Maritime Employee drugs testing
Alcohol and Drugs test Maritime and Shipping
Maritime and Shipping no longer all at sea with alcohol and drugs
In 1993 the International Maritime Organization adopted the International Safety Management (ISM) Code which recognised the need for appropriate organisation of management to enable it to respond to the need of those on board ships to achieve and maintain high standards of safety and environmental protection. Further, in November 1995 the nineteenth IMO Assembly adopted 'Guidelines for the Implementation of the ISM Code by Administrations'. The requirements of these resolutions became fully mandatory in July 2002.
The implementation of the Code means that, inter alia, all ship operators/managers must have in place a management system that ensures safety and pollution prevention matters are dealt with systematically and that such a system is clearly documented. The guidelines on the application of the Code specifically recommends companies have Alcohol and other drug policies and procedures. The requirement for companies to address the issue of drug and alcohol abuse and prevention therefore no longer remains an option.
Safety is an international responsibility
Seafaring is international in nature and the shipping industry as a whole has become increasingly conscious of the impact that drug and alcohol use can have on operations. The health of seafarers is not only a major concern of seafarers themselves but also a primary concern of the ship owner/operator/manager.
With approximately 80% of maritime accidents caused by human error, sickness and injury benefits represent a growing proportion of the shipping industry's third party liability insurance claims. In 1997, as part of an effort to assist the maritime industry maintain the health of seafarers and to contain costs, the ILO, in collaboration with the WHO, published "Guidelines for Conducting Pre-Sea and Periodic Medical Fitness Examinations for Seafarers" which outlines best practice. As part of an assessment of a seafarer's fitness for duty, the physician must assess mental health and "consumption of alcohol and use of psychotropic drugs, which (may) adversely affect the health of the seafarer or the safety of the ship". By Administrations adopting these Guidelines, it is hoped that, drug and alcohol abuse will be identified at a stage that allows treatment before, rather than after an accident has occurred. Significantly, the inclusion of checks for drug and/or alcohol abuse in medical examinations confirms the view that drug and alcohol abuse is a medical condition.
The maritime business, in particular ship operation, is highly competitive. Profits are very often low and in many cases marginal. Ship owner/operator/management decisions are too often "bottom line" driven. Collisions, explosions, groundings, fires, sinking or capsizing can be catastrophic for all concerned. Long-term carelessness and neglect, to which substance abuse may contribute, can result in a steady drop in performance that, over time, may cause greater financial loss than events of a more dramatic and easily identified nature. Ship owners/operators and managers cannot therefore afford to ignore any issues that affect productivity. Substance abuse undoubtedly contributes to lower performance and productivity.
Even a little is too much
A study showed that when airline pilots had to perform routine tasks in a simulator under three alcohol test conditions, the following results were obtained:
1st test: before any alcohol ingestion, 10% could not perform all tasks correctly
2nd test: with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10, 89% could not perform all tasks correctly
3rd test: 14 hours later, with a BAC of zero, 68% could not perform all tasks correctly
There is every reason to believe these findings apply equally to seafarers. In addition, because virtually all work carried out on a ship has a safety implication, the term "seafarer" should be applied to all persons working on ships and not just those in executive positions.
The United Kingdom's Department of Transport has passed regulations prohibiting transport workers from working under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. These regulations include provisions for post-accident and for cause testing of workers, as well as a requirement for employers to demonstrate due diligence in ensuring that employees are not under the influence of a drugs or alcohol at work. Several employers in industries covered by these regulations have broadened their company programs to include other types of testing and educational programs.
Keeping Alcohol and Drugs on the Radar
A comprehensive, company-wide alcohol and drug abuse programme should cover all employees including management and address all actions and activities related to drugs and alcohol. Creating a comprehensive programme for any company engaged in ship operations is a great challenge that needs to take into account vessel ownership, flag state registration requirements, management issues, working environment, personnel issues, cultural variations and cost. The long-term sustainability of a programme will be enhanced by, and its success may depend on, integration into other health or medical programmes or on-going safety systems such as a company's health, safety and environmental management system. Variables unique to the maritime industry that may contribute to a risk of alcohol or drug abuse include:
a. Ships act as both workplace and home
b. Maritime population requires geographic mobility
c. Mixed cultures, customs and languages exist
d. Limited social interaction with non-maritime personnel on board or ashore
e. Limited health facilities
f. Long and often irregular working hours
g. High variability in ship ownership, management, work practices and conditions
h. Significant variations in national laws, regulations and enforcement standards
FREE TOOLBOX TALKS
We have developed a series Five free Alcohol and Drugs Toolbox Talks specifically for Safety Managers.
- Click here to download the Alcohol and Drugs Tool Box Talks
- Complete the On-Line Request For Sample Collection and Analysis Form
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The Impact of Alcohol and Drugs in UK Industry Sectors (click on a link):
- Public Service Transport
- Logistics and Distribution
- Engineering
- Utilities
- Railways
- Shipping and Maritime
- Finance and Commerce
- Aviation
- Manufacturing
- Education
- Retail and Wholesale
- Atomic and Nuclear
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