Company director sentenced to record prison term in WA
Article ID: LWS-1458
Thursday, 03 June, 2021 Western Australia has recorded its first imprisonment under new workplace health and safety laws. Mark Thomas Withers, the director of a shed building company, is the first person to be sentenced to a term of imprisonment under the new laws, over the 2020 death of a…
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COVID-19 RESPONSE
Article ID: LWS-1259
LaneWorkSafe Ptd Ltd are an essential service and as such are currently still open and trading as normal. During this time however, we ask for your patience and allow 1 – 2 business days for the processing of orders, calibrations and other technical and support enquiries to be actioned. Please…
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Accurate One Step Cup Video Tutorial
Article ID: LWS-997
LaneWorkSafe are pleased to announce that our new tutorial video for the Accurate One Step Urine Cup is now available. View the Accurate One Step Cup tutorial video here. The six minute video tutorial covers key features, including an in-built temperate strip, an adulteration system, and the unique evacuation process…
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500% rise in drug detection at BMA’s Goonyella Riverside mine
Article ID: LWS-950
An article posted to Shift Miner on the 6th April 2016 reports a five-fold increase in drug detection at the Goonyella Riverside mine after implementing a new drug testing regime. The article says: According to BMA’s Asset President Ragg Udd, the new testing regime has discovered concerning numbers of “Ice”…
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Codeine related deaths doubled between 2000 and 2009
Article ID: LWS-931
According to new research by the NDARC (National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre), codeine related deaths increased from 3.5 to 8.7 per million people between 2000 and 2009. NDARC senior researcher Amanda Roxburgh said “While we can’t look at trends over time beyond 2009, our sample of 1,437 codeine-related deaths…
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Almost 12% of Victorian drivers return positive result in random drug and alcohol testing
Article ID: LWS-927
An article that appeared in The Age has shown that one in nine Victorian drivers returned a non-negative result for illicit drugs over the October long weekend. 218 drivers out of 1,900 were found to have drugs in their system. Assistant Commissioners Doug Fryer of Victoria Police was quoted as…
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Master Builders Association welcomes drug and alcohol testing
Article ID: LWS-924
Master Builders Australia welcomes Building Code 2013, which commenced on 16th October 2015. The code requires contractors in the building and construction industry to have a comprehensive policy for managing on-site drug and alcohol issues. It also requires drug and alcohol testing on all Commonwealth funded projects. Fair Work Building…
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Drug and Alcohol Testing under Building Code 2013
Article ID: LWS-935
Fair Work Building and Construction (FWBC) have published a fact sheet on the changes to Building Code 2013. The changes took effect on 16th October 2015. Building contractors covered by the Building Code now need to make sure their management of drugs and alcohol in the workplace is reflected in…
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Does the legal profession have a drug problem?
Article ID: LWS-907
A recent article in Lawyer’s Weekly asks the question “Does the profession have a drug problem?”. In an interview with Dr Fisher, the head of the Department of Psychiatry at St Vincent’s Clinic and Private Hospital, he said “I don’t think enough has been done”. “Just as [doctors] can kill…
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CFMEU calls for increased funding for rehab programs
Article ID: LWS-902
A recent article on the SafetyCulture website states that the CFMEU has called for the Federal Government to increase funding for support programs intended for employees with substance abuse problems. CFMEU Construction National Secretary Dave Noonan welcomed a bill requiring drug and alcohol testing policies on construction sites. However he…
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Hospitality and blue-collar workers most likely to misuse prescription drugs
Article ID: LWS-897
A study by Curtin University in WA has found that hospitality workers are at a high risk of abusing over-the-counter and prescription medication. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare conducts an Australia-wide survey every three years. The survey measures the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco in Australia. The…
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Urine drug testing to continue at Port Kembla
Article ID: LWS-894
The Fair Work Commission (FWC) upheld an earlier decision that employees at the Port Kembla Coal Terminal will continue to undergo random saliva and urine drug tests, reports Australian Mining. The dual method system was contested by the CFMEU Construction and General Division in April 2015, with the FWC finding…
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Use of ice in mining on the rise
Article ID: LWS-844
Australian Mining reported last week that the use of ice (crystal methamphetamine) is on the rise. 38% of workers surveyed admitted to taking the drug. The Australian Industry Group submitted the survey to the Federal inquiry into ice. Australian Mining reports “A submission to the inquiry by the Australian Industry…
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FWC supports combined urine and saliva testing
Article ID: LWS-835
The Fair Work Commission found in favour of an employer seeking to urine test its employees for drug use. The decision centred on a dispute between the Port Kembla Coal Terminal and the CFMEU. The CFMEU maintains that urine testing represents an unreasonable intrusion into employee’s privacy. The FWC found…
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CFMEU calls for blanket drug and alcohol testing
Article ID: LWS-833
The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union has announced plans for mandatory drug and alcohol tests on building sites. This announcement reverses the union’s previous stance on testing in Victoria, where CFMEU leaders opposed the former state government’s compulsory testing code. The new policy supports saliva testing on a construction…
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IMPORTANT NOTICE regarding use of non verified on site urine drug testing devices
Article ID: LWS-768
All workplaces using on site urine drug testing devices should ensure that their device has been issued with a compliance certificate. This certificate must be issued by a laboratory accredited to Australian Standard/TEC 17025 or Australian Standard 4633 and the relevant standard, Australian Standard/New Zealand 4308 or equivalent. The result of the verification to…
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Record increase in crystal methamphetamine arrests
Article ID: LWS-694
Australian Crime Commission figures showed a greater than 300 per cent increase of methamphetamine seized in 2012-2013. An ABC News Australia article quotes acting ACC chief Paul Jevtovic as saying “Crystal methamphetamine is emerging as a pandemic akin to the crack issue in the United States”. View the video on…
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Australia’s drug trade at an all-time high
Article ID: LWS-697
The Illicit Drug Data Report 2012-13, produced by the Australian Crime Commission, was published this month. It states that $2.7 billion worth of illicit drugs were seized last year, there were 90,000 seizures of illicit drugs and a record 100,000 arrests were made. Cannabis continues to dominate the Australian illicit drug market, with the number of…
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Oxycodone: Australians’ increasing use of ‘hillbilly heroin’
Article ID: LWS-704
An April 29 article from an ABC News report covered how prescriptions for oxycodone has shown a 152 per cent increase; a trend that now sees “the nation’s medical community very concerned”. The Director of Queensland Alcohol and Drug Research and Education Centre, Professor Jake Najman identifies “there is a…
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Up in Smoke – Synthetic marijuana used in many Australian workplaces
Article ID: LWS-609
New testing methods are cutting some of the drug dangers on site. Kronic has become the drug of choice for many and is used in Australian workplaces, possibly due to the existing uncertainty surrounding the legal status. “This article looks at the use of Kronic in Australia and the detection…
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The importance of staying hydrated – is your team drinking enough water?
Article ID: LWS-605
Short terms effects of dehydration include reduced physical capacity and reduced mental alertness in the short term. Persistent dehydration is associated with kidney stones and bladder cancer. “This pilot study investigated the extent of dehydration in six logging crews by measuring the specific gravity of urine. Thirty one loggers provided…
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