Here at Integrity Sampling, drug and alcohol testing is what we do. We’re experts at it and we’re passionate about it!
However, we understand that not everyone is like us. Whether you have just started implementing workplace drug and alcohol testing or you’ve been conducting testing for several years, some of the jargon can be confusing. This is particularly the case when you receive reports from the laboratory after a non-negative test.
To hopefully clear up some of the confusion, we’ve produced this in-depth look at what some of the jargon means. Knowing the jargon and what it means will you help to interpret a laboratory report.
Workplace drug and alcohol testing jargon
Negative test:
No drugs or alcohol was identified in the provided sample.
Non-negative drug test:
The initial testing in the workplace indicates there is a drug or drugs in the sample, but it doesn’t conclusively confirm the presence of drugs (see below).
Positive alcohol test:
Where an initial test with a breathalyser indicates a blood alcohol level above your workplace’s policy level (e.g. this could be over 0.00% for a zero-tolerance workplace, or over 0.05% for others), a secondary breathalyser test will be conducted after a short period. If the second test indicates a reading above the policy level, the test is considered positive.
Positive drug test:
Once an initial drug test indicates the presence of drugs, it is not considered conclusive. A non-negative drug test sample must be sent to a NATA accredited laboratory for confirmation testing and analysis. This process validates the existence of drugs in the specimen.
A positive drug result is only ascertained through a report from a laboratory. It’s essential to recognise that a positive test doesn’t necessarily indicate illicit drug use, as certain medications like painkillers and sleeping tablets can yield positive drug test results. In such cases, the report will specify that the drug use aligns with prescribed medication and/or foodstuffs.
Confirmation testing:
Confirmation testing is simply the process that takes place after the initial non-negative drug test. A sample is sent to an independent laboratory for confirmation testing. Confirmatory testing not only determines drug concentration levels but also assesses whether the outcome aligns with medications and/or foodstuffs.
Other points to consider when interpreting laboratory reports for drug testing
- Integrity Sampling protects privacy by not identifying the employer or the employee on the Chain of Custody (COC) report to protect the person whose samples was tested. The COC record number is used instead for identification purposes.
- If you’ve sent a non-negative drug test sample to the laboratory for testing and the lab report comes back as negative, it can be confusing. This is not entirely unusual, however, as lab results are far more accurate.
- Additionally, sometimes occasionally a drug will be detected but it’s below the threshold or cut-off level. This is still considered a negative result. This can be particularly the case for prescribed medications and/or foodstuffs.
- You may see terms like ng/ML on the laboratory report, next to the various substances that are tested. This simply stands for nanograms per millilitre.
- The laboratory report will include a list of substances that the sample was tested for and whether they were positive (greater than) or negative (less than). It may also include notes to explain the test results.
- The greater or lesser symbol followed by the number is in strict compliance to the Australian Standards that the laboratory is bound by.
- NATA laboratories are totally independent, which removes any perception of bias in relation to the test results. This is important if the test result leads to any court or tribunal matter.
If you’re unsure about anything on a laboratory report or have issues interpreting drug results, contact Integrity Sampling for guidance.
If there’s something we can’t help with, our Medical Review Office can provide specialist medical help. OHS MED, an independently owned and managed Medical Review Office (MRO), is the MRO recommended by Integrity Sampling. Dr. Sarah Moss, the proprietor, specialises in providing Medical Review Office services, with a specific focus on effectively managing drug and alcohol-related matters.
It’s important to note that while laboratory reports will tell you what drugs the sample was tested for and what drugs were found in the sample, they can’t provide background information. They can’t, for example, tell you how the drug got in the person’s sample, how much they took, what time the drug was taken or whether the person has a substance abuse issue.
The report also won’t tell you what action you should take. That will depend on your workplace drug and alcohol policy.
FEATURED IMAGE CAPTION:
How do you interpret a laboratory report for drug testing? It can be confusing, so here is Integrity Sampling’s in-depth look. Credit Julia Koblitz https://unsplash.com/photos/person-holding-orange-and-white-toothbrush-RlOAwXt2fEA
An example of the drugs that a laboratory will test for, with an indication of the cut-off levels and windows of detection.
