Hiring the right person for the job is vital to an organisation’s success. Apart from the skills and knowledge the new hire would bring, their behaviour and health are also necessary. Employers need to know if the job candidate meets the specific requirements to perform the tasks well. One of the prerequisites in the screening process is the pre-employment medical tests to evaluate the person’s overall health status. It includes complete medical examination, medical history, hearing test, vision acuity, blood pressure and pulse check. Employers also require the job candidates to undergo specific pre employment testing in NZ, such as urine drug tests and alcohol breath tests.

Reason to Conduct Pre Employment Drug and Alcohol Testing

Testing for drugs and alcohol for employment ensures the employer or business owner selects a competent candidate for a job. But the main objective of pre employment testing in NZ is to ensure that everyone in the workplace is in a safe and healthy working environment. Illicit drug use and alcohol intoxication can cause serious work issues. Drug and alcohol abuse causes impairments that affect an employee’s ability to make sensible decisions safely, primarily when operating heavy machinery or driving a vehicle.

The effects of drug use and alcohol consumption go past illicit substances taken before working hours. Dangerous amounts of alcohol consumption the night before work will undoubtedly affect your work performance. Thus, being intoxicated during working hours should always be prevented. The prolonged effects may vary depending on the type of substance and the total amount consumed. However, it is vital that employees and employers alike are aware of substance usage risks. Pre employment testing in NZ can help prevent the hiring or employees that potentially use drugs and constantly consume alcohol. 

Responsibility

Workplace health and safety is an employer’s responsibility. However, workers should also understand their significance. For the company managers and supervisors, this means giving the employees as many preventive measures from potential work hazards and risks as they reasonably can. Furthermore, this includes the probable safety risks caused by dangerous behaviour due to drug and alcohol use and abuse. For employees, this means working safely and responsibly on the workplace or job site. Pre employment testing in NZ for drugs and alcohol consumption ensures that the new potential worker understands and will adhere to their responsibilities in the workplace.

Importance of Pre Employment Testing in NZ

Pre employment testing in NZ is an essential requirement, especially for safety-critical jobs such as:

• Mining
• Construction
• Transportation

Drug testing screens for illicit substances could impair the ability to function well. Likewise, an alcohol breath test detects the alcohol concentration in the body through the breath. Testing centres use a breathalyser device to capture the deep lung air to examine the blood alcohol content (BAC). Breathalysers New Zealand’s BACtrack workplace breathalysers make for a highly effective and accurate device for pre employment testing in NZ. BACtrack is the leading breath testing device brand that measures the BAC with the most advanced sensor technologies available. Moreover, the BACtrack breathalysers have highly reliable accuracy and can process the breath samples within seconds. It takes 10 – 15 seconds for BACtrack devices to have the results ready.

How to Provide Pre employment Testing in NZ

However, before administering pre employment testing in NZ, strict guidelines must be followed. Pre-employment testing focuses on identifying persistent drug users that can harm other people on the job. Long-term drug and alcohol can result in a low productivity rate, high absenteeism, and turnover. Therefore, knowing the signs of drug use as early as possible is essential in keeping the workplace safe and productive. Employers should also state that pre-employment testing is part of the recruitment process when advertising for the job. It is to let the people know what to expect when applying. Employers must also state that the job offer is contingent on the final drug and alcohol test results. Applicants may lose the chance of securing the job if they fail the drug test.

Guidelines on failing a pre employment drug and alcohol test

• Potential employee admits to drug abuse and alcoholism before conducting the test
• The potential employee outright refuses to test for drugs and alcohol
• A positive result for drugs and alcohol comes back even if the potential employee agrees to the testing

Workplace Drug and Alcohol Policy

Pre employment testing in NZ is widely used across all sectors as most employers aim for safety and zero alcohol or substance-related cases. A drug and alcohol policy lets employees know that employers take health and safety seriously. It encourages workers to make better decisions to protect themselves and others at work. All organisations or businesses in New Zealand are legally obligated to provide a safe environment for all workers. A safe work environment means effectively managing potential hazards and risks that may put anyone in danger while inside the workplace or job site. The company should rely on a clear set of policies and guidelines to prevent accidents or incidents from happening. Therefore, a comprehensive drug and alcohol workplace policy help employers and employees alike know their obligations and responsibilities. Likewise, workers should know their duties in keeping the workplace safe for everyone involved.

Employers who want to manage workplace hazards and risks need to create a safety program as part of the workplace drug and alcohol policy suitable for the company. Pre employment testing in NZ is a vital part of a workplace drug and alcohol policy. If you are unsure how to create a drug and alcohol policy for your workplace, you may want to check out the TDDA (The Drug Detection Agency). The TDDA is a complete business solution provider for Australia and New Zealand’s workplace drug and alcohol policies.

BACtrack Workplace Breathalysers

In order for pre employment testing in NZ to be conducted effectively, proper equipment like the BACtrack workplace breathalysers should be used. The best way for workers to minimise risks is to test their BAC level after consuming alcohol using a breathalyser. A breathalyser device is a cost-efficient and effective method for monitoring sobriety in the workplace. Thus, a reliable and accurate breathalyser is critical in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment.

BACtrack breathalysers, available at Breathalysers New Zealand, are ideal for both the workplace and for personal testing. The BACtrack workplace breathalysers have professional-grade accuracy. It is because they use advanced fuel cell sensor technology to precisely measure the BAC level of an individual. Furthermore, these devices use the same sensor technology you would find in a police officer’s breathalyser in law enforcement. As a result, they are less likely to produce false-positive BAC results. Pre employment testing in NZ will be more easily manageable with devices like the BACtrack workplace breathalysers now available at Breathalysers New Zealand.