legal & technical Guidelines 

for Urine and Saliva testing

Breaking News:

1. On the 19th October 2009 FWA 424, Senior Deputy President Hamberger ruled in favour of Caltex Australia Ltd introducing a random drug testing program for it's Kurnell Refinery. Hamberger stated that "both state and federal governments in Australia have taken the view that random testing for drugs and alcohol can be appropriate for workers involved in safety critical work. In this broader policy context, and given the uncontested evidence in the current proceedings concerning the potentially hazardous nature of work at the Kurnell Refinery, together with the heavy obligation imposed on Caltex by New South Wales occupational health and safety legislation, I find that the introduction of random drug and alcohol testing at the refinery is justifiable".  View this case here

2. On the 25th of August 2008 an AIRC full bench ruling that found laboratory saliva tests were preferable to on-site urine testing due to the fact that they are less invasive.  Shell Refining Australia sought a private arbitration to review a ruling by the AIRC's Deputy President Hamberger last year that found its proposed urine testing regime would be "unjust and unreasonable" and would not necessarily indicate that a worker was unfit for work. View this case here

Legal Guidelines:

The Australian Urine Drug Testing Standard 4308:2008 can be found at the Standards Australia website.

The Australian Saliva Drug Testing Standard AS4760:2006 can be found at the Standards Australia website.