Fake urine that can pass as the real deal in a drug test is helping WA construction and mining industry workers hide recreational drug use from employers.
Workers at some of Australia's biggest companies are buying synthetic urine online in a bid to pass random on-site drug tests, industry sources have told ninemsn.
The synthetic products, which include brands such as Quick Fix and UltraKlean, are able to pass drug screening because they contain creatine, or creatinine, a by-product of muscle breakdown found in real urine.
They often come with mini heating devices that enable the user to warm the liquid to body temperature before giving a fake sample.
A WA-based construction company employee told ninemsn he personally knew at least 15 to 20 colleagues in the mining and construction industries who had recently purchased the product online, and at least five who had used it to pass a drug test.
"I learned about it three and a half years ago, but it has definitely become a lot more popular in the last year or two with the younger crowd," he said.
He also knew of one former colleague who had used a rubber penis to deliver a fake sample.
"I don't know anyone who goes to work under the influence of drugs," the worker told ninemsn.
"The way I see it, what people do on a Saturday night when they've got the Sunday off shouldn't affect their Monday.
"If they want to get on the amphetamines or ecstasy on Saturday night, they can use synthetic urine and if they get tested and they won't lose their jobs."
Medical scientist Tyren Edwards, who works in the drug testing unit at Perth lab Western Diagnostic Pathology, told ninemsn synthetic urine could successfully pass a drug test undetected but it was not foolproof.
"Synthetic urine is around but it needs to be within a certain range of pH to be passable," he said.
"The (testing) machines do look for creatinine. A fake sample may pass a drug test if the synthetic urine has the correct pH level and contains creatinine, or if a creatinine check is not completed and the sample was not supervised."
Testing machines may also pick up a fake sample if bleaches or synthetic materials were detected or interfered with pH levels.
"But there may be some products out there which we don't know about, and they could be right on the money."
Mr Edwards said Western Diagnostic Pathology closely supervised all drug tests to ensure nobody tried to supply a fake sample.
"We always do our testing under supervision or with CCTV installed," he said.
"We're always in the room with them so unless they used a fake penis we would pick it up."
Fake samples may be prevalent in remote areas where those being tested were allowed more privacy, he said.
Synthetic urine is sold online and in bong stores, such as national retailer Off Ya Tree, for around $70 – $85.
South Australian store Aussie Detox is one of the many companies that sell the product online, but manager Joe Jones insists it is mainly bought for "party pranks".
Despite advertising Quick Fix on the Aussie Detox website as "premixed laboratory urine designed to protect your privacy during a urinary drug test (THC, marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, pollutants)", Mr Jones said the company did not encourage it to be used for drug testing.
"We wouldn't want anyone to break the law," he said.
Off Ya Tree's WA coordinator did not wish to discuss the product with ninemsn.
The major industry players approached by ninemsn also remained tight-lipped on the details of their drug testing procedures.
A Rio Tinto iron ore spokesman told ninemsn the company did not wish to share details of drug testing procedures, but added "our testing methodologies and practices are consistent with Australian standards".
Woodside oil and gas company and WA construction giant BGC refused to comment.
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