Workplace Drug & Alcohol Testing New Zealand Current Drug and Alcohol Issues Facing Employers and Industry Sue Nolan DrugFree Sites PO Box 3541, Shortland St, Auckland Mobile: 021 877606 sue@drugfreesites.co.nz www.drugfreesites.co.nz NZISM Auckland Branch 19 August 2015
Introduction Current status Industries, test numbers, positive Elements of alcohol & drug free workplace Updated policy & procedures Training/ education Testing in compliance with international standards Beating the test: drug mix & cheating Rehabilitation Oral Fluid Testing????
Agriculture/ horticulture Current Status RISK INDUSTRIES mining corrections aluminium/steel oil customs construction ports conservation dairy defence fishing/ processing forestry farming manufacturing meat/ poultry power/ energy recruitment agencies roading Tourism: hospitality, adventure transportation (air, road, sea, rail) local authorities
Current Status NON-RISK INDUSTRIES call centres insurance banks legal firms OTHER prison inmates schools child protection Beneficiaries Tertiary Institutes health/ hospitals MPI Under Consideration
Numbers of tests & results(nz) 2000 8000 % post accident/ reasonable cause % random 2006 20,000 74 3 15 2014 >200,000 45 PA/PI: 6 RC: 1 45 Year Number % preemployment preemployment % Screen not-negatives by categories reasonable cause post accident/ incident random OVERALL 8 30 10 6-7 8
Employment High Court: 2004 6 x Unions versus Air New Zealand
Drug Testing Is Lawful Air NZ Employment Court Judgement: April 04 Random: Safety Sensitive Jobs Post Incident/ For Cause: All Staff Urine AS/NZS 4308: Latest Version: 2008 Comprehensive programme adopted
Drug & Alcohol Free Workplace Model Policy and Procedures Management Commitment & Leadership
Legally robust Policy & Procedures Updated regularly Consultation with employees/ stakeholders Compliant with latest technical standard AS/NZS 4308: 2008 Procedures for specimen collection and the detection & quantitation of drugs of abuse in urine Alcohol tolerance Zero Drink driving
Procedures Testing options (PE, PA/PI, RC, random, follow-up) Definition of Drug includes new drugs Informed consent prior to each test Managers responsibility Verification of Donor s ID (photo & signature) Manager cannot act as verifier of ID Close supervision from notification until delivery to collector Ensures cheating/ substitution is minimised Consequence of refusing to consent Consequence of a positive test
Procedures Unwitnessed urine collection Stand down conditions: screen not-negative and awaiting confirmed lab result On pay, or Not paid if result is positive Rehabilitation offer? One strike policy Rehab for 1 st positive but at company s discretion Confidentiality of information
Current Issues
Policies/ procedures out of date Review annually Easy to beat the test Drug trend changes: not testing for current drugs Lack of supervision from time of notification Cheating methods Mass random screening employees/contractors know collecting agent has arrived plenty of time to cheat Inexperienced people writing/ updating policies engage an expert: time & cost efficient Policies/ procedures challenged in employment courts if not robust & technically/legally unsound
Drug & Alcohol Free Workplace Model Policy and Procedures Education and Training Management Commitment & Leadership
Education Staff awareness (1.5hrs) Current drug trends/ effects When can they be tested Testing process Rehab offer (if available) Manager/ supervisor workshops (4hrs) Signs/ symptoms of a substance misusing Managing & complying with Company policy Regular refresher training
Drug Effects on Spiders
Current Issues
Many company minimal training Initial implementation training not ongoing Many training programmes inadequate Subject matter experts recommended Managers/supervisors not trained to follow procedures correctly Inadequacy already exposed in employment courts Likely to increase
Drug & Alcohol Free Workplace Model Policy and Procedures Education and Training Drug Testing AS/NZS 4308 Breath alcohol Management Commitment & Leadership
2008 Standard
Screening Procedure Collectors & Screeners must be NZQA qualified US 25458 & US 25511 Daily controls Proficiency testing programme IANZ accreditation Urine collected (observing privacy) Initial screen (on-site device or laboratory) Drug classes & specimen integrity On-site device must have verification certificate
Adulterants False positive & negative screens On the Spot tests most vulnerable In Vivo: water, diuretics, ph adjusters, herbal In Vitro: chemicals, household substances Substitution Bladder Transplant
Whizzinators
Laboratory Confirmation GCMS or LCMSMS Accredited Laboratories ESR Canterbury Health Lab (CHL) Not-negative screen or integrity failure Urine must be sent to lab for confirmation Integrity failure person stays at collection site & provides 2 nd urine both sent to laboratory
