Oral fluid (saliva) drug testing is commonly used in workplaces where identifying recent drug use is critical, particularly in safety-sensitive and operational roles. With a shorter detection window than urine testing, oral fluid testing is well suited to situations where impairment risk needs to be assessed close to the time of testing.
Oral fluid testing is quick, non-invasive and can be carried out under direct observation, helping reduce the risk of sample tampering.
To ensure results are reliable and compliant, staff must be trained to collect and screen specimens correctly in line with the AS/NZS 4760:2019 Standard. Proper training supports consistent testing, defensible results and confidence for both testers and workers, helping business maintain safe and compliant workplace.
NZQA-Approved Drug Testing Courses for Workplaces
Oral Fluid Micro-Credential Course (Unit Standards 32327 & 32328)
The purpose of this micro-credential is to equip learners with the knowledge and skills required to conduct oral fluid specimen collection and screen the specimen for drugs, in a workplace setting. This micro-credential addresses a critical part of the health & safety obligations of any workplace and is relevant for anyone working in or looking to develop their skills in human resources, health & safety, occupational health and recruitment.
This micro-credential will allow learners to have a qualification that can be applied across many industries and roles, and provides a pathway into other workplace health learning.
It is helpful if you are employed as you will be able to implement the learnings quickly, however this is not compulsory and will not affect how you are assessed in any way.
On successful completion of this micro-credential, you will be able to:
- Prepare a donor for oral fluid specimen collection in the workplace
- Collect a donor’s oral fluid specimen
- Dispatch an oral fluid specimen to a laboratory
- Perform on site quality control procedures, integrity checks, drug screening and documentation of results
- Interpret and explain oral fluid quality control tests, integrity checks, drug screen results, and possible actions
NZQA credits required for oral fluid (saliva) workplace drug testing:
- Unit Standard 32327: Perform oral fluid specimen collection in the workplace for drug testing
- Unit Standard 32328: Perform oral fluid drug screening in the workplace
In these courses, you will be trained to collect oral fluid for a drug test in accordance with the AS/NZS 4760:2019 Standard.
Self-Directed Online Micro-Credential Training Course – Sober Check
This course is a self-directed, online, on-demand training course. You can work through this course in your own time, watching videos & answering quizzes to complete the modules, before completing an assessment and practical test at the end. You will need the help of an observer and a donor when carrying out the practical test.
There is no specific course dates set.
For further information on how this course runs, click here: Learner information
This course costs $595 plus GST per attendee (including training pack). To enrol in this course, please fill in the enrolment form.
Virtual Micro-Credential Training Course
These courses are held as a half day course online over Zoom. Courses have pre-course material to complete. They are interactive and run with a small group so there is plenty of help available throughout the session. You will come away with a far greater understanding of the processes and logic behind workplace oral fluid drug testing. The credits received do not need renewing or updating, they are for life, however refresher courses are recommended.
Dates of upcoming oral fluid drug testing training courses:
- Thursday 19 February 2026
- Thursday 19 March 2026
- Thursday 16 April 2026
- Thursday 21 May 2026
- Thursday 18 June 2026
- Thursday 16 July 2026
- Thursday 20 August 2026
- Thursday 17 September 2026
- Thursday 15 October 2026
- Thursday 19 November 2026
- Thursday 17 December 2026
This is limited to six attendees, if you would like to secure your spot on a course, please complete the enrolment form.
This course costs $645 + GST per attendee. Includes course training pack.
Cancellations, Substitutions and No-Shows
You can change or cancel an enrolment up to 10 working days before the course starts with no charge.
After this point, the full course fee will apply for:
- Late cancellations
- Late substitutions
- No-shows
Payment Terms
Invoices are payable by the 20th of the month following the invoice date. Overdue accounts may be charged interest at 2.5% per month until payment is received.
If you have any questions about our courses, get in touch with the Sober Check team by emailing support@sobercheck.co.nz or call 0800 800 777.
You can place any feedback or complaints here.
In-Person Micro-Credential Training – Sober Check
Sober Check’s In-Person Oral (saliva) Fluid Testing training is delivered face to face at your site, on a date and time that suits your business.
It is specific to the oral fluid drug testing product your workplace uses. There is a minimum number of 6 and a maximum of 12 attendees in one session. Sessions are 4 hours in duration.
