Summary Of Key Changes
Summary of key changes
Accredited railway operator drug and alcohol testing programs
Random testing programs
Accredited railway operators must ensure their random testing program provides for 25% or more of their railway employees to be tested.
NOTE: As defined in the Rail Safety Act 2002, “railway employees” includes employees, contractors or volunteers who perform railway safety work.
Heritage operators are exempt from the requirement to conduct random testing. These operators will be targeted by ITSRR’s random testing program.
Post-incident testing
Railway operators must ensure that testing is conducted after certain types of incidents, unless there is a “reasonable excuse” for not testing. Railway operators may also conduct testing after other types of incidents.
Confirmatory testing
All accredited railway operators must conduct:
- confirmatory breath analysis in the event of a positive alcohol breath test, unless there is a reasonable excuse for not doing so; and
- confirmatory laboratory analysis of urine samples in the event that initial analysis indicates the presence of drugs.
Drug and alcohol testing equipment and processes
Breath testing devices
Any breath testing device which complies with Australian Standard AS3547: Breath alcohol testing devices for personal use may be used for breath testing railway employees.
On-site analysis of urine samples
On-site urine drug screening devices for initial analysis of urine samples may be used for drug testing railway employees.
Independent analysis of urine samples
Railway employees who test positive to drugs may, within 12 months after the test, request their urine sample be independently analysed by an approved laboratory.
Authorisation and training of testing officers
Authorisation of testing officers
ITSRR will discontinue authorising accredited railway operator testing officers. Instead, railway operators must authorise in writing their own testing officers.
Training of testing officers
Accredited railway operator drug and alcohol programs must include arrangements for the authorisation and training of testing officers for the purposes of conducting drug and alcohol testing.
Railway operators must ensure that testing officers are trained according to the training requirements detailed in Schedule 1 of the Guidelines, by 31 March 2007.