Onsite Vs Lab Testing
On-site Testing and Laboratory Testing both have their specific advantages.
On-site Testing allows a rapid answer as to whether an employee has had exposure to drugs recently. Our Medvet Laboratories brand of On-site screening kits is specifically designed for Australia. A result can be seen 5-8minutes after the sample is collected. They are reliable - in a recent in house study we determined that from 289 on-site tests performed in the field, we only had 2 false positives (where the kit indicated a drug group and no trace of the drugs were found in the laboratory). They have a 99% specificity and sensitivity rate.
Presumptive Positive samples are sent to the Toxicology Laboratory for further confirmation as per the AS/NZS 4308. Employees who screen positive can be sent home from work or stood down until lab results are confirmed. People who produce negative screening samples can be sent back to work immediately with confidence that they have not had any recent exposure to drugs listed in AS/NZS 4308. Samples that have screened positive are usually returned to the company within 48 hours, depending on the location of the initial screen.
To use the option of on-site testing you can either have one of our trained staff come and do the testing for you, or you can have one of your own staff members trained in testing as per the AS/NZS 4308 for the ease of being able to test at any time.
Laboratory Testing is a good option for companies that want to test their employees themselves, but do not want the testers to have to deal with people who screen presumptive positive on site. It is also a more accurate form of testing, and eliminates the possibility of false positive results. Laboratory screening can be tailored to your specific needs, for example if you need to test for drugs that are not identified in the AS/NZS 4308. Depending on your workplace Laboratory screening can provide a more confidential way to test. The urine samples are collected as per AS/NZS 4308 and sent to our Toxicology Laboratory for screening and confirmation as required. Negative results are usually available within 24 hours, depending on the location of where the sample was collected. Positive results will usually be available within 48 hours.