News

Are Drug Driving Laws in Australia Unfair?

26 June, 2020

With the rise in illicit drug use, federal and state governments adopted drug driving laws to help keep impaired drivers off the road. The reasoning was that some drugs may inhibit people’s ability to make sound decisions while driving. But not everyone thinks that the legislation is actually doing its job.

New South Wales magistrate David Heilpern recently criticised current drug driving laws for being ‘grossly unfair’. Mr Heilpern stated that the laws don’t necessarily prevent impaired drivers from hitting the road. He said there isn’t enough evidence to prove that drug driving laws are working, unlike other similar legislation.

But is Mr Heilpern right? Are drug driving laws really ineffective at curbing impaired driving? Our Chief Toxicologist Dr Phil Tynan doesn’t think so.

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SW Labs granted full NATA Accreditation for COVID-19 testing

21 May, 2020

The question many of our clients have been asking is “does Safework Laboratories have the scope to test for COVID-19”? Over the past few weeks, our team in Western Australia have been working around the clock constructing a new laboratory, hiring new scientists, and applying for a brand-new NATA accreditation.

We are excited to announce that in this short time, NATA has granted SW Labs with a full accreditation enabling us to test for COVID-19. Testing has since initiated in Western Australia with much success.

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Drug use in Australia during COVID-19

15 May, 2020

The COVID-19 restrictions are impacting the lives of many Australians, including those engaged in illicit drug use.

With the government limiting the public’s movement, it’s a lot harder to buy drugs these days.

So what does this mean for drug abuse in the workplace? Can we really expect it to go down?

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General Drug Awareness and Reasonable Suspicion Training now available online

07 May, 2020

It goes without saying that regular drug awareness training is must for businesses to deliver guidance and instill values among their employees. Taking the current environment into consideration, Safework Laboratories is excited to announce that General Awareness and Reasonable Suspicion Training sessions can now be held online.

Our live sessions provides an interactive forum where students can ask questions and gain valuable insights into the effects of drugs and alcohol in the workplace. Kylie Kieseker, SWL’s National Training Manager, hosts these events.

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FAQ: Drug Testing at Work During COVID-19 Pandemic

26 March, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is proving to be one of the biggest public health challenges in recent history. The highly infectious disease has already spread to more than 190 countries and territories, infecting nearly half a million people and killing tens of thousands in its first three months.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has asked individuals and organisations alike to follow necessary precautions to help stop the further spread of the coronavirus.

SafeWork Laboratories is answering the call for preventive measures against COVID-19. We have taken steps to keep both our workers and clients safe from the dreaded disease. Learn more about SWL’s coronavirus strategies in our FAQ.

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Workplace Drug Testing During COVID-19 Crisis

24 March, 2020

SafeWork Laboratories has rigorous safety procedures in place to protect employees and clients from COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. In line with this, SWL has taken several measures to bolster our preparedness.

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New standard released for oral fluid (saliva) workplace drug testing in AUS & NZ – UPDATED

10 March, 2020

Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand have come out with new guidelines regarding the collection of samples for an oral fluid drug test. Designated as AS/NZS 4760:2019, the standard outlines several changes to the requirements for accredited screening for signs of drug abuse found in saliva specimens.

Read on to learn more about the new oral fluid standard. Find out how it is going to affect SafeWork Laboratories’ drug screening service for its clients.

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Can An Employee Refuse A Drug Test?

28 November, 2019

So your employee has refused a drug test. You are probably thinking — is this even possible?

You’ve seen the figures: employee drug and alcohol use costs Australian businesses $6 billion per year in lost productivity.

As an employer, you have every reason to perform drug and alcohol testing. This is true not just in high-risk industries such as construction, mining, transportation and aviation. But now your employee is refusing to take the drug test.

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