Download Site security, drugs and alcohol

Site security, drugs and alcohol
The Victorian Code 2014
Ensuring building and construction work is
carried out lawfully, fairly, efficiently,
productively and safely for the benefit of all
persons.
What is the Victorian Code?
The Victorian Code of Practice for the Building and
Construction Industry 2014 (Victorian Code) establishes
minimum standards that parties must meet to conduct
Victorian Government building and construction work.
New requirements
Public building and construction procurements that
commence from 1 July 2014 have new requirements of site
security and drug and alcohol testing, as outlined in clauses
8 and 9 of the Victorian Code.
Model tender and contract documentation is available on
the CCCU website at www.dtf.vic.gov.au/cccu
Site security
On public building and construction projects head
contractors must implement site security and risk
management processes and procedures to maintain the
integrity of the site.
This will enable contractors to:

determine and verify who is on site at any given time
and who has attended the site at any given time; and
 ensure only those persons who are authorised to be on
site are permitted to access it.
On sites where the total value of the construction project is
$10 million or more:

the site security and risk management processes and
procedures must be described in the WRMP; and
 site security measures must include security measures
in the form of CCTV, swipe card access system,
photographic or biometric security systems or similar.
Drug and alcohol testing
On public building and construction projects head
contractors must have an approach to managing drug and
alcohol issues in the workplace that helps to ensure that no
person attending the site is under the influence of drugs or
alcohol.
On sites where the total value of the construction project is
$10 million or more, a fitness for work policy to manage
alcohol or other drugs in the workplace must be described
in the WRMP.
The policy must, as a minimum, require the use of an
objective medical testing method to detect the presence of
drugs or alcohol in a worker's system, outline which
detection method is to be used on the project and outline
the processes in place when a positive test is returned.
Further, the WRMP should set minimum standards
including a requirement for random testing, the substances
to be tested for, the frequency of testing, the sample size
of the workforce to be tested and what constitutes a
positive test.
Some minimum standards expected in relation to
drugs and alcohol:
Sample size and frequency for drug and alcohol testing
Drug and alcohol testing is required to be conducted on a
random selection of the workforce each month, in
accordance with the following scale:



Less than 30 workers- 10 per cent of workforce/month.
30 – 100 workers – minimum five tests/month.
More than 100 workers- minimum 10 tests/month.
Tolerance levels
The blood alcohol content (BAC) tolerance level is zero,
regardless of work classification or work risk category.
Who is responsible for cost of these new
requirements?
Head contractors maintain responsibility for the testing,
and must not pass implementation costs of testing onto
subcontractors.
For further information on the Victorian Code contact:
CCCU hotline
Website
Email address
1800 VIC CCC (1800 842 222)
www.dtf.vic.gov.au/viccode
[email protected]
This material is for general information only. You should seek legal advice in relation to your particular circumstances.
The Victorian government and its employees do not accept liability for action taken in reliance on this document and
disclaim all liability from any error or omission.
Last updated: October 2014