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Australia, NZ get standardisation for oral fluid drug testing
New standards for oral fluid testing processes
and technologies have been
introduced and welcomed by The Drug
Detection Agency (TDDA).
TDDA says it has long believed that oral
fluid testing technology and processes
required reviewing and to become a
joint Australian and New Zealand standard.
The AS/NZS 4760:2019 (CH-039 Detection
of Drugs in Oral Fluids) Oral Fluid
testing standard by Standards Australia
and Standards New Zealand dictates
consistency around testing methodology,
the quality of devices required, and
how labs manage test samples.
“The new standardisation delivers value
to employees and employers alike. It
provides a framework and guidelines to
ensure that oral fluid testing is carried
out in a way that will deliver accurate,
reliable results,” says Kirk Hardy, ceo,
TDDA.
TDDA is on track to be the first to
achieve cross-Tasman accreditation
and provide independent and reliable
externally audited oral fluid drug testing
collection service to International
Standards Organisation (ISO) standards.
TDDA-Omega laboratories is also
seeking accreditation to AS/NZS 4760:
2019 for the provision of laboratory
confirmation services.
“If a drug tester follows the standard,
they’ll use a process that ensures the
testing carried out meets the requirements
of the AS/NZS 4760:2019, giving
it more scientific rigour to withstand
legal challenges. We’re also in
the process of verifying a device to
meet the criteria of the new standard”
says Mr Hardy.
Even with standardisation improvements
with collection, Mr Hardy warns
that oral fluid testing isn’t a catch-all
testing product, and not all workplace
testers are accredited or will follow the
standard.
“Businesses who care about compliance
and the Health and Safety at
Work Act 2015 need to make sure
they’re using an independent, accredited,
certified tester that follows the
new standard. But companies also
need to understand it’s not a one size
fits all test,” says Mr Hardy.
TDDA recommends utilising a range
of different testing methods, such as
a mixture of oral fluid, urine and hair
testing. All tests have their advantages
and disadvantages. Businesses should
utilise testing methods to fit the needs
of their workplace, and should consider
all forms of testing based on what the
testing outcomes desired.
Hardy says TDDA has been conducting
oral fluid testing for companies for nearly
two decades.
TDDA recommends testing trial periods
of up to a year to determine a testing
technology matrix that includes oral fluid
testing, and measuring metrics such
as:
• Detection rate increases and decreases
• Accident rate increases or decreases
• Employee wellness
• Employee attendance and attrition
rates
• Subjective surveying of employees
and their opinions
Brüel & Kjær Vibro
installs 3rd generation
monitoring system at
Huntly power station
Brüel & Kjær Vibro (B&K Vibro)
announced that it had received an
order for the supply of VC-8000
SetPoint systems and services
for monitoring a 250 MW gas/
coal fired steam turbine, generator
and main boiler feed pump at the
Huntly power station, the largest in
New Zealand. Huntly is owned by
Genesis Energy, the third largest
generating company in New
Zealand in terms of production
capacity.
The B&K Vibro system provides
both protection and condition
monitoring of the generating
units. In fact, the SetPoint system
represents the third generation
monitoring system from B&K
Vibro installed at the Huntly power
station since 1995; Compass
Classic, VC-6000/Compass 6000
and VC-8000 SetPoint.
One of the unique aspects of the
Huntly power station is that the
generating units are mounted
on steel frame foundations as a
means of providing earthquake
protection. An undesirable
consequence of this type of construction,
however, resulted in
vibration resonances becoming
very close to the operating
speed. This problem has since
been mitigated but it still creates
a challenge to the monitoring
system. As with the previous B&K
Vibro monitoring system, the
VC-8000 SetPoint system was
customised to provide a unique
speed adaptive monitoring
strategy for both protection and
condition monitoring of the units
to deal with this condition.
In addition to this, the VC-8000 was
also selected based on its ability
to stream all static and dynamic
vibration data into the existing
OSIsoft PI System data historian.
By using the data historian server,
this thus eliminates the need
for a separate, special-purpose
vibration database. This approach
not only reduces IT infrastructure,
but it also allows for easier
correlation of process data with
machinery vibration data for
advanced condition monitoring
and diagnostics. Once the data is
in the PI System, it can be viewed
using standard PI System visualisation
tools as well as by B&K
Vibro’s SetPoint CMS software,
which provides enhanced tools
specifically for visualising and
plotting vibration data. Core functionality
within the PI System
also allows customers to deploy
advanced, automated condition
monitoring functionality and
analytics that can continuously
identify machinery problems and
proactively notify plant personnel.
Standard adds process and technology guidelines for workplace testing
aAnlld h sotte amy Bio-Steam has announced that it will be
expanding its production conveyor belt
expertise and KHD conveyor belt cleaning
systems into Malaysia, Singapore
and New Zealand.
The agreements in place between KHD
Technology.com and BioSteam.com.au
dramatically expands the reach of what
it describes as a unique conveyor belt
cleaning system.
KHD, Keith Handy Design, is a leading
innovator, designer, manufacturer and
patent holder of a range of conveyor
belt cleaning systems capable of saving
time, energy, labour and improving
hygiene and saving production time and
even improve shelf life on products. Its
equipment is unique, and they are developing
a worldwide clientele with significant
big brand names.
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