Companies in New Zealand should conduct drug testing for their employees to ensure workplace safety, productivity, and compliance with industry regulations. Here are the key reasons:

1. Workplace Safety

Substance impairment increases the risk of accidents and injuries, particularly in high-risk industries like construction, transport, and manufacturing. Drug testing helps minimise these risks, keeping both employees and the public safe.

2. Legal Compliance & Industry Standards

Nearly all businesses and industries in New Zealand are required to follow the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 guidelines, which emphasise the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe work environment. Drug testing can be a critical component of meeting these obligations.

3. Reduced Absenteeism & Increased Productivity

Employees under the influence of drugs are more likely to take unplanned sick leave, be less productive, and affect team morale. Drug testing helps identify potential risks early, improving overall efficiency.

4. Protecting Company Reputation

A drug-free workplace reinforces a company’s commitment to professionalism and safety, maintaining trust with clients, stakeholders, and the public.

5. Supporting Employee Wellbeing

Drug testing programmes, when combined with education and support, can encourage employees struggling with substance abuse to seek help, fostering a healthier work environment.

Find out more about Drug and Alcohol Testing here.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, employers must provide a safe work environment. A clear and well-implemented drug and alcohol policy helps businesses meet these obligations by reducing risks related to substance impairment. Here’s why every business should have one:

Providing Clarity and Fairness

A formal policy ensures that all employees understand expectations, testing procedures, and the consequences of policy breaches. This promotes fairness and consistency in handling substance-related concerns at work.

Supporting Employee Wellbeing

A good policy doesn’t just enforce rules; it also provides guidance, education, and support for employees struggling with substance abuse. Businesses that include rehabilitation programmes or Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) can help staff seek support rather than facing disciplinary action.

Protecting Business Reputation and Compliance

Industries with strict safety regulations such as transport, and government contracts, often require compliance with drug and alcohol testing standards. A well-documented policy ensures businesses meet these expectations and maintain credibility.

Consider the following to successfully introduce workplace drug testing. Click here

Employers can conduct drug and alcohol testing as described in their company’s Drug and Alcohol Policy. These are the types of drug testing LifeCare can deliver:

Pre-employment Drug Testing – As part of the hiring process and is particularly important for safety-sensitive roles. Pre-employment drug screening is available nationwide.

Random testing Drug Testing – If specified in the company’s drug and alcohol policy, usually in high-risk industries. Every employee in a designated safety-sensitive role has an equal chance of being selected, ensuring a fair and effective approach to risk management. Random drug testing is available nationwide.

Blanket Drug Testing – This is similar to random testing in that it is unannounced and not based on individual suspicion; however, everyone at a worksite, or a work department, is tested rather than a randomly selected percentage.

Periodic Drug Testing – It is carried out at specified times between specified periods. Employees know in advance when and how the drug testing will be undertaken. Periodic drug testing is available nationwide.

Reasonable Cause Drug Testing – If an employee shows signs of impairment, such as slurred speech or unusual behaviour. reasonable cause testing helps employers take appropriate action to maintain workplace safety. Reasonable cause drug testing is available nationwide.

Post-incident – After a workplace accident or near-miss, to determine if impairment was a factor. Post-incident drug testing services are available in Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington & Christchurch between 7 AM to 6 PM.

Follow-up Drug Testing – Employees who have participated in a drug rehabilitation programme, either as a requirement for returning to work or through a self-reporting initiative, are subject to follow-up testing to ensure their continued compliance with the programme. Follow-up drug testing is available nationwide.

Alcohol Screening – This can be added to drug testing nationwide.

LifeCare offers the option of drug testing using either oral fluid (saliva) or urine samples. Each are priced differently. The selection of sample type can be determined by your needs/time frame for testing and the facilities available.

At LifeCare, we are committed to consistency in service, reporting, risk analysis, and delivery, so you have complete transparency and the confidence to make informed decisions.

