CURBS ON DRUG, BOOZE TESTING OF WORKERS OILPATCH CONCERN

RED DEER (CP) - Policies that prevent sweeping pre-employment drug and
alcohol testing are causing problems for oil and gas companies that want to
ensure safe worksites, says an industry spokesman.

''It's becoming very frustrating for us,'' said Patrick Delaney, director
of health, safety and government relations for the Petroleum Services
Association of Canada.

''I think for a lot of us, we'll take our lumps with wrongful dismissals.''

Delaney told an association conference this week that without such testing,
employees and the public are at risk from potential accidents.

According to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, pre-employment alcohol
or drug testing and random testing of employees in non-safety-sensitive
situations is not acceptable.

However, Delaney said the association favours policies that would allow all
employees to be tested.

Currently, testing may only occur when a person has disclosed an existing
drug or alcohol problem or where a medical examination indicates there may
be a problem.

Other permissible testing includes random alcohol testing of employees in
safety-sensitive situations, drug or alcohol testing if there are
reasonable grounds or following an incident, and periodic or random testing
after the disclosure of a current drug or alcohol problem.

Meanwhile, Delaney said companies must accommodate employees with substance
abuse problems by holding their jobs while they're in treatment and finding
suitable jobs they can perform, although there are exemptions for small firms.

Complaints about how companies are forced to foot the bill for drug
treatment and how rules over testing have tied corporate hands drew
applause from the audience.

Audrey Dean, legal counsel for the Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship
Commission, explained that while safety is a concern, people should not be
discriminated against. However, she did note that the issue of testing
hasn't been high on the list of employee complaints submitted to the
commission, unlike the volume of calls received from employers seeking
advice on alcohol and drug testing.

Drug testing, she said, is not an effective way to determine how people
will perform their duties. She encouraged companies to look at alternatives
such as supervision and peer monitoring.