Mediscreen’s Purpose

Drug Testing Australia

Mediscreen is one of the leading AOD screening companies based in Perth which provides services for all of Australia. No matter where your workplace is located, our mobile onsite drug and alcohol testing provides you with the leading edge in employee testing. Mediscreen’s purpose is to bring people in contact with workplace drug testing and to ensure that everyone feels safe and confident during the screening process.

Of course, it is an added benefit to you that it is more cost effective for your company finances. Naturally, you will want to know if there are any comparable companies out there which offer the same services. Onsite drug and alcohol testing is only provided by a very small number of companies throughout Australia.
Mediscreen provides the kind of drug and alcohol testing which helps workers cut down their time spent on work related activities…when they’re not even on the job. Mediscreen focuses on the beauty of time saving and the simplicity of testing employees onsite.

Our purpose here at Mediscreen is to take the drug screening process, a process which many people find tedious and annoying, and to break it down into its functional parts and to make it mobile and easy to use…not to mention easy to implement.

How many times have you found yourself irritated with the seeming complexity of drug screening? Of course, it doesn’t have to be that way, at all. Mediscreen reveals the truth: the truth that onsite drug and alcohol screening is so much better than the alternative.

There is an appearance of complexity and time consumption and complicated paperwork, but appearance is not always the truth. The truth is that many people find themselves dreading the workplace drug testing process, when they admittedly have no reason to fear it.

It is not exactly a violation of privacy, after all. It is the invariable choice of companies to make the most out of themselves. It’s natural.

So, when you are looking for a high quality drug & alcohol testing company, look no further than Mediscreen. We are the right stop on your way to greatness.

This article has been taken from : http://www.mediscreen.net.au/mediscreens-purpose/

An Inherent Need to Produce

Onsite Drug And Alcohol Screening

Do you know what the highest motivation for a human is? A human being’s highest motivation is to be productive and to make more of themselves through skill, repetition, experimentation, and practice than they already are.

Really. Ask anyone who is in a job they hate, or is working in a job for which they are immensely over qualified or under qualified.

The mismatch between ability and performance is what creates most of the frustration in people, and this has been true for eons. If you are looking for a high quality drug and alcohol testing company, then look no further than Mediscreen. We are NATA accredited for onsite drug testing, and our mobile services make it possible for you to have all of your business locations and jobsites screened while the employees are at work, rather than sending everyone to a single central location.

Drug testing equipment is provided by our sister company, CMM Technology, but we here at Mediscreen provide the actual onsite drug and alcohol screening services. Humans have an inherent need to produce. Make sure your employees are producing, not waiting around for the workday to be over and for the production of everyone else to stop. People who only work for the money and not also for the love of accomplishment are people with whom you do not want to work. In fact, these are people with whom you probably shouldn’t associate at all.

Onsite drug & alcohol testing is part of a vast network of business services provided to the Australian workforce. Mediscreen is the pinnacle of flexibility and professional and technical skill. We are so proud of our abilities to give our clients everything they need, and we always work with different businesses to ensure that they receive all that they have asked for, all that we anticipate for them, and all that they will begin to need in the future.

Yes, our drug screening services can be a bit comprehensive, and we are so excited about the prospect of bringing in your business, no matter what size it is or where in Australia it is located! Call Mediscreen today.

This article has been taken from : http://www.mediscreen.net.au/an-inherent-need-to-produce/

Acting on Faith

Drug Testing Australia

Faith is one of those things that we all know that we should have in some respect, but since it’s not taught at school, we rarely know the exact way to put it to use or to leverage it on our behalf.

Here is the primer.

Research has shown that expectations about our reality are almost as potent as the reality itself. Why is this? When we expect certain things to happen, we immediately begin to look for evidence that what we believe is correct. Then, we support our beliefs even further by acting upon those expectations. This means that, if your parents always told you that you were clever and really intelligent, you looked for evidence of this, such as your school exam grades or your friends being impressed with you, and then acted upon this belief by making yourself even cleverer through study and observation of the world around you.

Unfortunately, all of the above scenario can be turned negative, too.

