actual quantity of drugs and alcohol consumed. Additionally, different drug types stay in the system for specific periods until the body completely metabolises them. The common methods for a drug and alcohol test are:
Drug tests with Alcohol Breath Tests in the Workplace
A drug test with alcohol breath testing helps secure the workplace and the general welfare of employees. A breath test is the most efficient way to detect alcohol use. Alcohol screening uses a breathalyser device to estimate a person’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). In particular, the BAC indicates the intoxication level or degree of impairment. So, the more you consume alcohol, the higher your BAC is. It is also the standard unit used by law enforcement in roadside inspections. For instance, if you have a 0.05% BAC or higher while driving, you are subject to criminal charges and penalties. Workplaces in high-risk industries do not allow employees to work with BAC results more than 0.00%.
Employers can use a BACtrack workplace breathalyser to detect alcohol use efficiently. Testing centres facilitating a drug test with alcohol breath testing use a breathalyser with fuel cell sensor technology. In particular, fuel cell breathalysers are the industry’s standards for alcohol detection. They undergo an electrochemical process to oxidise alcohol in the breath sample. Subsequently, the chemical reaction produces small electrical currents relative to the amount of alcohol in the breath. The number of currents generated is converted into BAC. The BACtrack breathalysers from Breathalysers Australia process the breath sample and deliver the results in 10 to 15 seconds. Furthermore, the BACtrack breathalysers retain their consistency despite high-volume tests, making them ideal for workplace settings.
Applications of Workplace Testings
The employer conducts a drug test with alcohol breath testing to monitor the employees’ health status. Regular testing can deter substance use and reduce the potential harm of drugs and alcohol. However, administering a drug and alcohol test needs a careful approach. Thus, companies can use comprehensive workplace policies as guidelines when conducting these tests. The policies include the parameters of the test, the objective, regulations, types of tests methods, substances to be tested for, and how the company will use the test results. The workplace may enact a drug and alcohol test through the following instances:
- Pre-employment – Employers require a pre-employment test as part of hiring decisions. A successful application depends on the final results of the drug test with alcohol.
- Post-incident – A drug test can determine if substance impairment contributed to the accident.
- For-cause or targeted testing – Suspected alcohol or illicit substances use that may harm others at work. There must be justifiable reasons for conducting a test under strict guidelines.
- Post-treatment – After completing a rehabilitation program, employees must pass a drug and alcohol test to be fit for work.
- Random – Unannounced tests to identify employees with substance use disorder.
Drug Tests with Alcohol Tests and their Impacts
Companies with a running workplace policy report a significant reduction in accidents and injuries. Firstly, a drug test with alcohol breath testing can help prevent the employer from hiring the wrong person. Pre-employment testing can determine if the job applicant has high-risk behaviour that may affect the safety of the workplace. Secondly, it can help deter alcohol and substance use and promote healthier practices. Employees make better decisions to when they know their safety is a priority. In addition, lower accident rates lead to lower overall costs and decreased liabilities. Effective drug and alcohol tests can also improve productivity, reduces absenteeism and turnover rates, and boost employee morale. Moreover, employees can perform better in a safe and healthy environment.
Workplace Safety through BACtrack breathalyzers
Alcohol consumption is acceptable in moderate amounts. However, it poses risks to health and safety in higher doses. Therefore, understanding alcohol consumption is vital to an organisation’s risk and hazard reduction efforts. You can ensure safety through a drug test with alcohol breath testing. The early detection of substance use or impairment can lessen the harmful impact on the health and security of the workplace and the general public. In line with this, a workplace breathalyser from Breathalysers Australia is a cost-efficient tool to manage safety hazards. The BACtrack breathalysers can provide accurate and reliable alcohol breath tests to many individuals and companies nationwide.
The workplace breathalysers from Breathalysers Australia have FDA and DOT approval for an effective alcohol breath screening. Each alcohol testers from Breathalysers Australia undergo rigorous testing methods to ensure quality and reliability. Thus, you can ensure accuracy with each alcohol breath test. In addition, the fuel cell breathalysers of BACtrack is the same technology that police officers use in roadside inspections. Moreover, a workplace drug test with alcohol breath testing can be more efficient with a workplace breathalyser. In particular, BACtrack devices have one-button operations that lets you administer a breath test quickly and easily. You can choose from a wide range of alcohol testers for workplace BAC monitoring at Breathalysers Australia.
