One or two sailors testing positive for drugs is one thing.  But EIGHTEEN?  During the course of one random drug test sweep?  On a warship whose mission was to combat drug smuggling?  Wow.

Yet another prime example of why randomly testing your employees for drugs and alcohol is a VERY good idea.  The results might surprise you.

Sailors Sent Back To UK After Failing Drug Tests

Eighteen crewmen are to be sent home after testing positive for cocaine on a warship used for combating drugs trade

Press Association - Tuesday September 2, 2008

Eighteen sailors who tested positive for cocaine on a Royal Navy warship were today preparing to fly back to Britain, the Ministry of Defence said.

The disgraced crewmen, caught during routine testing onboard HMS Liverpool in the south Atlantic, were believed to be landing at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, within the next two days.

They could be facing the sack after what was believed to be the biggest drugs bust in the navy’s history.

Paul Porter, a spokesman for the MoD, said: “We’ve always said that we do not tolerate the misuse of drugs in the navy and as a consequence of these individuals testing positive for drugs, they will be returning to the UK as part of ongoing action against them.

“Where necessary, replacement personnel will be joining the ship to ensure it remains capable of doing its job.”

News of the failed tests came after five soldiers from the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery were dismissed for taking cocaine — and eight from the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers were found to have traces of cocaine and cannabis in July.

HMS Liverpool is a type 42 destroyer whose duties in the south Atlantic included combating drug smuggling.

The MoD said the test was carried out after the crew had a “run ashore” on a break in Brazil.

A source told The Sun newspaper that the 240 crew members had to be tested “from end to end”.

“It has been incredibly embarrassing for the navy.”

I love, love, LOVE this idea!  In my opinion, the Australian authorities have a fantastic program on their hands.  Now, I know that many local police stations set up DUI checkpoints during the holidays and do catch quite a few under the influence.  But think of how many more they would catch if they did this intermittently throughout the year?  And how many of those would be YOUR employees?  Even though this is a different concept altogether, one can infer from this story that it is a good idea for employers to randomly test their employees for drugs and alcohol as well as continually screen them for possible criminal activity.  You’ll never know what your employees have been up to if you don’t bother to check!

Random Testing Catches Doped-Up Drivers

16/07/2008 12:00am  Campbelltown-Macarthur Advertiser

IT looked just like a random breath test unit but instead many motorists asked by police to pull over on Therry Road, Campbelltown, earlier this month got their first taste of random drug testing.

“The look on some people’s faces when we said they’d been selected for a random drug test was surprising,”‘ Sergeant Grant Bucknell said.

About 1400 people were pulled over and 348 of them were also tested for drugs.

Sergeant Bucknell, from Macquarie Fields Highway Patrol, said five people returned a positive blood alcohol reading while six returned positive readings for drugs.

“This means that about one in 50 people tested positive to drugs, which makes it a bigger problem than alcohol,” he said.

Click here for the rest of the story

Any company that employs those that operate or work on any type of commercial transportation system (airplanes, semi-tractor trailers, boats, railroads, etc.) are mandated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to test employees.  Employees whose positions fall under DOT rules and regulations for drugs and alcohol both prior to employment and randomly must be tested. The DOT is VERY specific about how the tests are conducted, the percentages of employees that must be tested for drugs and alcohol on a yearly basis (depending on applicable DOT agency), and how often random selections are made. Failure to properly manage your company’s DOT drug and alcohol testing program can get you into trouble – namely large fines and possible loss of government contracts. The City of Chicago learned this the hard way. If there is ever any question about your DOT drug and alcohol testing program, do not hesitate to consult with your legal department or the Department of Transportation directly to get those questions answered. It may save you some heartache (and money) in the future!

Click here to read “City’s Drug Testing Chief Fired for Errors”