Our qualified testers meet NZQA standards:

• Urine-based testing: Unit Standards 25458 & 25511
• Oral testing: Unit Standards 32327 & 32328

Check here our testing methods

LifeCare provides drug and alcohol testing with flexible options to suit different workplace needs. Testing can be conducted on-site at your workplace, at one of our clinics, or through our mobile clinics, ensuring accessibility for teams across New Zealand.

All non-negative drug test results are sent to a laboratory for confirmation following the relevant New Zealand/Australian Standard.

LifeCare notifies the designated site contact of the test results, and it is their responsibility to manage the worker in accordance with the company’s Drug and Alcohol Policy and Procedure. Having a clear and comprehensive policy in place is essential, ensuring that managers and team leaders can follow the appropriate steps and handle each situation consistently and effectively.

LifeCare provides urine and oral fluid (saliva) drug screening for most recreational drugs (THC, Cocaine, Amphetamine, Methamphetamine, Benzodiazepines, and Opioids). Breath alcohol screening is also available. 

The length of time a drug stays in your system depends on several factors, including height, weight, sex, the type of drug, and how it was consumed.

For oral fluid (saliva) testing, the detection window typically ranges from 5 to 48 hours. Urine testing can detect drug use from 1 to 30+ days prior, depending on the substance. In cases of long-term cannabis use, THC may be detectable for several months.

Breath alcohol tests can detect alcohol for several hours, depending on the amount consumed and the time elapsed since drinking.

Your employer cannot physically force you to take a test and employees generally have the right to refuse a drug and alcohol test. However, the consequences of not consenting vary by company and should be outlined in the company’s Drug and Alcohol Policy. Refusing a test may be treated the same as a positive result, potentially leading to disciplinary action, so employees should be aware of their workplace policies.

Yes, some prescription and over-the-counter medications can trigger a positive result. If you’re taking medication, including vitamins and supplements, inform the health consultant before the test. All non-negative screening results are sent to a laboratory for confirmation following the relevant New Zealand/Australian Standard.

If you test positive, your employer will follow the company’s drug and alcohol policy, which may vary from one workplace to another. It’s important to familiarise yourself with the policy to understand the potential consequences of a positive result.

Your certificate is valid for 2 years. For more info check the following article: How Long Does a First Aid Certificate Last?

NZQA offers a grace period of 3 months from the date of expiry to sit a Revalidation. Anything past the 3 months requires the initial course again. 

Yes! So as long as the certificate is valid or within the 3-month grace period, your revalidation can be sat with us. 

If you arrive after 8:15 AM, due to NZQA requirements we cannot let you in and your course will need to be rebooked. 

No.  We are unable to issue a certificate if you don’t complete all content of the course.  Please make sure in advance that you can attend the full class time.  

Revalidation / Foundation course finishes at 12 PM and NZ First Aid finishes at 4:30 PM

Yes, there will be breaks, morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. Lunch is not provided, however, fruit and biscuits are provided for morning tea.  

We typically issue certificates within 48 hours after the course and send them to your email address, if you have provided one. Otherwise, they will be sent to your employer’s email address.  All certificates are available to download in the customer portal under “my account”.

Health screening is a snapshot of your health at the moment, it is not diagnostic test.  The screening checks and asessments conducted give an indication if you are at risk of developing a health condition like diabetes, or if you have safety critical readings, which might indicate you have an undiagnosed condition.

Your employer will have a policy on Health Checks and Health Monitoring. Participation for some PCBU’s is not compulsory.  You are however encouraged to have a regular health check done for your own wellbeing.  It’s a benefit your employer pays for and it also helps your employer understand any health and safety concerns related to the work enviroment, PPE use and ensures your employer’s H&S obligations are met.

The health screenings your employer chooses will determine the amount of time it takes to be assessed.  One health check takes 15min and a full health screening assessment is 45 – 60 minutes.

Yes, because these are health screening assessments, the results are instant.  Our Health Consultant will discuss your results with you and will offer education, guidance and support for any questions you have, especially where you may have an outside normal or safety critical reading.

Health monitoring is done periodically, usually once a year.  This supports an approach for ongoing monitoring and programmes to address health risks in the workplace.  As an employee, you get the opportunity to track your health at least once a year, with compliments from your employer.

