Health & Safety

A reminder of our SNIWC Drug and Alcohol Policy: 

The SNIWC is committed to eliminating drugs and alcohol from all facets of the forest industry. The members of the SNIWC believe that eliminating these substances from the workplace will reduce the risk of harm and assist in the provision of a safe workplace for all participants.

Drug and Alcohol Database Registration Process

The register is maintained by a company independant of the SNI Wood Council. If an employee tests positive then the results can be passed on from their employer and the name entered on the register.  The names will remain on the list for 24 months.

This fact will be advised to the individual as part of the informed consent process. The register does have a secure access password applied on the file to ensure confidentiality.

Employers can check via their Drug and Alcohol Manager, whether potential new employees are on the register. Information required is employer, full name of potential employee and date of birth.

The Register Manager will respond within 24 hours with whether the person is on the register, and if so, when they tested positive.

Positive tests:

If an employee tests positive, they have the option of rehabilitation and follow up testing. If they refuse, this results in serious misconduct and the disciplinary action is likely to be dismissal. If they wish to remain working, they need to satisfactorily complete an assessment and counselling/rehabilitation and undergo follow up random testing at a rate of six tests per year for two years. A second positive test within the two year period will result in serious misconduct and the disciplinary action is likely to be dismissal.

The SNIWC committee has elected to adjust tolerance levels for Alcohol detection from the FOA policy level of 'zero Tolerance' (which was a stated level of below 100ug/l) to the current legal limit for vehicle operation in NZ, which is 250ug/l.

SNIWC members and companies providing testing services are required to use the 'SNIWC Request for Test Form' in which consent is given by the tested person for the details of the test to be passed onto the administrator of the SNIWC database.

For queries on this, contact:

Melina Vlahos
melinavlahos@gmail.com

027 607 1600