Positive work drug tests soarMonday Mar 24 06:30 AEDTOne in...

Positive work drug tests soar
Monday Mar 24 06:30 AEDT
One in eight Australians are testing positive to drugs at work, a troubling statistic that has doubled over the past decade say drug experts.

The number of positive tests has soared in recent year says Australia's largest drug testing organisation Medvet, who has demanded compulsory testing in high risk jobs.

About five per cent of employees in high-risk jobs are using illicit drugs, the company says.

"They do it for sports, so why not do it for workplaces - there is a much bigger problem in the wider community," Medvet spokesman Steve Korkoneas told News Ltd newspapers on Monday.




Medvet conducts 100,000 alcohol and drug tests each year.

"It's a huge concern in the workplace," Mr Korkoneas said.

"At any given time the positive drug rate using urine testing is 13 to 15 per cent. It could be extremely higher if more tests were conducted."

However, the idea of compulsory testing has been dismissed by unions, who say it would be an invasion of privacy.

"There should not be open slather testing of employees or whenever they feel like it," ACTU assistant secretary Geoff Fary said.