Three major Canadian oil companies will start checking employees for the presence of drugs and alcohol in the blood
21.06.2012
Pilot project aimed to reduce the risks associated with alcohol and drugs, was launched by DARRP. According to organizers, the program will be introduced in autumn 2012 and will last for one year.
Suncor Energy, Total E & P Canada Ltd, and Canadian Natural Resources were among the first companies that have agreed to implement this program. The test for drugs and alcohol will be conducted among employees in positions requiring special safety and care. According to the initiators, verification will be conducted in a random order, and each employee might be "under the gun."
"These tests are essential. We want to make sure that every employee is returning home to his family after the shift in the integrity and safety "- says one of the company’s employee
In 2008 the Court of Appeal of Alberta ruled that employers have the right to conduct tests for alcohol and drugs. However, according to human rights activists, random tests can cause many problems as they affect workers' rights to privacy.
Even reasonable tests can cause many difficulties, given the fact that traditional methods for detection of alcohol or drugs are not absolutely reliable. Many "clean" ( innocent) workers may come under suspicion because of improper scanning device.
The results of the pilot tests will be released in 2014. They will form the basis for developing future strategies in this area.
