Drug & Alcohol Test

[wong]

I fly for an offshore oil company in Malaysia who has a contract with Esso. One of the contract requirements is the crew are subjected to random drug and alcohol test.If found positive, no questions will be asked.. you will be out on their flights.There are a few guys out for this reason but we do not see them as drug addicts. One was on prescribed medicine which contains some opaq. He is out already. There is no re doing of the test. Does any one of you guys out there suffer the same fate?

[suckback 6]

No, but there was talk of random drug testing starting up at Aberdeen a few years ago. Normally if the Oil companies want it, the oil companies get it! may be Balpa will be able to give you some info

[Speechless Two]

Random drug testing was certainly in force at Bristows in Aberdeen for quite a while before I was "volunteered" into retirement there last September. I know that when it came into force at the request of the clients, they tested some of the chief pilots having given them a few days notice, and I am aware that a non UK national had failed a drug test at the start of his employment at about the same time. I believe it is policy to drug test all new pilot employees at Bristow.

------------------
Mind The Gap

[leading edge]

I believe that some companies in the US, Air Log and PHI have random drug testing programs for all staff. As has been said elsewhere on this thread, some oil companies, notably Esso and Unocal demand and carry out random testing on all contractors.

There are normally specific exclusions like prescription drugs which have been approved by company doctors.

Wong, did your friend have approval or had he consulted with the company aviation doctor prior to taking the prescription drugs? I would have thought that Esso would have been ok with the test if advice had been sought.

I my experience, honesty usually pays and if everything is legitimate then there should not be problems. Your friend's company which I presume is MHS should back him up with the client.

LE

[Cyclic Hotline]

In the U.S., drug testing has been a major part of internal and external corporate safety programs since the mid 80's and more recently, part of federally mandated requirements for all Air Carriers and Repair Stations performing work on Air Carrier products.
For the Part 135 Operators, certified programmes for Drug, and more recently, alcohol, testing are a mandatory provision for the issuance and continuation of an Operators Certificate.
This system is administered by the DOT, rather than the FAA, and in my experience is managed the way the Nazi's would run it, (although they are not allowed to shoot you!)

Prior to federally mandated drug testing, however, many companies initiated their own Drug Test policies as a means of getting a significant break on Workers Compensation Insurance rates. These testing programmes became integral with Company safety programmes, many since the mid 80's.
In addition to internal safety programmes, many customers will require that all contractor employees be tested under their programme, prior to participating in larger projects. As with any Corporate policy(?), there must be a defined protocol for the administration of the testing process.

The testing process may be based upon many requirements, eg;
Pre-Hire, Random, Just Cause,lost-time accident, return to work, etc.
In the U.S., there are many requirements and procedures to ensure that the legal rights of the individual are not compromised. I would think that Esso has a similar policy, although subject to Malaysian interpretation.

All Drug testing here;
advises the subject, which drugs they are being screened for.
provides for the listing of any prescription, or non-prescription drugs which are being taken.
maintains the anonymity of the test subject,

The only Aviation guy I have ever had fail a drug test, failed for Opiates! As I have known him since he was a kid, I was extremely surprised, but the company would not hire him. He told me that he had never, ever, used drugs and was totally unable to comprehend how they could be detected within his system. However, he recalled that on the first day at work, he had brought dough-nuts and muffins in for everyone in the hangar and had eaten a Poppy Seed muffin causing the test outcome.
I was able to convince the company to retest him and he passed, but I found that whole process rather worrying.

I would recommend that you closely review the policy of Esso Malaysia, focusing on the testing, prescription drug, appeal and medical oversight process.

Examine the copy of the test paperwork given to the employee, for the provision to report prescription, or other drugs that were being taken at the time of testing.

If the testing detected prescription drugs, properly prescribed for the individual, it may well be worth your time to ask the prescibing doctor to contact the Esso employee (Doctor?) responsible for overseeing the programme, to ensure that accurate information is relayed.

If you have a sound argument, put it all on paper, copy it to your local management as well as the H.R. director of your employer, plus all the involved Esso management.

The purpose of drug testing is to eliminate impaired employees from the workplace in the interests of Safety. There is no benefit in penalizing the innocent, but be aware that the appeal process, if not fought with complete honesty may do irrepairable damage to the integrity, and career of the individual involved.

I think I have been drug tested 6 times in the last 18 months!

[TipCap]

Esso Norway has a policy that every person working on an Esso Contract (Pilots and technicians) will be tested.

Thereafter, Captains and Senior Mechanics will be randomly tested.

Genuine "No Notice" given and carried out by an independent Company