The harmful use of alcohol and drugs is one of the top contributors to road collisions and workplace accidents. High levels of alcohol can cause severe impairments. Likewise, illicit substances can affect the body’s normal functions. In particular, substance impairment includes decreased abilities in vision, hearing, reaction time, reasoning, and motor functions. As a result, it poses high safety risks in operating vehicles or equipment. Therefore, many people use an alcohol tester to remain within the legal limit for driving. It helps people control their intake by monitoring their blood alcohol content or BAC. In addition, using an alcohol tester and self drug test kit in NZ workplaces is increasing to reduce accidents. 

An alcohol tester or breathalyzer is a portable device that estimates a person’s BAC level through the breath. A personal breathalyzer like BACtrack efficiently measures the BAC every time you consume alcohol. You can use an alcohol tester to keep your alcohol level from going over the legal limit. In New Zealand, the legal limit for alcohol and driving is 0.05% or 0.05g of alcohol for every 100ml of blood. A breathalyzer is an excellent tool to ensure that your BAC does not exceed the legal limit. On the other hand, some companies use a self drug test kit in NZ to initially screen employees for any drugs. 

Self Drug Test Kit in NZ: Kinds of Alcohol and Drug Tests

It is common for workplaces to implement alcohol and drug tests through a workplace policy. The policy ensures that employees observe appropriate behaviours to keep a safe and healthy working environment. In addition, employers must ensure that the workplace abides by the safety acts and regulations to manage all preventable risks. Therefore, both the employees and employers are encouraged to take reasonable measures to protect the well-being of everyone. A practical strategy to keep the employees’ conditions in check is to use an alcohol tester and self drug test kit in NZ workplaces. The common kinds of alcohol test and self drug test kits available such as:

• Urine drug test
• Saliva drug test
• Breath alcohol test

A breath test through a breathalyzer is the most efficient tool to screen for alcohol. A breathalyzer captures the exhaled breath and processes it in a few seconds. Therefore, you can determine if a person is intoxicated right away. The BACtrack alcohol testers from Breathalysers Australia are suitable for high-compliance environments or personal use. On the other hand, a self drug test kit in NZ workplaces only provide preliminary results. It can determine the presence of drugs through urine or saliva. If the results are positive, a follow-up medical test by a laboratory is necessary to confirm the initial test results. 

Kinds of Self Drug Test Kit in NZ

A drug test detects for most used illegal drugs such as amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, marijuana, opioids, and phencyclidine (PCP). In particular, a self drug test kit in NZ workplaces or home use is qualitative. They can determine if a drug is present in the sample but not how much. These tests can help confirm if someone has been taking illicit substances or misusing prescription medications. On-site drug testing in workplaces may use one or several of the following tests:

• Urine dip cards – A rapid screening test that detects one or multiple drugs at once. Simply provide a sample, dip the test and wait for the results in five minutes.
• Integrated urine drug test cups – A urine drug test cup is similar to the urine dip cards, but instead of dipping, you provide the sample into the cup and read the results instantly. 
• Instant saliva drug test – Saliva or mouth swab tests detect substance use through the saliva and provide on-the-spot results. They are less invasive than a urine or blood test. In addition, they can trace alcohol or drugs for up to 24 hours from last use. 
• Hair follicle drug test – A hair sample from the scalp or other body parts has a detection window of up to 90 days. It is useful for establishing longer history of drug exposure, understanding consumption patterns and periods of abstinence. 

Purpose of Alcohol and Drug Tests

Companies administer alcohol and drug test to determine impairment that may cause harm to others. An effective workplace policy can deter substance misuse, minimise risks, and reduce accidents. An alcohol tester and a self drug test kit in NZ workplaces help identify if a person has a substance abuse problem. It is valuable in keeping the work environment risk-free. Furthermore, consistent testing improves productivity, decreases tardiness and absenteeism, reduces turnover rates, and lessen costs and liabilities. In particular, safety-critical industries like mining, transportation, aviation, construction, and manufacturing has a zero-tolerance policy. Therefore, a worker must be clear of any impairing substances that can cause accidents or injuries. In addition, they rely on the accuracy and reliability of alcohol and drug tests to maintain safe working conditions. 

Advantages of Self Drug Test Kits

If you are considering doing a self test, consider the pros and cons of a drug test kit. Generally, a self drug test kit in NZ allows you to administer a test for various purposes. A self drug test kit offers the following benefits:

• Convenience – A self drug test kit is easy to use and you can perform it at home or work. You do not need to make an appointment or go to a laboratory. 
• Privacy – Collecting the sample is easy without detection, monitoring, or following strict protocols. 
• Affordability – They are generally more affordable than laboratory tests and available through pharmacies nationwide.
• Quick results – Rapid tests give accurate results within minutes. For follow-up tests, you may send the samples to a certified laboratory. Some self drug test kits include supplies for for confirmation testing. In addition, make sure that you use FDA-approved test kits.

On the other hand, using a self drug test kit in NZ have the following downsides: it requires confirmation testing and it does not test for all drugs. Many factors can affect a self test, and only a laboratory-based confirmation cam give definitive and accurate test results. However, for fast, preliminary drug screening, a self drug test kit is cost-efficient and effecitve.

BACtrack Alcohol Testers

The BACtrack alcohol testers from Breathalysers New Zealand are accurate, reliable, and easy to use devices. Most BACtrack breathalyzers utilise fuel cell sensor technology to accurate measure the BAC level. A fuel cell breathalyzer has high sensitivity to ethanol and does not react with other substances in the breath. They also maintain their consistency longer than a standard semiconductor alcohol tester. In addition, the pro-grade accuracy of BACtrack is the same to the breathalyzers that NZ police use in roadside testing. Therefore, they are excellent devices for BAC monitoring in the workplace or personal use. A breathalyzer and a self-drug test kit in NZ workplaces can significantly reduce the negative impacts associated with harmful use of alcohol and drugs. When looking for an effective self alcohol and self drug test kit in NZ, BACtrack alcohol testers are worth looking into.