If someone sees you abusing drugs or alcohol, and they comment that they think you must be a loser who cannot accomplish anything in life, you next move will be predictable. Instead of examining all of the things you have accomplished, you begin to remember all the things you have left undone or unfinished, and you believe that you have support for their statement. Once you’ve confirmed this to yourself (whether or not it is true), you can then feel even more free to abuse drugs or alcohol in the future, do even less with your life than you are doing right now, and feel like it is actually normal for you to behave this way.

Obviously, you don’t want any of your hired help to feel like the above scenario, or they will get very little accomplished. Drug screening helps to prevent this from occurring, not because it can stop anyone from abusing drugs while at work, but because it sets a standard by which you can hire, fire, or evaluate your employees. If someone cannot successfully get through workplace drug testing, then can you really count upon them to get through a productive work day successfully, either? Mediscreen is a NATA accredited onsite drug & alcohol testing company, and we are here to help.

This article has been taken from : http://www.mediscreen.net.au/acting-on-faith/

Workplace Messages on Substance Abuse Influences Community

Drug & Alcohol Testing

Employers have a duty to provide a safe workplace, and the drug and alcohol programs instituted in the workplace are one of many strategies instituted to fulfil that duty. Employees also have a duty to exercise reasonable caution to protect their own health and safety and that of co-workers. What is missing in this description is the impact substance use and abuse in the workplace has on families and communities. Workplaces have a direct impact on the health of society in general by influencing the physical, mental, social, and economic well-being of employees. In turn, the health of families and communities is affected when employees are not working. That means drug and alcohol programs in the workplace, which promote healthy living, have the ability to bring a multitude of benefits across Australia.

There are all types of people in the workplace, including substance abusers, infrequent substance users, and abstainers. When the employer holds a health workshop to communicate drug and alcohol policies, the audience may include people covering the entire spectrum from abstainers to the addicted. For this reason, there is growing focus on the workplace as an ideal point of intervention. When employees hear the zero tolerance message, and have the opportunity to learn about the ways drugs and alcohol impact health, productivity, and relationships, many will apply the information in their personal lives and not just in the workplace.

Something for Everyone

People getting high at work are not likely to suddenly abstain from using substances at home or in social settings. Approximately 90 percent of employed Australians consume alcohol.1 However, there are also employees who do not use drugs or alcohol but live or associate with family and friends who do. A third category consists of people who want to learn as much as possible about the physical and mental problems associated with substance abuse so they can better serve as role models in the home, especially where children are involved, or in their communities. In each case, information sessions on substance abuse may have a positive impact that extends far beyond the workplace boundaries.

Imagine a workshop that all employees must attend. Some people will continue using drugs and alcohol even after attending training, emphasising the importance of random and for-cause testing to identify who they are. It is always hoped that people needing help will recognise that it is available through an EAP or some other referral system. Anyone who is a casual substance user can learn how infrequent substance use can easily lead to eventual long-term addiction and will hopefully stop illicit drug use. People who abstain from drugs and attend workplace information sessions will find reinforcement of good decision-making.

In each case, there is a chance for something very good to come out of the worker training. The harm caused by drugs and alcohol concerns the entire community.  Each person who decides to seek treatment for substance abuse gets personal benefits, of course. But everyone in that person’s life benefits also, including family members and the community. Drugs and alcohol abuse increase social costs associated with crime and health care. Substance abuse increases the number of motor vehicle injuries, incidences of domestic violence, and cases of diseases like mental illness and cardiovascular disease. When people decide to quit using drugs or alcohol to avoid problems at work, it means they are generally more aware of the harms associated with drug use, addiction, binge drinking, and alcoholism and are much more likely to become advocates for healthy living. Advocacy can be demonstrated in a variety of ways. For example, it may be following a healthy lifestyle at home or refusing to binge drink at holiday parties.

A Whole Life

Behaviour at work often reflects behaviour at home and in the community. Employers should not take a narrow view of drug and alcohol programs because they have enormous influence on workers. The messages delivered concerning drug and alcohol harm minimisation or prevention reach into the community as workers interact with their social networks.2 The D&A policy and testing programs should be consistently communicated and enforced within a broader context to increase awareness that making good decisions is not just about the work or co-workers. It is about living a safe and healthy life in and out of the workplace.

There is agreement that the growing number of Australians using drugs or alcohol or both is a trend that must be reversed. Mediscreen (mediscreen.net.au) can help businesses in their efforts to develop healthy workplaces and to be a good influences in worker lives by delivering reliable and accurate drug screening tests.

