Meth Testing Toowoomba

Meth is odourless and the residue is invisible so no one knows that they are living in a Meth users house of even a lab for that matter. It only takes a few uses of meth to infect a room. Australian laws (EPA and local government) says meth contamination above .05 micrograms in a 100cm2 area is not acceptable. Focused on Cleaning are Trained in Meth Testing in Toowoomba. We also travel through out South East Queensland and Western Queensland.

TENANTS

Tenants that have no part in drugs should not have to deal with the health hazards that can come from residue left from Meth fumes. The residue is odourless and there are no signs that it has been used or made in the home. Health related issues felt from residents can be respiratory problems, headaches, behaviour issues in some children, sleep pattern changes, increased susceptibility to illness and eye and skin irritation to name a few. Sometimes the health affects are only felt later on as some of the chemicals used are carcinogenic.

PROPERTY MANAGERS/OWNERS

Property Managers and Owners have a duty of care to ensure that the property is safe for habitation.  Landlords face lawsuits from tenants moving into an already-contaminated property, and adjoining neighbours may also seek legal advice.

Meth testing is also a way to make sure that the property, upon entering, is not just safe, but has not been contaminated by the previous tenants. Maintaining a schedule of testing upon each tenant leaving means you then have a record of who has contaminated the property. A lot of insurance companies won’t cover the property unless they have a third party and proof either by records of tests or police reports involving illegal activities at the property.

Decontaminating a property is expensive and finding out part of the way through someones tenancy can mean costs are kept down. That is in the case that it is only in  few rooms and hasn’t gone into the rest of the property. A standard 3 bedroom home can be in excess of $30,000 to $45,000 just for decontamination.

MOTEL & COMMERCIAL OWNERS

Unfortunately, commercial properties are not exempt from meth users and even labs. Sometimes ‘Cook ups’ can happen in motels over a couple of days without anyone knowing as there is no smell. The motel room is then contaminated without anyone being the wiser. Some offices have users that work back late or get in early to use and this then contaminates the property.

TENANTS

If you notice the above differences in health after moving in. Also sometimes there are EOA (Evidence of Anger) these are holes punched or kicked in the walls that have been patched up

PROPERTY MANAGERS/OWNERS

When inspecting a property look for EOA (Evidence of Anger) during routine inspections or on exit inspections. Most times these are patched. In this case look for patched walls and paint that doesn’t match exactly. Sometimes drug paraphernalia can be identified by the Property manager in which case you have a duty of care to your landlord to ensure that the illegal activity is not carried out in the property. Photos of the drugs or drug items should be taken and a meth test organised after the inspection or after the tenants have been breached and or evicted. It is best for the owner/property manager to have these carried out as random tests by a tenant can mean that the property is unlivable and cannot be lived in until decontamination has been carried out. This can mean loss of rent for the landlord, costs associated with re housing and of course decontamination of affected areas. Please make sure you have checked that your insurance covers this and that the clean up amount is at least $60,000.

MOTEL & COMMERCIAL OWNERS

When you have had reports of feeling ill while people have stayed in that room in a motel or if you have suspicions especially if drugs or items are found. Offices and other commercial sites can have test carried out because of the same issue. However, most are because someone has been found to have used on the premises. Toilets in this case are usually the most contaminated rooms.

RAPID SWAB TESTING

Swab tests are used when there is general suspicion to check if the property has residue. A standard swab is taken to identify if the room or rooms have been affected. These are quick and only take around 20 seconds after the test fluid has been prepared for the results to show up on the tester.  These tests only show up in rooms that have over 0.5 micrograms in the test area. These are less expensive than a ascreen laboratory test and also quicker for peace of mind.

SCREEN LABORATORY TESTING

These tests are carried out after swab tests have come up positive or if the owner/property manager/tenant knows or has a firm suspicion that the property has had some sort of use. In conducting these test we must wear full face masks and be fully covered as the property is now deemed unsafe. These tests are carried out with a  screen wipe that is wiped over a certain area in the room . These are then documented and placed in a tube and sent of to our designated lab for testing. These take a minimum of 3 days for results. This testing is then carried out after the decontamination to clear the property prior to a clearance being issued.

SWAB TESTING

1 to 3 Bedrooms $150 – 299.00

4 to 6 Bedrooms $399.00

7 to 9 Bedrooms $499.00

SCREEN LABORATORY TESTING

Call Out Fee $220

Per Test $125

Fast Result $+66 per Result