New drug and alcohol testing laws for publicly funded construction sites in Australia
New amendments to the Building Code 2013 will require contractors on publicly funded construction sites to have a policy in place for mandatory drug and alcohol testing by October 16. Announcing the changes, former Employment Minister Eric Abetz said: "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”.
According to Victorian Police, the trucking industry is one in which drug use has become a particularly significant problem. Claire Brattey, associate director at People + Culture Strategies said that if employers choose to begin using drug testing, they need to balance their legal rights and obligations with achieving an outcome on drugs and alcohol that: maximises organisational productivity, is appropriate for their industry, and aligns employees with the organisation's culture and values.