It wasn’t long ago when most of us were occasionally subjected to a swab down the throat and nose for a COVID-19 PCR test. Certainly not painful, but it could be annoying. So, is having saliva drug testing conducted similar?
As you may know, Integrity Sampling recommends saliva drug testing for all its workplace tests. It’s quick, accurate, reliable and is the best method to determine if someone is fit and safe to be at work.
If you’ve never had a saliva drug test – in the workplace or on the roadside – what’s involved? Is it as annoying as a PCR test?
How is workplace drug testing conducted using saliva?
Firstly, the good news is that saliva drug testing is not painful or annoying. In fact, compared to urine drug testing most people would agree that it’s far less intrusive and convenient.
Here is how Integrity Sampling conducts its workplace drug testing, using saliva samples:
- To collect a saliva sample, a test kit which includes an absorbent collector and a test cassette is used.
- The person being tested places the absorbent collector in their mouth and rubs it under their tongue and around their gums for around one minute. An indicator shows when enough saliva has been collected.
- The test cassette is then placed in an analysing unit and the sample tested for specific drugs. The unit will report on up to six classes of substances simultaneously: cocaine, opiates, amphetamines (speed), methamphetamines (ecstasy/MDMA), oxycodone and cannabis (THC).
The entire workplace drug testing process takes around five minutes to complete. And we’re sure you’ll agree, for the person being tested it’s simple and non-intrusive. Certainly less annoying than a PCR test!
Drager Drug Testing Equipment
Cost versus accuracy is also a decision to be made for most companies. As with most things in life, the less you pay, the less reliable a device will be.
Low-cost screening kits are okay for ticking the “We test for drugs” box, but in the event of workplace random, incident or reasonable suspicion, the Police-grade Dräger Drug & Alcohol Testing Devices are verified to be compliant with the AS/NZS 4760/2019 standards and offer a far more sensitive measurement process.
In any instance, workplace drug and alcohol testing by a qualified Integrity Sampling technician can provide an on-the-spot screening report with any non-negative result backed up with a lab analysis to confirm precisely what is present.
Workplace Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy
A robust company drug and alcohol policy should give you the confidence to know that staff members are aware of the effects alcohol or drugs can have, prescribed or otherwise. It’s also essential that those administering the policy are confident that workplace testing procedures are followed to ensure workplace health and safety compliance.
Whether you are in the early stages of implementing a policy or require a refresher of an existing policy, our NATA accredited onsite testing managers will ensure that you can effectively test employees, contractors and visitors for alcohol and drugs in the workplace – and know how to deal with the consequences.
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Workplace drug testing using saliva samples is non-intrusive, quick, accurate and reliable.