Definition: Drugs Illicit, restricted and some currently legal drugs which cause impairment, eg: cannabis and hashish opiates (such as heroin and morphine) cocaine amphetamine type substances (speed, P, ecstasy and party pills containing benzylpiperazine) Benzodiazepines (valium, halcion)
Synthetic Cannabinoids Kronic, spice, puff, space, K2 Mimics effects of THC Bind to THC receptor in brain Effects: similar to cannabis One in eight patients admitted to psych unit:k2 use Adverse effects: rapid heart rate, confusion, dizziness, nausea, disorientation, anxiety, depression psychosis, paranoia thinking intensely about Suicide Killing someone else
Ecstasy + Bath Salts Class A MDA Class B MDMA: Adam Class C MDEA: Eve MBDB: Fido Dido New Ecstasy Cathinone Derivatives Bath Salts MCPV, MEC, Methedrone, FMC, mephedrone
Party Drug: Herbal High Benzylpiperazine (BZP)
NBOMe LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) Class A controlled drug
Drug Screening: On-site screening versus Additional Laboratory Testing Illicit, restricted and some currently legal drugs which cause impairment, eg: cannabis and hashish opiates (such as heroin and morphine) cocaine amphetamine type substances (speed, P, ecstasy and party pills containing benzylpiperazine) synthetic THC (eg Kronic) cathinones (bathsalts) LSD, NBOMe misuse of some prescription drugs (eg tranquillisers, sedatives) other illegal and currently legal party pills or herbal highs other mind altering substances can be added to the testing suite as they become available and are misused. Kava???
Best Practice Policies Extended Testing Laboratory based testing only Post accident/ incident & Reasonable cause Negative after on-site screen Urine always sent to lab for extended testing Random testing Extended testing on some occasions Follow-up testing Always do extended testing
Cut-off concentrations AS/NZS4308: 2008 Lab sets cut-off for new drugs Recent use or continual use Passive inhalation of cannabis not detected
Substances which Interfere with Screen Medication Opiates Amphetamines Poppy Seeds Biogenic Amines eg red wine
Alcohol Testing Breath Testing: device AS3547-1997/ amendment 2000 (type 2) Zero Tolerance (Recommended) =100µg /L Or NZTA drink driving level = 250µg /L (over 20) = 100µg /L (under 20)
Current Issues
Collectors/ screeners: many not qualified on-site screening devices not verified On-site screeners: not doing quality controls or proficiency testing Companies don t send screen not negatives to lab for confirmation Policies/ procedures need to be updated to allow for extended testing Cheating prevalent due to lack of manager supervision
Dilemma: Urine vs Oral Fluid?
Urine Standard AS/NZS 4308: 2008 Oral Fluid Standard AS 4760-2006
Oral Fluid Testing Ongoing issues Target concentrations & on-site devices Inadequate for testing some drugs. eg THC Sensitivity & reliability Limited testing suite July 2013: NATA (Aust equivalent of IANZ) Not able to accredit facilities to cover on site screening for drugs in oral fluid due to a number of significant technical issues which are unable to be resolved.
Compliance with Standard Urine: AS/NZS 4308: 2008 Oral Fluid: AS 4760: 2006 Collection and on-site screening: NZQA certification Hundreds of qualified agents in New Zealand None On-Site Screening: accreditation (IANZ) Some accredited Not possible to be accredited Accredited laboratories (IANZ) Verified on-site screening devices On-site screening: Daily controls New Zealand: ESR & CHL Quality devices available Performed regularly by quality collecting agencies None No devices can be verified Not performed Proficiency testing programmes 2 x options available. Many screening agencies enrolled None Levels Cut-off concentrations Target (25ng/ml THC) or nominated concentration (manufacturer choice)
Other current issues Digesting cannabis Wont be detected in oral fluid P and other stimulants Only detect when high and not crashing Transport device to Lab Some drugs unstable (eg THC)
Current Status Standards Australia & NZ Agreed to update AS 4760 to AS/NZS 4760 Committee announced: Feb 2015 1 st meeting mid April Joint standard expected late 2016 NZ companies advised not to consider oral fluid testing until technically robust standard available Time delay: devices, controls etc
Drug & Alcohol Free Workplace Model Policy and Procedures Education and Training EAP, Rehabilitation and Case Management Testing AS/NZS 4308 Breath alcohol Outcome: Change of behaviour leading to a Safer Workplace Management Commitment & Leadership
WDT will continue to grow The Future Alternative methods will be available when reliable standards are produced: Oral Fluid, Hair On-site screening will always be limited to certain drug classes and extended lab testing will increase Increase in collecting agents and screeners from variety of backgrounds Important to audit quality of services: do they comply???? Increase in legal challenges if company policy/ procedures are inadequate and not appropriately managed Policies & procedures updates should be the domain of subject matter experts
A Drug Free Workplace is Good for Business