This article has been taken from : http://www.mediscreen.net.au/workplace-messages-on-substance-abuse-influences-community/

Mental Health and Substance Abuse...Why Employers Should Care

Alcohol Drug Testing

Most Australian employers are well aware of the fact that people use drugs and alcohol for many reasons. It is generally agreed that the employer will implement a drug and alcohol testing program in conjunction with other efforts to manage working conditions, improve safety, and increase employee well-being. Despite tremendous efforts on the part of employers and unions to help workers maintain healthy lifestyles and avoid using drugs and alcohol, researchers found that there is still a, “...lack of understanding about factors that influence employees’ alcohol and drug consumption patterns.”¹ In other words, employers understand substance abuse is associated with a variety of factors, but they do not necessarily know what those factors are.

Work stress is one of the factors influencing drug and alcohol consumption patterns, and mental stress is caused by a variety of conditions including tedious or boring work, irregular hours, dangerous or intense work, job insecurity, and other.² Stress is a physical and mental condition, therefore employers need to be concerned with employee mental health as much as physical safety. Mental health is not just a topic for health professionals, though many shy away from recognizing it or dealing with its causes out of fear some well-intentioned action or statement could be misinterpreted.

Addressing Whole-Person Issues

Let’s face it - It is easier to address physical health than mental health because physical problems are usually measurable and visible. When someone is injured, it is obvious. Mental health, on the other hand, is more subtle. Whilst it is obvious when unsafe physical conditions exist, how does an employer identify intangible mental health factors like successful social networks, the type of workplace subcultures, or employee attitudes towards drinking or use of illicit drugs?

What does this have to do with drugs and alcohol? It is generally accepted that people with mental health disorders are more likely to be substance abusers. The National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2004 found that two out of five people who used illicit drugs during the past 30 days said they were experiencing high levels of psychological distress. The two most common forms of distress were mood disorders and anxiety.³ Since high stress can destroy a person’s sense of well-being and mood, it is clear that mental health is not just a topic for psychiatrists. When people are mentally stressed, they will often turn to amphetamines because they restore a false sense of well-being.

The growing awareness that mental well-being and substance abuse are closely tied together is leading to increasing discussions concerning the role of employers in substance abuse intervention strategies. Since most people who are drug abusers are also employed, employers can integrate their drug and alcohol policy and alcohol testing programs into a broader company-wide wellness program. The broader wellness program can address the many issues that create mental stress.

Keeping D&A Programs in Context

There are obvious advantages to this approach. Two of the most important are that workers learn how to develop healthier lifestyles and are less likely to use drugs and alcohol. In addition, employers demonstrate greater understanding of what it takes to develop overall well-being and that mental health is as important as physical health in the workplace. Drug and alcohol policies and procedures should be placed in context to reflect the fact they address life issues as much as workplace issues.

Mediscreen offers drug screening services and a Workplace Health and Wellness program. As a NATA accredited provider of onsite drug and alcohol screening system, Mediscreen offers state-of-the-art technology so employers are ensured of accurate and reliable results.

This article has been taken from : http://www.mediscreen.net.au/mental-health-and-substance-abuse-why-employers-should-care/

Importance of Specificity in D&A Policy and Procedures

Drug Screening

Developing a drug and alcohol policy and set of supporting procedures is important to workplace safety and health. When correctly written and communicated, they establish employer and worker rights and give employers the basis for defending actions taken should workers file labour complaints. Writing and enforcing drug and alcohol policies can be a complex process and even employers with the best of intentions may discover during worker appeals that the policies or methods of enforcement have flaws. Borrowing an old adage for a moment, “The devil is in the details.”  In other words, employers must understand the law, how it will be interpreted, and include specificity in drug and alcohol policies and procedures so there is no way anyone could misinterpret the intent.

Indisputable Evidence

A good way to understand these types of issues is to review actual situations that occurred in Australian workplaces. The first example is the case of Mr. Shane Jeffrey Ley v Macmahon Contractors Pty Ltd [2011] FWA 694.1 In March 2010, a leading worker for Macmahon, Mr. Ley, tested positive for alcohol. He was given a warning and informed he had violated the drug and alcohol policy. The warning said that he would be dismissed from employment should he test positive for alcohol again. He signed the warning acknowledging he had read the D&A policy. In October 2010, Mr. Ley tested positive again.

