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NEWS: 58 railway staff netted in drugs crackdown

eggman

eggman

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58 railway staff netted in drugs crackdown
By Denis Gregory and John Kidman
September 4, 2005
The Sun-Herald


A safety crackdown has uncovered drug use by the state's rail workers, some of whom are directly involved in passenger care.

Almost 60 staff have been caught reporting for duty with traces of cannabis, ecstasy, amphetamines and other illicit substances in their systems over the past 16 months.

More than 1500 random blood and urine workplace tests, conducted by RailCorp between April last year and March 2005, revealed 33 positive results.

A further 1300 in-house tests over the past 4 months exposed another 25 offenders.

RailCorp spokeswoman Helen Willoughby described the testing regime as both "rigorous" and "equal to or better than that of any other industry".

The screening procedures were also required by law and applied universally throughout RailCorp's 14,000-strong workforce. "In recent weeks, random drug testing has been conducted across corporate areas with CEO Vince Graham and other members of the executive team being tested," Ms Willoughby said.

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AdvertisementSince random screening for alcohol began in late 2003, 50 staff have returned positive on-the-job readings. Of these, 29 returned blood alcohol levels of between 0.02 and 0.05, while 17 were found to be between 0.05 and 0.10.

Four workers had high-range levels between 0.10 and 0.20. The latter is four times the legal limit on the state's roads.

Those who tested positive included guards, maintenance and transit staff, signalmen, passenger attendants and a project manager.

At least two drivers have also been caught - one who was sacked and another allowed to return to work after agreeing to further additional testing and supervision.

However, Ms Willoughby said RailCorp was pleased by the relatively low level of positive tests returned by train crews, which showed a commitment to professionalism and safety.

Under regulations implemented in the wake of the Waterfall disaster, it is an offence to report for work or carry out any duty while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It is also an offence to refuse a test.

NSW Rail, Tram & Bus Union secretary Nick Lewocki said the Government and RailCorp had taken a pretty hard line.

"I'm not saying there's not a problem," he said. "From time to time we've had members who have been silly enough to do the wrong thing, but it's not always a clear-cut matter."
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Full article here
 
What ppl do in they're own time should be theyre own business!
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Unfortunately it's now the business of insurance companies. That means it's also the business of all those who require insurance. Everyone from company directors, down.

Just how much of it is through absolute necessity i.e. statistically relevant or from government pressure, is hard to say, but it does give considerable opportunity for insurance company directors and share holders to impart through policy, their own views on drug use.
 
I don't see how taking a pill on friday night can effect the work performance of people working monday to friday
 
I don't see how taking a pill on friday night can effect the work performance of people working monday to friday
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And therein lies my point. To have a clear cut blanket rule is obviously safer, but is it statistically relevant. i.e. what precedents exist where people with drugs in their system, some days after consumption, have been deemed instrumental to the cause of accidents? I'm sure there'd be some, but the same could be said for week-day drivers who are tired ( but effectively clean) following a weekend bender.

Yet even Vic cops let you drive after X number of hours following taking a drug i.e. when the drug is considered to no longer affect safety. At a time when the major, active metabolites are gone. So who or what decides you can't work with non-active or slightly active metabolites present?

Perhaps driving is regarded as an inherently safer activity in the period following the taking a drug, than is doing any type of railway work (or hospitality, or any other job that's about to be included.... :\
 
Originally posted by speedygonzales
I don't see how taking a pill on friday night can effect the work performance of people working monday to friday
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How about ten pills, along with copious amounts of alcohol, amphetamines and cocaine? That sure effects my performance at work.
 
^^well if ur taking 10 pills with alcohol and coke, ur obsviously not in a state to be working, and ur probably a fuckwit with very little care for his own mental and phsyical health - and don't deserve a job!
 
Ding ding ding we have a winner...

And that's exactly why I got fired the other week. Oh well, I'm clean now.
 
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