MediNat Australia

New drug and alcohol tests for building sites In an attempt to improve workplace safety standards on construction sites, the Federal Government has announced plans to introduce compulsory drug and alcohol testing on building sites. Mr Abetz on Friday introduced amendments to the Building Code to improve workplace safety standards on construction sites. Fair Work Building and Construction will be responsible for auditing contractors to ensure they have a fitness for work policy in place within 28 days. "It is essential that workers on construction sites do not present a risk to themselves, their co-workers, and the public by having drugs and alcohol in their systems," Senator Abetz said. "Safety is a paramount consideration on construction sites. It is simply an unacceptable risk to the health and safety of employees and the public to have workers affected by drugs or alcohol on construction sites." For further information and to access th

Drug testing both saliva and urine can be OK in the workplace, says Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission For the first time, the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission has endorsed an employer's right to enforce a drug testing regime that incorporates both random saliva and urine testing, in an important decision which gives employers more scope to manage safety risks in the workplace (Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union ‒ Construction and General Division v Port Kembla Coal Terminal Limited [2015] FWCFB 4075). Although the Full Bench allowed the CFMEU's appeal, it still concluded that a policy that required employees to undergo both forms of testing was reasonable , given the deterrent value of the testing and its role in allowing the employer to identify and manage safety risks at the workplace. Read more