This course is $895 + GST per attendee, plus travel and disbursements. Includes course training pack.
If you prefer the in-person option, you are welcome to suggest date options and our Training Team will arrange it directly with you. Get in touch by emailing training@sobercheck.co.nz.
Refresher Courses
In-person Oral Fluid Refresher Training Course
Sober Checks’ In-person Oral Fluid Refresher Training is delivered face to face at your site, on a date and time that suits your business. It is specific to the oral fluid drug testing product your workplace uses. There is a minimum number of 6 and a maximum of 12 in one session. Sessions are two hours in duration. We can deliver to suit shift work and nationwide locations.
The cost is $450 + GST per person – no equipment is supplied however if this is required we will charge $50 per person.
No NZQA units will be awarded as it is refresher training.
Virtual Oral Fluid Refresher Training Course
Sober Checks’ Virtual Oral Fluid Refresher Training is delivered via Google Meet, on a date and time that suits your business and your team. It is specific to the oral fluid drug testing product your workplace uses. Sessions are two hours in duration.
The cost is $200 + GST per person – no equipment is supplied however if this is required we will charge $50 per person.
No NZQA units will be awarded as it is refresher training.
FAQs
Can I do a practice test?
The training pack that comes with your course contains two oral fluid screening kits. You should only need one to complete your assessment, but if you make an error and need more than two devices you will need to source additional kits separately. These can be procured from Sober Check, or via your employer if they are funding your training.
The training pack includes 1 x laboratory confirmation kit, however if you require additional confirmation kits, these will need to be sourced directly from Canterbury Health Laboratories. If your employer is funding the training they may already have an account set up with CHL. You can contact them directly on labinfo@cdhb.health.nz.
If you would like to practice the written answers, do this on a spare piece of paper or your computer. Only include final written answers on the assessment form provided in the training pack as we will need the original sent to us for assessment.
Where are my instructions to order a confirmation kit?
The training pack includes 1 x laboratory confirmation kit, however if you require additional confirmation kits these will need to be sourced directly from Canterbury Health Laboratories. If your employer is funding the training they may already have an account set up with CHL. You can contact them directly on labinfo@cdhb.health.nz.
Do I have to get everything right? (Can I just get 80% or 90% of the questions correct to pass?)
You must get everything right. This is a unit standard assessment so you must pass each performance criteria to achieve the credits. There will be resubmission opportunities if you do not pass on your first attempt.
Should I test with several tests? (There are many oral tests, some have different instructions and procedures).
The qualification is not test-specific, once passed you can use any verified oral fluid device.
Can I do the assessment on my own or with a voluntary donor?
The assessment must be your own authentic work. It will be easier to complete some parts of the practical assessment if you have a voluntary donor that you can perform a screening test on, however you can also do it on yourself.
When am I ready to start the assessment?
Start the assessment once you have completed all the training modules on TalentLMS and feel you have a good understanding of the concepts required. It is also important that you have arranged a time that your observer and donor will be available to assist. Prior to completing any of the training modules, we suggest that you read through the assessment booklet so you know exactly what is required, and it will help you understand what sections of the training relate to what parts of the assessment.
Do I need to do it all in one go?
You can go through the training material and videos at your own pace. The course is designed to suit a wide variety of learner styles and situations. You should do the assessment in one go so you do not lose where you are up to, and it will assist with authenticity of evidence.
When filming yourself running the test, should it be one long video? Do I even have to add videos?
If you are able to capture and upload the practical assessment in one video, that is convenient. Mostly it will be more practical to provide evidence in smaller content files which will assist with uploading for assessment. Videos are not compulsory, but there must be sufficient evidence provided for the assessor to check whether you have met the performance criteria. A series of check marks in the observer comments section is not sufficient.
What evidence do I need to provide?
A large part of the assessment for this micro-credential is practical, which means it is something you need to ‘do’. Your assessor needs to observe that you are competent in these practical tasks. Therefore, you need to provide (i.e. upload/submit/send to us) sufficient evidence that the assessor can tell, just from looking at the evidence, that you are competent in each performance criteria.
This could include some or all of the following:
- Observer comments & notes
- Photos
- Videos
- Hard evidence e.g. completed tests & forms
It is important to note that this is not in any way an assessment of your photography or videography skills, the content is what must be correct, complete and authentic.