Drugs and alcohol in the aviation industry – the very idea makes me nervous. While relaxing at a local bar last week, one of my friends Leon who flies frequently between two Asian cities, narrated a hair-raising incident. He claimed the pilot of the plane he was travelling in, made two attempts to land and finally did a hard touch down on the third attempt.
After the other passengers alighted, my friend requested to see the pilots so he could congratulate them for saving their lives. “Jim”, he said, “I’m lucky to be alive because both pilots were completely stonkered.” He added, “Although a month has passed, I still shake each time I think about it”. Obviously, Leon now uses a different airline to fly between
those Asian centres1.
Fortunately here, Australian law on drug and alcohol testing in the aviation industry prohibits pilots and other sensitive crew from reporting to work while under the influence of drugs or alcohol or both. But clearly, as Leon’s experience proves concerning the incident in Asia, at times there can be some gap between the law and its implementation2.
The dozens of small private aviation firms that rent out small aircraft or undertake charter flights also further complicate the issue.
One concern is that if larger airline companies (in Asia for example) showed laxity in implementing the law, what of some of the small charter companies?
The fact is, whenever we fly we simply hope (and pray) that all is well and that everyone connected with the flight is doing their job well and that they have all been tested for drugs and alcohol.
It really does not matter where you work – all work is generally demanding. There are drugs and alcohol abusers in just about every industry, so why not aviation? 3
Mandatory drug and alcohol testing in the aviation industry is required because the aviation industry needs to be so safety conscious. It is one of the industries where even minor mistakes can prove costly and often fatal for many people at once.
It is an industry where even the baggage handler needs to concentrate lest our bags are sent to a different destination than the one we are heading. From the booking clerk all the way to the ground-handling crews, maintenance crews, pilots, navigators and air traffic control all of them need to be 100% fit – physically and mentally4.
The intention is not to frighten here, unnecessarily. Rather it is to fully consider the possible need for more robust implementation of random screening. Perhaps it might even be feasible to make the whole process more transparent5.
In today’s world, many quality restaurants have a clear glass plate between the kitchen and the dining area. It is a good marketing technique because diners can see the cleanliness and dexterity of the kitchen staff and in turn, gain confidence in the food they are eating and spread the message concerning the restaurant’s reputation.
While it is not suggested that aviation crew and safety sensitive personnel should undergo testing “publicly,” it is worth considering a public register of testing results so that the general public can remain fully informed about who is flying them…and how!
For more information on onsite screening methods, contact Mediscreen on 1300 797040
Footnotes and references:
1. Near misses in the Australian aviation industry: http://www.airport-technology.com/features/feature42924/
2. Australian law on drugs and alcohol testing in the aviation industry: http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation/safety/drugs.aspx
3. Fear of flying: http://www.airsafe.com/issues/fear.htm
4. Physical and mental fitness in the aviation industry: http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1999-11-21/news/9911210138_1_southwest-airlines-pilot-hiring-pilots-airline-industry
5. Stringent implementation required: http://www.superstructuregroup.com/Resources/SMS_practical_implementation.pdf
