Drug and Alcohol Testing

AusHealth is Australia’s largest provider of drug and alcohol testing services.

Our 130+ trained collectors are resident in all seven states and territories, and on call 24/7. They conduct tests on and offsite, in all major cities and regional centres; they’re also experienced in meeting the challenges of testing in remote workplaces.

They carry out pre-employment testing, scheduled random testing, post-incident testing and return-to-work testing. Our collectors use accredited breath, saliva and urine tests for drugs and alcohol; we also have a resident Toxicology Team which can test hair samples to detect long-term substance abuse.

AusHealth’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Services

• Mandated regular drug and alcohol testing
  Industries such as mining, aviation, and transportation are legally required to maintain a drug and alcohol-free workplace. AusHealth’s Customer Service Team can arrange for a suite of services to meet your federally mandated obligations; drug and alcohol testing services typically include scheduling onsite testing, pre-employment testing and post-incident testing.
• Post-incident drug and alcohol testing
  AusHealth’s Customer Service Team (open 24/7) can have the nearest collection team dispatched immediately to your workplace or an incident location to conduct necessary drug and alcohol testing.
• Specialist testing to determine long-term substance misuse
  AusHealth’s Customer Service Team can arrange for specialist testing (including hair testing) using accredited laboratories. AusHealth also has an in-house team of toxicologists, led by Dr John Edwards.

We offer pre-employment, scheduled random, post-incident and return-to-work testing.

Testing can be provided onsite at your workplace and offsite on behalf of your workplace (for example, after an incident).

Our testing procedures are efficient and discreet; they meet Australian standards, using sampling methods that ensure comprehensive and accurate results.

Drug and Alcohol Testing Methods 

• Breath testing: Breathalysers are used to detect alcohol consumption; this method is non-invasive, with results available immediately.
• Saliva testing: Saliva tests are used to detect recent drug use. These tests are non-invasive, and same-day results are available.
• Urine testing: Urine tests are used to detect drug use over several days — even weeks — and can detect a range of illicit substances, including amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cocaine, opiates and THC.
• Hair testing: Hair testing is a drug testing method used to detect chronic or long-term substance use.

Results from breath, saliva and urine testing are available within minutes. Non-negative results and hair tests are sent to a lab for confirmation; results can take seven to 10 business days.

Our teams follow strict procedures to ensure accuracy, compliance, and confidentiality.

Video: The most common excuses for a drug test.

All tests are carried out by our trained collectors, ensuring accuracy, consistency and confidentiality.

We follow Australian Standards (ISO 9001/45001:2018), so you can be certain all testing meets quality standards and compliance.

Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Process

• Step one: Arrange for testing
  Call our Customer Service Team to discuss what sort of testing you require — onsite or offsite, scheduled testing or immediate post-incident testing.
• Step two: Collectors arrive at your workplace
  Approved devices are used to collect and test samples. Negative results are returned immediately; non-negative results are sent for further testing. All results are confirmed by a same-day email.
• Step three (if required): Laboratory screening
  All non-negative results are processed and screened within a NATA-compliant laboratory to confirm results; if further analysis is required, AusHealth’s in-house Toxicology Team is used to evaluate and investigate.
• Step four: Results
  Final results are provided to clients within 7-10 business days.

AusHealth offers flexible testing solutions, depending on your workplace needs. Common testing scenarios include:

• Pre-employment: Screening new hires before they join your team.
• Scheduled random testing: Selectively testing employees without prior notice.
• Post-incident testing: Conducted after workplace accidents.
• Return-to-work testing: For employees returning after a positive test.

Our experts can help tailor a testing schedule to suit your industry, company goals and safety policies.

Video: Our Toxicologists explain how long it takes for drugs to leave your system.

AusHealth is Australia’s largest provider of drug and alcohol testing.

We service public sector agencies and commercial businesses across the nation, working in all sectors, including mining, construction, transportation, logistics and government.

Whether your company is large or small, our collectors are ready to help your workplace stay safe and healthy.

Some of Our Drug and Alcohol Testing Clients… 

• ARTC
• Australian Federal Police (AFP)
• Central Adelaide Local Health Network (CALHN)
• Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)
• Department of Defence
• Department of Home Affairs
• Metro North Hospital and Health Service
• Metro South Health
• Northern Adelaide Local Health Network (NALHN)
• NSW Government
• ONRSR
• Pacific National
• SA Government
• Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN)
• TOLL IPEC
• VIC Government
• Virgin Australia

• Tailored solutions: Our Customer Service team can tailor a package of testing services to meet all your workplace safety requirements.
• Nationally accredited: We’re fully compliant with Australian Standards for drug and alcohol testing — which means you’re fully compliant with Australian Standards for drug and alcohol testing.
• We employ state and territory-based collectors: Our collectors are trained and ready to travel to your workplace to meet your testing needs.
• Comprehensive testing and on-the-spot results: We test for alcohol and a range of drugs with all results returned on the day of testing.
• Our in-house Toxicology Team ensures certainty for you and your workforce: Non-negative results are further processed for certainty; any disputed results are handled by our resident, fully qualified toxicologists.

Quality: ISO 9001/45001:2018 | Issued by TQCSI | Accreditation Number: AU801-SC

NATA Laboratory Accreditation: ISO/IEC 17025 | Accreditation Number: 15338 | Site Number: 16007

ASQA: Registered Training Organisation (RTO) Number: 40379

We offer a series of training courses dedicated to both drug and alcohol testing and workplace health and wellness.

Courses include:

• drug and alcohol testing (including proper process for sample collection)
• drug and alcohol awareness
• reasonable cause training
• combating fatigue
• mental health education

Many of our courses are offered online.

In-person training can also be arranged, conducted both on and offsite.

Learn more and book online courses

Policy Development: AusHealth can help you draft a Drug and Alcohol Standard Operating Procedure and Workplace Testing Policy to ensure you are fully compliant with state and federal legislation. Speak to our Customer Service team for more information.

Respiratory Mask Fitting: Ensure your employees have suitable respiratory protection with our respiratory fit testing. Speak to our Customer Service team to book a mask fitting appointment.

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia

How accurate are drug and alcohol tests?

Drug and alcohol tests are highly accurate when administered by qualified experts utilising certified instruments and lab confirmation in accordance with Australian regulations. When properly conducted, these tests must stand up to scrutiny by law enforcement, courts and companies. At AusHealth, we uphold these standards in every test we conduct— providing reliable, compliant and confidential testing services that support safer workplaces.

Do we need a workplace policy to conduct drug and alcohol tests in Queensland?

Yes, a workplace drug and alcohol policy is required before conducting tests in Queensland. It maintains legal compliance, establishes clear standards, and protects employers and employees. Testing without a policy might raise legal and ethical concerns. AusHealth can help you create or update your policy to satisfy Australian standards and workplace requirements.

What happens if one of our employees tests positive?

If an employee tests ‘positive’ — or more accurately ‘non-negative’ — the sample is forwarded by AusHealth to our laboratory partner for further testing. If the test is confirmed, the next actions will be determined by your company policy. Actions may include a warning, referral to support services, suspension or termination. All results must be kept confidential; AusHealth can help you navigate the procedure.

What’s the difference between saliva, urine and hair tests?

Basically, the tests differ in terms of what they can detect and the time it takes to get results. Due to its speed and non-invasiveness, saliva tests are appropriate for roadside or workplace detection of recent drug use (12–48 hours). Workplaces use urine tests for random or pre-employment screening to detect drug usage over the past several days. Hair tests can detect drug usage for 90+ days, making them ideal for court proceedings or long-term surveillance. AusHealth can help you determine which test is most suitable for your workplace.