MediNat Australia

Good article by Fay Calderone Partner DIBBSBARKER Fast Fact Alcohol and other drugs cost Australian workplaces an estimated $6bn per year in lost productivity. Recent research has estimated that 2.5 million days are lost annually due to alcohol and other drug use. Persons Conducting Business or Undertaking (PCBUs) have an onerous duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and others in their workplace under WHS laws. This includes the provision of a safe work environment, information, instruction, training and supervision in relation to WHS that extends to being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work. Workers also have an obligation under WHS laws to protect their own health safety and that of others in the workplace. As such, showing up to work under the influence may be a breach by the worker of their WHS obligations as it is of the PCBU that failed to prevent it. It is also considered "serious miscond

Privacy Intrusions and When Drug Testing in Australia National Law Review 19 May 2015 There has been a long running battle in Australia about whether an employer, when testing for drug use, can ask employees to provide a urine sample. Many unions have resisted the introduction of urine testing, arguing that saliva testing is sufficient and, as such, the process of sampling urine is an unjustified invasion of privacy. Employers, however, want to have both methods available, arguing that saliva testing has recognised limitations. Last month, the Fair Work Commission ( Commission ) sided with an employer by granting them the right to perform both saliva and urine testing on its employees for drug use. More...........

Mining drug raids continue in WA 4 December, 2014 Vicky Validakis FMG’s Cloudbreak mine has been the target of a police drug raid as the industry-wide crackdown continues. FIFO workers were searched as they disembarked from planes landing at the site "This is part of a community and industry-wide crackdown, to reduce the incidents of illicit drugs/substance possession," WA Police said. "This is a community issue and the community can expect to see more of these police actions in the near future." So far the searches have resulted in one summons for possessing prescription drugs without a prescription. Another worker is set to undergo further testing after returning a positive result for THC, a compound found in cannabis. Australian Manufacturing Workers Union secretary Steve McCartney said the searches over-the-top as workers are already subject to drug and alcohol testing. "To bully and harass people at the airport is o