In order to understand drug testing in the workplace – and to be able to confidently answer questions from people you are testing – it is important to have a basic understanding of the different types of drugs and the effects they have on the user. Everybody ingests ‘drugs’ on…

Stimulants such as Amphetamines or Cocaine provide the user with an enhanced state of alertness, speeding up physiological processes within the body by stimulating the central and nervous systems. Over-use can lead to lack of appetite and problems sleeping; high doses can cause increased blood pressure and heart rate, leading to…

Sedatives cause a physiological slowing of the bodies responses by modulating the bodies nervous system, and can be used to produce a calming effect to aid anxiety or sleep issues. They come in various forms with alcohol being the most common and widely used legally sedating drug. Misuse of sedatives can lead…

The third type of drug that causes impairment are classed as the hallucinogenics.  They are, by and large, very powerful drugs but because of this they are usually taken in infinitesimally small amounts – small squares of paper that a person simply licks can induce dramatic levels of impairment. Because these substances…

Drug Screening is not just about illegal substances – impairment caused by the use of prescriptive drugs by the workforce is an issue that cannot be ignored. Prescription drugs contain a wide range of substances from the drug groups we’ve just reviewed, and whilst given to the user by a medical practitioner…

There are various different ways to screen a person for drugs, depending on what information it is that you are looking to find. For pre-employment screening, then Hair Sampling is a suitable choice as it gives historical data on exactly what a person has consumed.  It is however highly invasive…

Of  the various different methods that can be used to detect drugs of abuse, in an employment scenario the key issue is current impairment rather than historical drug use.  Therefore oral fluid collection is now almost universally accepted as the most suitable ‘on-the-spot’ indicator of drug use. The main reasons…

The DrugCheck 3000 is a disposable drug testing kit that takes a saliva sample and provides screening results for 6 different drug categories. How does it work? The technique of testing is called competitive immunoassay. This is where the potential drugs contained in the sample compete with drugs on the…

Having established the types of drugs that we are looking to screen for, it’s now time to introduce you to the equipment you will be using to perform the task. The Draeger DrugTest 5000 was launched in 2008 and passed Home Office Approval for use by UK Police in 2012….

The DrugStop is a disposable drug testing kit brand that takes a saliva sample and provides screening results for 1-9 different drug categories depending on the which DrugStop you have.   How does it work? The technique of testing is called competitive immunoassay. This is where the potential drugs contained…

So you have had a positive on your screening test.  Now it’s time to do a Laboratory Confirmation test in order to verify the results of the screening test. Be Timely The chain of custody procedure is a follow-up test to a positive result on a saliva screening device. It…

The Step by Step Checklist must be followed meticulously. Each step is important so as to not break the chain of custody. Missing a step could cause the test to be invalid and the lab may refuse to test it. Once you are ready to begin, remove the water you…

The Laboratory Chain of Custody pack comprises of:   A Chain of Custody form with carbon duplicates Two Quantisal Collection packs (each containing a transportation tube with buffer solution, and a collection device) A pre-paid envelope The lab test kits are to be used IMMEDIATELY after someone has tested non-negative…

Congratulations – you have now reached the end of your online refresher! The next section is the final assessment, so please now take the time to make sure you are ready. You can go back and review any information now if you wish, before starting the assessment. Please click “VIEW…