Drug and Alcohol Testing, Canberra & ACT

AusHealth operates nationwide as Australia’s leading provider of drug and alcohol testing services.

In the ACT, we deliver comprehensive testing solutions tailored to both urban and regional workplaces. Our expert collectors are locally based and available 24/7, ensuring fast, reliable service whenever and wherever it’s needed.

AusHealth’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Services:

• Mandated regular drug and alcohol testing
  Industries like aviation and transportation are legally required to uphold a drug- and alcohol-free workplace. AusHealth’s Customer Service Team can coordinate a comprehensive range of services to help you meet your federal compliance obligations. These typically include onsite testing, pre-employment screening and post-incident testing.
• Post-incident drug and alcohol testing
  AusHealth’s 24/7 Customer Service Team can promptly dispatch the nearest collection team to your ACT workplace or incident site to carry out essential drug and alcohol testing without delay.
• Specialist testing to determine long-term substance misuse
  AusHealth’s Customer Service Team can coordinate specialist testing services—including hair testing—through accredited laboratories. We also offer expert support from our in-house team of toxicologists, led by Dr John Edwards.

We provide a full range of testing services, including pre-employment, scheduled random, post-incident and return-to-work testing.

Testing can be conducted onsite at your workplace or offsite on your behalf—such as following a workplace incident.

Our procedures are efficient, discreet, and fully compliant with Australian Standards, using validated sampling methods to ensure accurate and reliable results.

Drug and Alcohol Testing Methods in the Australian Capital Territory:

• Breath testing: A quick and non-intrusive method to check for alcohol presence, delivering immediate results.
• Saliva testing: Ideal for identifying recent drug use, this method is simple and provides same-day results.
• Urine testing: Suitable for detecting a broader window of substance use, often revealing exposure over several days or weeks. Commonly identified substances include THC, opiates, benzodiazepines, amphetamines and cocaine.
• Hair testing: Used to identify patterns of long-term or habitual substance use over extended periods.

Most results from breath, saliva and urine testing are available within minutes. Any non-negative findings and all hair samples are sent to a laboratory for further analysis, with confirmation typically returned within seven to 10 business days.

We conduct all procedures with strict adherence to national standards, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality and regulatory compliance.

Video: The most common excuses for a drug test.

All testing in the ACT is conducted by our qualified and experienced collectors, ensuring accuracy, consistency and strict confidentiality at every stage.

AusHealth operates in line with Australian Standards (ISO 9001/45001:2018), guaranteeing that all testing meets national quality and compliance requirements.

ACT Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Process

• Step one: Arrange for testing
  Contact our 24/7 Customer Service Team to discuss your needs, whether you require onsite or offsite testing, scheduled testing or urgent post-incident testing.
• Step two: Collectors arrive at your workplace
  Our collectors arrive at your workplace or designated location with approved devices to carry out testing. Negative results are provided immediately; non-negative samples are sent for further laboratory analysis. A same-day email confirms all results.
• Step three (if required): Laboratory screening
  Non-negative samples are sent to a NATA-accredited laboratory for confirmation. If further evaluation is needed, AusHealth’s in-house Toxicology Team conducts advanced analysis.
• Step four: Results
  Confirmed results are delivered to clients within seven to 10 business days.

AusHealth provides flexible testing solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of workplaces in the ACT. Common testing scenarios include:

• Pre-employment: Screening prospective employees before they commence work.
• Scheduled random testing: Conducted without prior notice to help maintain a safe and compliant workplace.
• Post-incident testing: Performed following workplace accidents or safety breaches.
• Return-to-work testing: For employees returning after a previous non-negative result or substance-related leave.

Our team of experts can help design a customised testing program aligned with your industry requirements, organisational goals and workplace 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 ACT 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

• Nationally accredited: All testing is fully compliant with Australian Standards, ensuring your workplace meets regulatory obligations with confidence.
• Comprehensive testing and on-the-spot results: We test for alcohol and a wide range of drugs, delivering accurate results on the same day of testing.
• Tailored solutions: Our 24/7 Customer Service Team can customise a testing package to suit your workplace’s unique safety requirements and policies.
• Our in-house toxicology team ensures certainty for you and your workforce: Any non-negative results are processed through our in-house Toxicology Team, led by qualified professionals. Disputed outcomes are handled with scientific precision, giving you and your workforce clarity and assurance.
• We employ ACT-based collectors: Our trained ACT-based collectors are ready to travel to your site, providing prompt and professional testing services wherever needed.

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

Where in the ACT do you conduct drug and alcohol testing?

AusHealth provides drug and alcohol testing services throughout the ACT, including Canberra and surrounding regions. Our locally based collectors ensure fast response times and consistent service delivery across both urban and remote worksites.

How accurate are drug and alcohol tests?

When administered by trained professionals using certified equipment and laboratory confirmation, drug and alcohol tests are highly accurate and meet strict Australian regulatory standards. These standards ensure results are reliable and legally defensible. At AusHealth, we uphold these guidelines in every test we perform, delivering trusted, compliant and confidential results that help maintain safe workplaces in the ACT.

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

Yes, a clearly defined workplace drug and alcohol policy is required before testing can be carried out in the ACT. A policy ensures legal compliance, sets clear expectations for staff, and protects both employers and employees. Testing without a formal policy can lead to legal or ethical concerns. AusHealth can assist in developing or reviewing your policy to ensure it meets ACT regulations and Australian Standards.

What happens if one of our employees tests positive?

If an employee returns a ‘non-negative’ result, the sample is sent to our accredited laboratory for confirmatory testing. Once confirmed, your workplace policy will determine the next steps, which may include a formal warning, referral to support services, suspension or termination. All test results are handled with strict confidentiality, and our team can support you through the appropriate procedures and decision-making process.

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

Essentially, the tests differ in terms of the detection capabilities and the time required to obtain results. Saliva tests are suitable for the detection of recent drug use (12–48 hours) at the workplace or on the roadside due to their non-invasiveness and rapidity. In order to identify drug use over the past few days, workplaces implement urine tests for random or pre-employment screening. Hair tests are an excellent choice for long-term surveillance or court proceedings, as they can detect drug usage for a period of over 90 days. AusHealth can assist you in determining the most appropriate test for your workplace.

Across the ACT, AusHealth provides a range of support services to help businesses maintain compliance and promote workplace safety.

Respiratory Mask Fitting

Protect your workforce with our respiratory fit testing services, ensuring employees have properly fitted and effective respiratory protection.

Policy Development

Our experts can assist in drafting or updating your Drug and Alcohol Standard Operating Procedure and Workplace Testing Policy to ensure full compliance with ACT and Federal legislation.

Training

We offer comprehensive training programs covering drug and alcohol testing procedures, as well as health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Find out more about AusHealth’s services.

Drug and alcohol testing services for other locations

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