Mr. Ley attributed the positive reading to drinking the day before at a rugby match.  He was dismissed the day of the second positive reading, having violated the D&A policy by testing positive twice within a 12-month period. He took six BAC tests on that day, and the employer used three different testing machines. One machine tested negative on the second test. Mr. Ley brought unfair dismissal proceedings because the policy states that, “If a reading greater than 0.00% BAC is received the first result shall be entered to the positive BAC record sheet and a re-test shall be conducted 20 minutes following the initial test, but no longer than 30 minutes. If the result is 0.000 BAC no further action required.”

Since six tests were given, the employee believed the employer should have stopped testing when the second test showed 0.000 BAC compared to .039 percent on the first test. Macmahon said it was clear that someone’s BAC could not drop that quickly in 20 minutes so the second test had provided a false negative. Fair Work Commissioner Cloghan agreed, and said it was indisputable that the worker had alcohol in his blood and had directly violated D&A policies.

Clearly Stated and Clearly Communicated

In the second situation, a Fair Work Australia Commissioner decided to reinstate a worker who had been fired for failing a random alcohol test. The Commissioner decided the employer’s drug and alcohol policy was not clearly stated, not properly communicated, and was not specific enough. The worker had recorded a BAC of .018 and .011 on two different tests at a mine work site. After the second positive test, the worker was terminated. Fair Work Australia found a number of wording problems in the policies. They included a failure to mention cut-off levels, confusing wording about what positive results include, vagueness about company premises, and lack of effectiveness in the D&A testing process. In addition, the first and final warning letter states that similar behaviour occurring again will result in a final warning letter. The employee was reinstated due to the confusion in the policies and procedures.2

The Ley v Macmahon case shows the importance of having specific policies in place that are defensible and reasonable. The second case demonstrates the need to have policies and procedures that are unequivocal and cannot be interpreted in different ways, depending on who is reading them. Employers must write specific, definitive, legally clear drug and alcohol policies and procedures and then clearly communicate them to workers in terms of wording and meaning. Employees should also understand the consequences of testing positive for drugs and alcohol.

Mediscreen (mediscreen.net.au) is a NATA accredited company that helps employers ensure testing is completed using the highest possible standards. Employers can rely on the quality of Mediscreen’s services for onsite collection, storage, and dispatch of saliva and urine samples.

This article has been taken from : http://www.mediscreen.net.au/importance-of-specificity-in-da-policy-and-procedures/

The Laws of Nature and the Workplace

Drug Testing Australia

Nature has many laws, which are in order of importance and can overrule natural laws below them. We have the law of gravity, which overrules many things, but not the law of lift. The law of lift allows airplanes and birds to fly. The law of abundance causes trees to grow and little shoots to put pressure on rocks and to spring forth from stone. The differences between the speed of sound and the speed of light can help us tell how far away a thunderstorm is if we count from the lightning flash to the thunder roll.

In the workplace, there are also laws which both help and guide us. Professionalism and respect for our coworkers and clients causes us to dress nicely in clothes that fit and that are in good condition. A need to show self respect causes us to brush our teeth, deodorize our bodies, and wear perfume or cologne. The need to keep all of our clients causes us to bite our tongues when a client is chewing us out and to respond in a calm, professional, and lighthearted manner.

Workplace drug testing is another law of the business which allows you to use scientific data to help yourself and your customers know, for sure, that everyone in your office is drug-free. That is not a full guarantee, but it is as close as you can get. When it comes to other humans, there is very little any of us can have in the way of guarantees about anyone. However, we can still make sure that our workers are not abusing substances while on the jobsite. It’s only reasonable, after all.

Workplace drug testing laws are even in place for entire industries where the hazardous working conditions make substance abuse that much more dangerous for everyone involved. Drug screening acts as a law of nature by giving your objective, impassive results, rather than opinionated subjective reviews from managers and overseers. The scientific nature of drug screening makes the whole process that much more effective, not to mention the fact that Mediscreen is accredited by NATA for onsite drug & alcohol testing.

This article has been taken from : http://www.mediscreen.net.au/the-laws-of-nature-and-the-workplace/