Safety Recommendation
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau recommends that the Civil
Aviation Safety Authority, in conjunction with the Department of
Transport and Regional Services, establish the safety benefits of
the introduction of a drug and alcohol testing program to the
Australian aviation industry for safety-sensitive personnel. Where
possible, this program should harmonise with existing and evolving
national and international regulations.
The following response dated 28 May 2004 was received from the
Civil Aviation Safety Authority:
Thank you for providing the Authority with a copy of Air
Investigation Report 200204328 on the accident involving a Piper
PA-32-300 aircraft registered VH-MAR, which occurred at Hamilton
Island Aerodrome, OLD on 26 September 2002. I apologise for the
delay in replying.
CASA has reviewed the report and provides the following comments in
response to Recommendation 20040039:
A review of the safety benefits of introducing a drug and alcohol
testing programme for safety-sensitive personnel in the Australian
aviation industry was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister for Transport and Regional Services, the Hon John Anderson
MP on 18 March 2004.
The team reviewing the safety benefits has been drawn from the
Department and CASA and reports regularly to a Steering Committee
comprising the Department's Assistant Secretary, Aviation
Operations, and CASA's Executive Manager, Corporate Affairs.
The terms of reference were included and can been viewed at the
response from the Department of Transport and Regional Services
(see response to R20040040).
