PRESS RELEASE: Sober Check Launches New Drug Testing Tool, as Australian and New Zealand Workplaces Deal with Rising Cocaine Usage
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MEDIA SUMMARY: Workplace drug and alcohol testing authority Sober Check has launched the SCOUT OneStep Urine Drug Cup. The new hardware is engineered specifically to meet the rigorous AS/NZS 4308:2023 workplace testing standards, including a lower test threshold to address the growth in cocaine use across Australia and New Zealand. The release serves as an urgent call to action for compliance ahead of the November transition deadline, when the legacy 2008 standards officially phase out.
Wednesday 3rd June 2026
HEADLINE: Sober Check Launches New Drug Testing Tool, as Australian and New Zealand Workplaces Deal with Rising Cocaine Usage
Perth, Western Australia – Leading workplace drug and alcohol testing authority Sober Check has officially launched its newest flagship hardware solution, the SCOUT OneStep Urine Drug Screening Cup.
Specifically engineered to address the strict operational and technical compliance shifts introduced by the updated AS/NZS 4308:2023 workplace testing standards, the device is set to become the baseline safety benchmark for high-volume industries across Australia and New Zealand.
The biggest technical hurdle introduced by the AS/NZS 4308:2023 update is the dramatic reduction of the cocaine screening cut-off level, which has dropped from 300 µg/L down to 150 µg/L.
According to Sober Check Australasia CEO, Louis Foster, this launch arrives ahead of the critical November transition deadline, when the legacy 2008 standards officially phase out, leaving organisations using outdated hardware exposed to significant legal and workplace safety risks.
“If an employer continues to screen with legacy 2008-verified cups, they may fail to detect those who have cocaine levels below the 2008 cut-off level, but above the 2023 standard cut-off level,” said Mr Foster.
“The SCOUT OneStep was engineered from the ground up to meet this improved requirement. It ensures complete, airtight regulatory alignment with the 2023 screening cut-offs, safeguarding both your staff and your corporate legal liability.”
This ‘cocaine cliff’ – in which industry compliance specialists are seeing a rapid surge in usage rates identified by regional wastewater data across both countries – has implications across workplace drug testing regimes.
Developed directly from extensive client feedback in heavy industrial sectors and blue-collar labour hire providers, the SCOUT OneStep features an intuitive, unified design that simplifies the entire physical on-site collection and screening process.
Key technical innovations built into the device include:
The One-Step Workflow: Eliminates the need for external activation keys or complex mechanisms. This simple layout solves a major pain point for labour-hire and remote operations, where donors frequently mishandle testing kits, leading to testing errors or a mess.
Integrated Adulterant Screening: Includes built-in visual windows to immediately assess specimen integrity (e.g. pH and creatinine levels), matching Appendix B3 of the 2023 standard to quickly detect tampering.
Time Savings: Shaves at least one full minute off the whole process per donor, a critical efficiency dividend for high-volume situations such as mine entry points, blanket testing and pre-deployment testing.
As Sober Check prepares to showcase its expanded capabilities at upcoming national health safety conferences, the company is urging workplace managers to audit their internal documentation alongside their testing hardware.
According to Mr Foster, under the 2023 framework, if an organisation’s internal workplace drug and alcohol policy conflicts with the updated standard, it creates critical vulnerabilities that employees can leverage to contest disciplinary actions or termination proceedings.
“In a high-stakes litigation environment, technical errors cost companies millions,” Mr Foster said.
“The SCOUT OneStep doesn’t just offer a faster, cleaner test; it provides our clients with a legally defensible barrier. It brings physical workplace reality into lockstep with regulatory law.”
The SCOUT OneStep is available for immediate sale, fully compliant with the updated temperature parameters (32°C to 38°C), and can be paired with the A+B Sample Collection Kit for confirmatory testing by a laboratory accredited to the 2023 standard by IANZ or NATA.
About Sober Check: Sober Check is one of Australasia’s largest providers of certified alcohol and drug testing technology and solutions. The company supports businesses in safety-sensitive industries, including transport, forestry, government workplaces, recruitment, occupational health, and construction, in managing workplace risks effectively. Sober Check works with its clients to create safer, healthier workplaces through simple, effective drug, alcohol and hydration testing solutions.
It achieves this by providing reliable, compliant and easy-to-use testing solutions that help organisations protect their people and meet their obligations. From single-use kits to comprehensive workplace testing programmes, Sober Check is your reliable partner for drug, alcohol and hydration testing solutions across Australasia.
For all media enquiries, images, or interviews, please contact Becks Stratton e [email protected] / p + 64 9 918 2437.
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