As Mitre 10 Romsey scaled rapidly from a small team of 5 to 25 employees, managing workplace health and safety became paramount. Operating in a high-risk retail environment involving heavy machinery, forklifts, and physical labor, store owner Nick Waldhauser recognized that maintaining a safe workplace required an objective, structured approach to drug and alcohol management.
By partnering with Andatech, Mitre 10 Romsey successfully established a legally robust, culture-supportive safety framework, and creating a proactive workplace where safety is a shared priority.
“We saw this as an opportunity to support the employee while also ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the rest of our team and protecting the business. Rather than waiting for a more serious incident to occur, we decided to implement a formal drug and alcohol management program.” — Nick Waldhauser, Owner, Mitre 10 Romsey
The Challenge: Growth, Heavy Machinery, and a Duty of Care
The catalyst for implementing a formal policy occurred when management noticed a staff member exhibiting unexplained absences and failing to return from lunch breaks. During a supportive one-on-one meeting, the employee disclosed they were struggling with substance abuse and wanted help to correct the issue.
While Mitre 10 Romsey wanted to support their worker's recovery, their duty of care to the rest of the team and the public took precedence, particularly given the daily operation of heavy machinery and forklifts. The store could not allow any employee back on site unless they were verified clean and fit for duty.
Nick Waldhauser recognized three immediate challenges:
- Lack of Formal Framework: The growing business needed a comprehensive, legally compliant Drug & Alcohol (D&A) policy.
- Training & Procedure Knowledge: Management needed accredited training to conduct testing correctly, ethically, and confidentially without disrupting business operations.
- Selecting the Right Equipment: They required accurate, straightforward testing tools that staff could trust.
The Solution: A Complete End-to-End Safety Partnership
Mitre 10 Romsey partnered with Andatech to build a safety system tailored to their workplace culture. Andatech provided an end-to-end solution spanning policy creation, accredited staff training, and professional-grade testing hardware.
1. Tailored Policy Creation & Guidance
Working alongside Andatech’s team (led by Account Manager Casey), Mitre 10 established a fair, transparent zero-tolerance policy. The guidance covered vital "shoulds and shouldn'ts" for policy drafting, ensuring employees understood that testing was not a punitive measure, but a tool to protect everyone on site.
2. Accredited HLTPAT010 Collector Training
Nick and his Store Manager completed the HLTPAT010 (Collect Pathology Specimens) unit, delivered on-site by an Andatech trainer in their home office. The training provided a thorough, easy-to-understand breakdown of chain of custody procedures, privacy management, and testing execution.
3. Professional Hardware Integration
Mitre 10 Romsey adopted two core Andatech devices for their private office testing area, avoiding invasive pathology methods like urine testing in favor of quick, non-invasive oral fluid and breath screening:
- DrugSense DSO8 Plus: Used for rapid oral fluid drug screening. Praised for being simple, clean, and straightforward to operate.
- Andatech Prodigy S: Used for precise alcohol breath testing. Well-received by staff for its speed, law-enforcement-grade accuracy, and ease of use.
4. Voluntary Self-Testing & Random Testing Framework
Beyond random checks and testing under reasonable suspicion, the policy incorporated a voluntary self-testing option. If an employee ever feels potentially unfit for work, they can voluntarily test themselves in a private, 1-on-1 setting before starting a shift, ensuring complete safety in their spare time and on the job.
“Once we partnered with Andatech, the implementation process was relatively straightforward. Casey organised training for both myself and our Store Manager. There was certainly a lot to learn and implement, but the process was made much easier through the resources, documentation and guidance provided by Andatech and the training partner.” — Nick Waldhauser, Owner, Mitre 10 Romsey
The Results: Peace of Mind and a Stronger Safety Culture
Because the policy was introduced transparently as a way to support a growing business and protect workers, employee acceptance was seamless. The implementation yielded immediate, tangible benefits for Mitre 10 Romsey:
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Complete Legal & Operational Confidence: Management now possesses the knowledge and certified skills to conduct defensible on-site testing without relying on expensive third-party contractors.
- Workforce Peace of Mind: Team members, especially heavy machinery and forklift operators work with complete confidence knowing their peers are 100% fit for duty.
- Culture of Accountability: The voluntary self-testing initiative empowered employees to take personal ownership of workplace safety, reinforcing a positive, trusting environment.
- Seamless Scalability: With 6 months of smooth operation under their belt, Mitre 10 Romsey has a scalable safety infrastructure ready to support their continued business growth.
Owner's Verdict
By choosing Andatech, Mitre 10 Romsey transformed a challenging HR situation into a cornerstone of their company culture. They proved that implementing a drug and alcohol safety program doesn't have to be daunting or overly complex when backed by the right guidance and hardware.
“I believe the program has had a positive influence on our workplace. It has given staff confidence that everyone they work alongside is fit for work and has established clear expectations around drug and alcohol use in the workplace. It has also reinforced our commitment to maintaining a safe, supportive and accountable work environment.” — Nick Waldhauser, Owner, Mitre 10 Romsey
