Drug & Alcohol Testing
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Drug & Alcohol Testing
Can someone just confirm for me...with this mandatory drug and alcohol testing CASA are introducing, does it mean if I want to hire an aircraft privately I have to pee in a cup? If so, how does the government justify this victimisation and assumption that all pilots are secretly high or drunk? I don't drink, smoke or do drugs, yet its assumed that I will be operating under the influence? If so, this is worse than the ridiculous fatigue and RBT operation on the roads!
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If so, this is worse than the ridiculous fatigue and RBT operation on the roads!
Who cares about the statistics of young people in car accidents and how many of them include alcohol as a contributing factor. Seems like all those who don't fly drunk or use drugs will be fine but what about the rest of the pilots out there!
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..........does it mean if I want to hire an aircraft privately I have to pee in a cup?
As I understand the law, if you are preparing for a flight or have returned from a flight and an AOD tester is on sight you may be required to give a sample to test for alcohol or drugs.
No big deal.....................unless of course you have alcohol or drugs in your system!
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But the problem with all these tests is none of them are ever perfect. If you use a mouthwash, you'll come up with a BAC. You eat iirc three cherry ripes (some people do) you'll come up with a BAC. Sounds way too much like Big Brother for me...
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I have no problem with drug tests, all mining companies and most larger operations havebeen doing them for years.
Who tests the testers? These tests would obviously be done to CASA employee's/ managers and senior management? That last question goes in the FAT CHANCE catergory. While their at it they can go and test our state and federal polititions, maybe after a long friday lunch? If you can't fly under the influence of any drugs then you certainly shouldn't be able to run a whole country after a couple bottles of red. What are the chances of pollies being tested?
As I said I have no problem with drug tests, lets have some consistancy.
Who tests the testers? These tests would obviously be done to CASA employee's/ managers and senior management? That last question goes in the FAT CHANCE catergory. While their at it they can go and test our state and federal polititions, maybe after a long friday lunch? If you can't fly under the influence of any drugs then you certainly shouldn't be able to run a whole country after a couple bottles of red. What are the chances of pollies being tested?
As I said I have no problem with drug tests, lets have some consistancy.
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Coke Snorter. Sorry Drinker....
Go here. Australian Government | Civil Aviation Safety Authority
You will find all the answers there.
Cheers
TBT
Go here. Australian Government | Civil Aviation Safety Authority
You will find all the answers there.
Cheers
TBT
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I believe Melbourne Airport has been trialing this for many many months. Mainly testing airside drivers and contractors building the new terminal. I have been tested, but only had to do a breath test.
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But the problem with all these tests is none of them are ever perfect. If you use a mouthwash, you'll come up with a BAC. You eat iirc three cherry ripes (some people do) you'll come up with a BAC. Sounds way too much like Big Brother for me...
I have never touched opiates in my life (even codeine), after talking to a few people and thinking about things I came to the conclusion that a poppy seed covered filled roll I had for lunch caused the positive reading....
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In 1997, a woman in Florida was awarded $859,000 in her lawsuit against Bankers Insurance Group because it had withdrawn a lucrative job offer to her on the basis of her poppy seed-influenced drug screen results.
I'm not sure if I would get anything like that in this part of the world though
Only in America...
AOD
Miscellaneous Instrument CASA EX07/09 – Exemption - extension of time for drug and alcohol education program (expires end of 30 April 2010)
On 12 March 2009, instrument CASA EX07/09 (Exemption – extension of time for drug and alcohol education program) was registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments and comes into effect on 13 March 2009. This instrument provides Qantas Airways Limited with an extension of time, from 23 March 2009 until 30 April 2010, within which to implement the requirement in Part 99 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 for delivery of a prescribed type of drug and alcohol education program for its employees who perform, or are available to perform, safety-sensitive aviation activities or who are relevant supervisors.
This and other Miscellaneous Instruments can be found on the CASA website:
Legislative instruments and exemptions – Miscellaneous Legislative Instruments
On 12 March 2009, instrument CASA EX07/09 (Exemption – extension of time for drug and alcohol education program) was registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments and comes into effect on 13 March 2009. This instrument provides Qantas Airways Limited with an extension of time, from 23 March 2009 until 30 April 2010, within which to implement the requirement in Part 99 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 for delivery of a prescribed type of drug and alcohol education program for its employees who perform, or are available to perform, safety-sensitive aviation activities or who are relevant supervisors.
This and other Miscellaneous Instruments can be found on the CASA website:
Legislative instruments and exemptions – Miscellaneous Legislative Instruments
Last edited by 185skywagon; 12th Mar 2009 at 23:38. Reason: to tone it down
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What's the problem?
If you don't snort, inject, smoke drugs and drink booze you won't have a problem. Seems to me the ones making the most noise may just be the types who they want out of the aviation industry.
Kickatinalong.
Kickatinalong.
If you don't snort, inject, smoke drugs and drink booze you won't have a problem. Seems to me the ones making the most noise may just be the types who they want out of the aviation industry.
Kickatinalong.
Kickatinalong.
I am not entirely convinced that the regulators team is acoss all the compliance issues either.
And the more equal ones get a little more time to get their ducks in a row than we do.
Another paper excercise.
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I have a friend who attended one of the seminars in Sydney recently and the question was asked as to the testing of CASA FOI's and representives, as the proposal appears to exempt them from any testing. Apparently, it was confirmed at this meeting that CASA personnel are exempt!
If this is the case and the whole testing scheme is so serious for the betterment of our industry, then why isn't EVERYONE that has an operational roll involved?
I feel that after near twenty years in this industry myself in an operational roll, this procedure is long over due, we just need to make sure that it is controlled sensibly.
VS
If this is the case and the whole testing scheme is so serious for the betterment of our industry, then why isn't EVERYONE that has an operational roll involved?
I feel that after near twenty years in this industry myself in an operational roll, this procedure is long over due, we just need to make sure that it is controlled sensibly.
VS
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The problem is :- if you go to work with a headache or had shoulder reconstruction or some other medical problems that require you to take medicine you will test positive then you will be stood down till their medical doctor calls you and works out what has transpired previous to the test. No problem right?
Well this could take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months, what do you do in the mean time?
Drink chocalate milk before the test and you read a BAC ( this happened to me) now wait for approval to return to work.
How does piss off and let us get back to our job and stop wasting money on BS regulations that statistically cause >1% of incidences.
Dont start me on ASIC's
Rant over
Well this could take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months, what do you do in the mean time?
Drink chocalate milk before the test and you read a BAC ( this happened to me) now wait for approval to return to work.
How does piss off and let us get back to our job and stop wasting money on BS regulations that statistically cause >1% of incidences.
Dont start me on ASIC's
Rant over
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I wonder how CASA intends to ensure every AOC and COA holder ( except Qantas 
) has their DAMP in place, including education of and testing of all SSAA employees on the morning of the 23rd.
No liftee flight bag or spanner if you havent been educated and tested and read your companies DAMP manual on monday boys, 50 penalty units ($5500).
) has their DAMP in place, including education of and testing of all SSAA employees on the morning of the 23rd.No liftee flight bag or spanner if you havent been educated and tested and read your companies DAMP manual on monday boys, 50 penalty units ($5500).
Your particular DAMP will not be seen until you are up for an audit, as I understand it. At that stage, it would seem that everything had better be up to scratch. Until then, you could effectively have no plan, if you were game.
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Does anyone have stats on exactly how many accidents are being caused each week buy pilots on the p!ss? If it is as many as on the roads then I guess this wouldn't be a case of creating jobs for the boys in hard economic times.
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Yeah people should be allowed to drive around half asleep and drunk! So what if I want to fly a plane stoned out of my brain... It's a free country that we live it is it not?! Don't I have some rights?!
So if you don't agree with the way the system goes about its business, you must be a drunk or want to fly stoned??????I guess because I don't agree with ASIC's and some of the methods used by the Gestapo clods when screening crew, That makes me a terrorist.... well, does it????
You must be stoned you idiot.
Last edited by the wizard of auz; 13th Mar 2009 at 11:19.