Read this and ACT before 27th of August or forever be silent
DO YOU WANT 0.02% (UK limit) or 0.04% (FAA USA limit)
You have until 27th August to make a submission regarding the new Drug and Alcohol Regulations that will be passed into law and acted on immediately. The proposed start date is early 2008.
I urge all of the aviation industry participants to study the proposed regs(they will not be changed unless you comment).
You will find them as a PDF file top right corner at:
http://www.casa.gov.au/newrules/part...NPRM0703SS.asp
Drugs are zero tolerance and so they should be and once busted you will not be permitted to return to work until tested zero.....I understand some of this stuff take three months to get a zero reading and you may also face loss of licence and/or the courts.
However, RESPONSIBLE ALCOHOL consumption is generally an accepted way of life throughout most of the world but certainly in Australia.
BE WARNED !!!! the limit proposed is 0.02% BAC following the UK limit while they could adopt the US limit of 0.04% BAC as acceptable.
THEY WILL NOT CHANGE UNLESS THE INDUSTRY COMMENTS BEFORE 27TH AUGUST 2007!
In the proposal is to allow State Police to do random testing, airside is described as any area regardless of whether it is fenced, demerit point system and eventual revocation of your CASA Medical etc etc etc etc.
There are serious implications for all industry personnel. They are going to do a lot of random testing and not just targeting airline employees...the whole industry.
Get off your fat bums and hit the keyboard, make a responsible comment and DEMAND SAFEGUARDS be inserted into the regs to prevent overzealous, undertrained dickheads destroying your career.
YOU CANNOT REFUSE a test and you may not even be on duty and be asked to do a test......how will they determine who is on duty and who is not....etc etc etc...walking from one hangar to the next at a country aerodrome (like you have done for 30 years) after having a couple on Friday afternoon....how do you convince the man/lady that jumps out of the bushes that you are not on duty....make no mistake this will occur and you need safeguard legislation...YOU CANNOT REFUSE A TEST!
DO NOT come screaming next year that this long overdue system is flawed - its up to the industry to comment now!