New Drug Testing Standard Released

A revised Australian and New Zealand Standard for drug testing in saliva has been published, and will improve the reliability of results, and lead to enhanced safety, according to Standards Australia.

AS/NZS 4760:2019, Procedure for specimen collection and the detection and quantitation of drugs in oral fluid, highlights the latest methods of detecting drugs in saliva, and was developed with the support of device manufacturers, testing laboratories, aviation agencies, trade unions, and industry bodies.

Standards Australia said safety and reliability had taken the front seat in the revised standard, which it says will improve onsite drug testing across several sectors of the economy.

“A number of occupations are involved in regular drug testing as part of achieving a safer workplace. Given the nature of the work at the centre of these tests, there is a strong interest in accurate results,” said Mr Adrian O’Connell, Acting CEO of Standards Australia.

“This has been a very important area of work for us for some time. This revision has been built with regard to the latest technology and scientific developments to benefit to our community.”

“The publication of this standard will have incredible flow on effects, as it guides safety improvements across countless industries in communities across the country.”

Standards Australia said drug testing workers was becoming increasingly widespread in industries such as mining, construction and transport. This is on top of police conducting an increasing number of roadside drug tests – NSW police alone are expected to conduct 200,000 roadside drug tests each year by 2020.