Port Augusta City Council has introduced mandatory drug and alcohol testing for staff and contractors. Port Augusta City Manager, John Stephens, initiated the plan, which was adopted by Council’s Occupational Health and Safety Committee.
“If a staff member is under the influence of drugs and alcohol, they are unsafe to themselves, other employees and the community,” John Stephens said. “I am responsible for all staff and need to ensure that everyone is working in a safe work environment.”
Random testing now applies to all of Port Augusta’s full time, part time and casual staff, as well as contractors. There is a .02 per cent blood alcohol content tolerance for alcohol, and zero tolerance for illicit drugs.
“I believe this is well overdue, especially given other industries and worksites have been doing this type of testing for a long time,” John Stephens said. “Council workers and staff cover a range of services in the community, from operating heavy machinery and plant to working with children and the elderly.”
John Stephens said that the policy has not been implemented to infringe on people’s social lives and that screenings will only record readings of drugs and alcohol consumed in the previous 24 hours.
“Any employee returning a positive test will not be instantly dismissed, but instead will be given the opportunity to attend counselling,” he said. “All employees are subject to a ‘three strikes and you’re out’ policy. In the first and second instance that a person returns a positive test, a second test will be taken to validate the initial result and the employee will be taken home and offered counselling. However, if they test positive a third time, their employment will be terminated.”
The saliva drug test and alcohol breath test is conducted by an outside company. The company attends Council worksites a number of times a year to randomly test employees. It will not be known which site will be targeted or on what day. All results will be confidential and will only be known by the City Manager.
Supervisors can also request employees suspected of being under the influence to undergo testing. If they refuse, it is recorded as a positive result and is treated accordingly. If a contractor to Council records a positive test, they will be removed from the worksite and the incident reported to their employer.
John Stephens said anyone who records a positive test cannot return to work until they have recorded a negative drug and alcohol result.
“I believe our policy for testing is very generous at present,” John Stephens said. “It is not about catching people out. It is about offering help and support when it may be needed, while also ensuring everyone’s safety.”
For further information contact John Stephens on (08) 8641 9100.