No, your employer will not see your results.  They will receive a report with an indication of whether results are normal, outside normal range or safety critical.  This helps to identify where improvements can be made to protect staff against workplace related health risks.

If you wear glasses or hearing aids, please wear them as you would normally and bring them with you. If you are having respirator fit testing done, please bring your mask with you and it is preferable you are clean-shaven. Our Health Consultant will direct you on whether to wear your accessories and/ or PPE during the screening assessment.

Coffee and smoking can impact your blood pressure reading and sugar will impact your glucose reading. If we find you have outside normal readings for either of these screening assessments, we will retest after approximately 20 minutes.

You will be referred to your GP, local audiologist or optometrist, whichever is relevant to your health result, for further investigation and diagnosis, if needed. In the case of a safety critical reading, we may, with discretion, contact your manager and Emergency Medical Services immediately in the event you need to be admitted to hospital. This is for your own wellbeing and has saved lives in the past!

While we understand and respect you may be under the supervision of your GP for any health risks and conditions, it is Life Care policy to refer anyone who has an outside normal range result to their GP or local audiologist and optometrist, whichever is relevant.

If you have any safety critical results, this is an indication you may have an unmanaged condition, which can be detrimental to your overall health and ability to function properly at work and at home. It is our duty to refer you to the relevant medical practitioner for sound intervention.

The purpose of health screening and ongoing monitoring is to provide a measurable program that is compliant to the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, and ensures the work environment doesn’t place workers at risk and supports workers to complete their tasks with no or minimal risk to self, others, the public or the environment. This is the PCBU’s duty and it rarely leads to job-loss.

Influenza (flu) spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or laughs, releasing tiny droplets containing the virus, which can then be inhaled by people nearby. Or by touching a surface contaminated with the virus then touching their face. 

Influenza is not just a ‘bad cold’. Although some of the symptoms are the same, influenza is usually much more severe, often has a sudden onset and can have much more serious consequences. 

Flu may include any or all of the following symptoms: 

• Fever 
• Muscle or body aches 
• Headache 
• Dry cough 
• Sore throat
• Runny nose 
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
• Lack of energy, – may be severe and last for two or more weeks 

The following NZ websites have reliable and credible information:  

• Home | fightflu.co.nz
• Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand | Flu (Influenza) 
• Immunisation Advisory Centre | (immune.org.nz)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced recommendations for the strains contained in the 2025 Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccine. There is one change – to the Influenza A H3N2 strain. The other 3 strains in the quadrivalent vaccine remain the same.

The decision is based on surveillance to ensure the best possible match to the viruses expected to be circulating in the community.

WHO recommends the quadrivalent vaccines for 2025 should be based on the following strains:

Egg-based vaccines

• A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;
• A/Croatia/10136RV/2023 (H3N2)-like virus; and
• B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus.
• B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus. 

Yes, the flu vaccine can be safely given at any stage of pregnancy.   

It takes up to 2 weeks after vaccination for the body to start protecting against flu.   

At LifeCare we administer Afluria Quad. However, if you receive a LifeCare flu voucher from your employer, you may receive a different vaccine, such as Influvac® Tetra. You can also discuss with the pharmacist additional flu vaccination options. 

The effectiveness of the flu vaccine declines over time. However, it provides protection for up to 6 months on average.  

No, they can be given on the same day. Studies show that co-administration of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines is safe and produces a good immune response.  

You can redeem your LifeCare flu voucher at over 400 medical centres and pharmacies nationwide.

See all the sites where you can redeem your vouchers here.

The flu and COVID-19 are different diseases so you need both vaccines to be protected from each one. A flu shot provides a specific ‘key’ that unlocks a strengthened immune response to protect against influenza. And a COVID-19 vaccine provides a different ‘key’ that also unlocks a strengthened immune response to protect against COVID-19. There is no master key that works for all viruses, so getting vaccinated against both infectious diseases will help keep you healthy. Getting the flu shot will not counteract the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine.