Good News From CASA on DAMP
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Good News From CASA on DAMP
This is good to hear, in a funny sort of way.
Ironically when you weed out the 27 offences from 51,000 tests you get a number of .05% Not quite perfect but damned close! Even Peter Brock would be happy!
Ironically when you weed out the 27 offences from 51,000 tests you get a number of .05% Not quite perfect but damned close! Even Peter Brock would be happy!
From the Director of Aviation Safety
John McCormick
Since 2008 a drug and alcohol management regulatory regime for Australian aviation has been in place. The development and implementation of the program was an important initiative to maintain and improve aviation safety by minimising the risks caused by people in safety sensitive positions being affected by alcohol or drugs while engaged in aviation activities. As many people would be aware, the program has two main elements – firstly the requirement for aviation organisations to have a drug and alcohol management plan and secondly a testing regime conducted by CASA. The drug and alcohol management plans are administered by aviation organisations and cover education, testing and rehabilitation where that is appropriate. Testing conducted under the plans includes situations such as pre-employment and after accidents or incidents. CASA has recognised that some of the drug and alcohol management plan requirements are onerous on smaller organisations and we will shortly be issuing an exemption for small organisations with not more than seven safety sensitive aviation activity employees. The exemption will mean these organisations will not need to have a drug and alcohol management plan, provided they formally adopt a special CASA drug and alcohol management program instead. This exemption will not apply to small aviation businesses engaged in or providing services to any regular public transport operation. More information about the exemption will shortly be placed on CASA’s website.
The testing regime conducted by CASA is usually random and may be conducted by CASA at any time. Anyone performing or available to perform a safety-sensitive aviation activity may be tested, including private and commercial pilots, flying instructors, cabin crew, ground and baggage handlers, air traffic controllers and maintenance personnel. In total CASA conducted more than 51,000 alcohol and drug tests between 2008 and March 2012. There were 29,197 alcohol and 22,448 drug tests carried out. During that time 45 people tested positive. While finding even one person affected by alcohol or drugs when operating in a safety sensitive position is concerning, it is heartening that the figures are very low. Clearly the vast majority of people in aviation understand their responsibility to be alcohol and drug free while at work, flying, on an aerodrome or in the workshop. Of those who tested positive, 18 were overturned on a medical review and infringement notices were issued or the matter was referred to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions in the remaining cases. Please remember the alcohol limit is 0.02. Drug limits are in accordance with the Australian standard for oral fluid testing.
Best regards
John F McCormick
John McCormick
Since 2008 a drug and alcohol management regulatory regime for Australian aviation has been in place. The development and implementation of the program was an important initiative to maintain and improve aviation safety by minimising the risks caused by people in safety sensitive positions being affected by alcohol or drugs while engaged in aviation activities. As many people would be aware, the program has two main elements – firstly the requirement for aviation organisations to have a drug and alcohol management plan and secondly a testing regime conducted by CASA. The drug and alcohol management plans are administered by aviation organisations and cover education, testing and rehabilitation where that is appropriate. Testing conducted under the plans includes situations such as pre-employment and after accidents or incidents. CASA has recognised that some of the drug and alcohol management plan requirements are onerous on smaller organisations and we will shortly be issuing an exemption for small organisations with not more than seven safety sensitive aviation activity employees. The exemption will mean these organisations will not need to have a drug and alcohol management plan, provided they formally adopt a special CASA drug and alcohol management program instead. This exemption will not apply to small aviation businesses engaged in or providing services to any regular public transport operation. More information about the exemption will shortly be placed on CASA’s website.
The testing regime conducted by CASA is usually random and may be conducted by CASA at any time. Anyone performing or available to perform a safety-sensitive aviation activity may be tested, including private and commercial pilots, flying instructors, cabin crew, ground and baggage handlers, air traffic controllers and maintenance personnel. In total CASA conducted more than 51,000 alcohol and drug tests between 2008 and March 2012. There were 29,197 alcohol and 22,448 drug tests carried out. During that time 45 people tested positive. While finding even one person affected by alcohol or drugs when operating in a safety sensitive position is concerning, it is heartening that the figures are very low. Clearly the vast majority of people in aviation understand their responsibility to be alcohol and drug free while at work, flying, on an aerodrome or in the workshop. Of those who tested positive, 18 were overturned on a medical review and infringement notices were issued or the matter was referred to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions in the remaining cases. Please remember the alcohol limit is 0.02. Drug limits are in accordance with the Australian standard for oral fluid testing.
Best regards
John F McCormick
Bottums Up
I wonder how many false positives they've had? A colleague was told by the DAMP tester to drive home after she returned a reading of 0.9. It took her the walk to the car park before she realised that at 0.9 she'd be dead.
Too late then, stood down, pay lost, whispers all around the drome, etc. etc.
Too late then, stood down, pay lost, whispers all around the drome, etc. etc.
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Clearly the vast majority of people in aviation understand their responsibility to be alcohol and drug free while at work, flying, on an aerodrome or in the workshop
0.02 is barely a thereputic limit and only designed to take up the slack of inaccuracy's in equipment. Remember this whole thing came about by an over reaction to a less than thereaputic dose of weed at Hammo. (had a cone 3 months previous or something so stupid).
If they were serious there would be a zero limit and any positives confirmed by blood analysis.
We live in a "nanny state" governed by "nanny goats".
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I agree Jabba,
But was there any evidence that aviation was a den of iniquity in the first place?
Interesting numbers, I'd love to know how many caught were proffessional aircrew, also love to know how much the whole DAMP thing has cost the taxpayer so far. They never mention the cost though do they. Also interesting the number of false positives. Hope there are a few suing DOTARS and CASA for breach of privacy.
But was there any evidence that aviation was a den of iniquity in the first place?
Interesting numbers, I'd love to know how many caught were proffessional aircrew, also love to know how much the whole DAMP thing has cost the taxpayer so far. They never mention the cost though do they. Also interesting the number of false positives. Hope there are a few suing DOTARS and CASA for breach of privacy.
Not quite perfect but damned close! Even Peter Brock would be happy!
Listened to an interview with Ross Dunkerton, the winner of the event in which "Peter Perfect" lost is life.
Dunkerton drove the section 18 times before the event and made rally notes. He noted the fatal corner as "DANGER" and went through it at about 90 km/hr in his state-of-the-art 4 x 4 EVO rally car.
Brock just arrived and drove the event on the day in an older rear wheel drive car. Believed to have gone into the corner at about 120 km/hr.
He didn't make it!
Dr
Last edited by ForkTailedDrKiller; 29th May 2012 at 08:21.
I am failing to see the good news here.
The government spends millions to fix an imaginary problem only to discover it is still an imaginary problem that needs continued management...
The government spends millions to fix an imaginary problem only to discover it is still an imaginary problem that needs continued management...
At least we might be spared more taxpayer-funded f@cked up DAMP calendars.
Last edited by Captain Dart; 29th May 2012 at 09:30.
Total waste of money, I have just had an ENTIRE day rostered next month to go and take a drug and alcohol test. Same for EVERY pilot in my airline, there was never a serious drug and alcohol problem in aviation and after all this expense and years of testing guess what..... it has shown there to be NO problem in aviation. At least now CASA can claim the credit for this remarkable turn around. 
But read John's words carefully, this program aint ending, its just changing ...
All he is saying is a plan is changing to a program!
The exemption will mean these organisations will not need to have a drug and alcohol management plan, provided they formally adopt a special CASA drug and alcohol management program instead.
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I would agree.....it is a solution to an almost non existant problem.
Claret, out of the 45 18 were overturned, so a fair number like your friend.
Frank, I think you will find that this was not the case, it was the night before, not much sleep, weed and booze the night before, rushed schedule, not enough food and water etc. It is many years since I read the report but at the time I recall it being a bit more severe than you state, and in my opinion, while I think the DAMP is a waste of money, the Hammo prang almost justifies it alone.......I said almost OK! 
Claret, out of the 45 18 were overturned, so a fair number like your friend.
0.02 is barely a thereputic limit and only designed to take up the slack of inaccuracy's in equipment. Remember this whole thing came about by an over reaction to a less than thereaputic dose of weed at Hammo. (had a cone 3 months previous or something so stupid).
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'F' It !
Nice memo. Still wonder what the 'F' stands for in John F McCormick? Maybe 'Flyingfiend'???
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Atlas shrugged
Promised the world and given an atlas. etc, etc. Although it is rumoured that CASA was monstered into the damned DAMP by another outfit acting under instructions from some right (or left ?) wing group of heavies. Perhaps we can let them of the hook.
But then again, it's a money spinner.
But then again, it's a money spinner.
We live in a "nanny state" governed by "nanny goats".
Boyo - you say a mouthfull. All thoughts of how to be involved in some overturning of the crippling Orwellian stranglehold we now live with, just go round and round. So, come a certain age, the hermit alternative - like Norman Lindsay at Springwood - no radio . . . no TV. . . . .. (just his cats) . . . might be the only half sane way to blot out the image of a sinking ship.
