AN Albury transport company will be among the first on the Border to introduce random drug testing for staff.
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Border Express will begin rolling out the drug and alcohol program at the end of this month.
It will start with an education program and by June or July, the first saliva samples are expected to be taken for analysis.
Employees will be selected at random across all departments of the company and include office and IT staff, as well as truck and forklift drivers.
Border Express director Geoff Luff said the initiative was aimed at providing a safe workplace for the 120 staff based in Albury, as well as others working at depots in Melbourne.
“We are in an industry where it’s a dangerous industry, so we’re just looking at ways all the time where we can improve the safety for our people,” he said.
“And probably one of the biggest benefits from it is that it sends a message out that we’re serious about this.”
Company compliance and development manager Craig Olsson said it was more about raising awareness than flushing out people under the influence.
“Random testing is the lowest dominator,” he said.
“We’re focusing more on the education process rather catching people through random testing.”
The decision by Border Express to introduce random drug testing comes after Wodonga Chamber of Commerce general manager Rob Lucas said last week an increasing number of employers were concerned about staff being under the influence at work.
David Jeffs, of J&K Nominees, who provides workplace alcohol and drug consulting services across the Border and North East, reiterated Mr Lucas’ comments.
“I can see it becoming a concern more and more and I expect that over the next five to 10 years, there will be a big change in the way things are done,” he said.
“There is a drug culture here in Australia and it just needs to be handled in an effective manner through education.”