MediNat Australia

Booze and drugs culture rife in construction industry: study Brisbane Times 3 September 2012 For better or worse, construction has a blokey reputation, but new research from Brisbane finds a "hazardous" consumption of recreational drugs and booze is latest problem facing the industry. And the macho culture is partly to blame, alongside high wages and transient job patterns, according the Queensland University of Technology team that led the national survey. The Safety Impacts of Alcohol and Other Drugs in Construction study drew nearly 500 workers from all areas of the industry across Australia and involved surveys and interviews over two years. The findings, presented today by project leader Professor Herbert Biggs at an international industry conference in Scotland, showed over 50 per cent of workers consumed alcohol at "hazardous" levels, and a further 15 per cent were at "significant risk of harm". Read more: See the New Range of...

Random drug tests extended to boat operators Courtesy of ABC News 12 September 2012 Victorian boat operators will be subjected to random drug tests. The State Government is introducing legislation today that will see roadside drug swab tests extended to Victoria's lakes, rivers, the bays and the open ocean. Ports Minister Denis Napthine says the testing will apply to both recreational and commercial boat operators. "The water police and Transport Safety Victoria officers will be out on the waterways making sure that people are behaving appropriately and safely," he said. "Water police will have powers to do random drug testing and random blood-alcohol testing on operators of all water craft including jet skis, vessels and commercial vessels." The blood-alcohol limit for commercial skippers will also drop from 0.05 to zero. Mr Napthine says the changes to laws for road users have proven to be effective. "We need similar protections ...