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Drug and Alcohol Testing, Darwin & NT

Keeping Northern Territory workplaces safe from drug and alcohol misuse.

About Drug and Alcohol Testing Services, Northern Territories

AusHealth operates across Australia. It is the nation’s largest provider of drug and alcohol testing services.

In the Northern Territory, we service all major urban centres, including Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine. We also understand the unique challenges of remote and regional workplaces, delivering reliable drug and alcohol testing services throughout the Territory’s vast and often hard-to-reach areas.

Our trained collectors are based locally across the Northern Territory and are available on call 24/7.

AusHealth’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Services:

Mandated regular drug and alcohol testing
Industries like mining, aviation and transport are bound by strict regulations to ensure their workplaces remain free from drugs and alcohol. AusHealth’s dedicated Customer Service Team works closely with businesses to deliver tailored solutions that meet these legal requirements. Our drug and alcohol testing services cover a range of needs, from onsite testing and pre-employment screenings to post-incident assessments, ensuring compliance and safety at every step.
Post-incident drug and alcohol testing
AusHealth’s Customer Service Team is available 24/7 and can quickly dispatch the nearest collection team to your workplace or incident site to carry out required drug and alcohol testing without delay.
Specialist testing to determine long-term substance misuse
AusHealth’s Customer Service Team can coordinate specialist testing, including hair analysis, through accredited laboratories. We also offer expert guidance from our in-house team of toxicologists, led by renowned toxicologist Dr John Edwards.

Drug and Alcohol Testing Methods

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

Testing can be carried out onsite at your workplace or offsite, such as following an incident, depending on your operational needs.

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

Drug and Alcohol Testing Methods in Northern Territories:

Breath testing: Breathalysers are a quick, non-invasive way to detect recent alcohol consumption, delivering immediate results; they are ideal for workplace safety in real time.
Saliva testing: Saliva tests are also non-invasive and are used to detect recent drug use. They provide reliable same-day results, making them suitable for onsite testing in both urban and remote NT locations.
Urine testing: Urine testing identifies drug use that may have occurred over several days or even weeks. This method can detect a wide range of substances, including benzodiazepines, amphetamines, 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 typically available within minutes. Non-negative results, along with all hair tests, are sent to a certified laboratory for confirmation. Laboratory results are generally returned within 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.

How Does Onsite Drug and Alcohol Testing Work?

All testing in the Northern Territory is conducted by our trained and accredited collectors, ensuring accuracy, consistency and complete confidentiality.

We operate in strict accordance with Australian Standards (ISO 9001 and ISO 45001:2018), so you can trust that every test meets the highest benchmarks for quality and compliance.

Norther Territories Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Process

Step one: Arrange for testing
Contact our 24/7 Customer Service Team to discuss your requirements — whether you need onsite or offsite testing, scheduled screenings, or immediate post-incident response, we’ll help you determine the best approach for your workplace in the Northern Territory.
Step two: Collectors arrive at your workplace
Our trained collectors arrive at your site with approved testing devices. Negative results are available on the spot, while non-negative results are sent for further analysis. A same-day email confirms all initial results.
Step three (if required): Laboratory screening
Non-negative samples are sent to a NATA-accredited laboratory for confirmation. If further investigation is needed, our in-house Toxicology Team, led by experts, conducts additional analysis.
Step four: Results
Final results are provided to clients within seven to 10 business days.

When Should You Conduct Workplace Drug Testing?

AusHealth provides flexible testing solutions tailored to the unique needs of workplaces across the Northern Territory. Common testing scenarios include:

Pre-employment: Screening prospective employees before they start work.
Scheduled random testing: Conducted without prior notice to help maintain a drug and alcohol-free workplace.
Post-incident testing: Administered following workplace accidents or safety breaches.
Return-to-work testing: For employees resuming duties after a previous positive result or absence.

Our specialists work closely with you to design a testing schedule that aligns with your industry requirements, business objectives and safety protocols.

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

Who Are Our Clients?

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

We support public sector agencies and commercial businesses across the country, serving key industries such as mining, construction, transportation, logistics and government.

No matter the size of your organisation, our Northern Territory-based collectors are ready to assist in keeping your workplace safe, compliant 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

Why Choose AusHealth For Your Drug and Alcohol Testing?

Comprehensive testing and on-the-spot results: We test for alcohol and a wide range of drugs, providing results on the same day wherever possible.
Tailored solutions: Our Customer Service Team can customise a testing package to meet your workplace safety requirements across the Northern Territory.
Our in-house Toxicology Team ensures certainty for you and your workforce: Our in-house Toxicology Team reviews all non-negative results to ensure accuracy. Disputed cases are carefully managed by our fully qualified toxicologists.
Nationally accredited: We comply fully with Australian Standards for drug and alcohol testing, giving you confidence that your workplace meets all regulatory requirements.
We employ NT-based collectors: Our trained collectors are based in the Northern Territory and ready to travel to your site — however remote — to deliver reliable testing services.

Our Accreditation

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

FAQs

Where in the Northern Territory do you conduct drug and alcohol testing?

AusHealth provides drug and alcohol testing across metropolitan and remote areas of the Northern Territory. Our collectors are locally based and travel to regional locations including Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek, as well as remote communities.

How accurate are drug and alcohol tests?

Providing tests are conducted by qualified professionals using certified equipment and confirmed by accredited laboratories in line with Australian regulations, drug and alcohol tests are highly accurate. At AusHealth, we maintain these rigorous standards to ensure all tests are reliable, legally defensible and confidential — supporting safer workplaces throughout the Northern Territory.

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

Yes, a clear workplace drug and alcohol policy is essential before any testing is carried out. It ensures legal compliance, sets expectations for employees, and protects both employers and workers. Conducting tests without an established policy can lead to legal and ethical issues. AusHealth can assist in developing or updating your policy to meet Australian and NT-specific requirements.

What happens if one of our employees tests positive?

If an employee returns a ‘positive’ or more precisely a ‘non-negative’ result, the sample is sent to our partner laboratory for confirmation. Once confirmed, your company’s policy will guide the next steps, which may include warnings, referrals to support services, suspension or termination. All results are handled confidentially, and AusHealth is here to help you manage the process smoothly and professionally.

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

The tests are basically different in what they can find and how long it takes to get answers. Saliva tests are quick and non-invasive, so they can be used on the side of the road or at work to find out if someone has used drugs in the last 12 to 48 hours. Employers use random or pre-employment urine tests to find out if someone has used drugs in the last few days. Hair tests are ideal for court cases or long-term tracking because they can find drug use for more than 90 days. AusHealth can help you figure out which test is best for your workplace.

Other Services Offered by AusHealth

Across the Northern Territory, we offer a range of additional services to help your business maintain compliance and promote workplace safety.

Training

We provide comprehensive training courses covering drug and alcohol testing procedures as well as health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Policy Development

AusHealth can assist in drafting your Drug and Alcohol Standard Operating Procedures and Workplace Testing Policies to ensure full compliance with Northern Territory and Australian legislation.

Respiratory Mask Fitting

Protect your employees by ensuring proper respiratory mask fit with our professional respiratory fit testing services.

Find out more about AusHealth’s services.

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