Big surge in workplace drug testing

Workplace drug testing has surged by more than 30 per cent in Hawke's Bay, as local companies bid to protect workers from serious injury or death, and weed out drug-affected staff.

New Zealand Drug Detection Agency (NZDDA) testing stats show 1707 workplace drug tests were conducted in Hawke's Bay last year, of which seven per cent were "non-negative".

The number of Hawke's Bay tests has jumped by 33 per cent from 2011.

NZDDA chief executive Chris Hilson said the region saw a significantly higher level of methamphetamine and amphetamine use than the rest of the country, but it was unknown why.

"Most donors that have tested non-negative for methamphetamine and amphetamine have done so through random drug testing, which ratifies the proactive measures that Hawke's Bay companies are undertaking to ensure a safe workplace and a healthy community."

Heinz Wattie's spokesman Paul Hemsley said the company maintained a drug and alcohol-free workplace by screening all prospective employees with drug tests.

The company had "well established guidelines and support systems for all employees in relation to drugs and alcohol".

Mr Hemsley declined to say whether the company conducted random drug testing of its workers, saying: "The combination of testing for reasonable cause and voluntary testing have proven to be effective.

"Drug testing is generally only necessary in situations where health and safety is compromised."

The figures show cannabis continues to be the most frequent drug detected - showing up in 71 per cent of non-negative tests nationwide last year.

Opiates (including codeine), methamphetamine, amphetamine, cocaine and benzodiazepines were also detected.

The agency conducted 68,561 on-site drug screening tests in 2012, up 31 per cent from 2011.

The testing was predominantly carried out in safety-sensitive industries, including construction, forestry, freezing works, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, transport and waste collection.

Cannabis use was most common amongst forestry and construction workers, while methamphetamine was found predominantly in mining and oil and gas industries.

Regional trends showed traditional cannabis growing areas Northland, Bay of Plenty and the East Coast had high cannabis usage - along with Wellington.

The other obvious regional trend was opiate (most likely codeine) abuse in the South Island.

Mr Hilson said since late 2012, 15 per cent of all workplace drug screening was for synthetic cannabis, with the figure expected to rise.

Synthetic cannabinoids could be detectable in a person's system for up to 102 days, Mr Hilson said. This meant some employees still had the drugs in their systems on the job, many in safety-sensitive industries.

"It's not just the accidents that can happen that can affect the drug user, but the usage may result in injury to nearby colleagues, customers and suppliers, and in some cases the general public."

About 6.4 per cent of last year's tests were 'non-negative' - indicating the presence of a drug. Samples are then sent to a laboratory for confirmation.