It will soon become mandatory for those in commercial aviation and maritime sectors to undergo random drug testing, following a government announcement today.
The announcement from Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss today says by 2017, operators will need drug and alcohol management plans which must include testing.
Each operator's plan will need to be approved by either the Civil Aviation Authority or Maritime New Zealand.
The move is being welcomed by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission which says alcohol, cannabis and other performance-impairing substances has been a recurring theme in a number of their inquiries.
This included the Carterton hot air balloon crash in January, 2012 in which 11 people on board -- including pilot Lance Hopping -- died when it collided with a power line.
It was found Mr Hopping had traces of cannabis in his blood.
A number of the victims' families have called for a testing regime in the wake of the crash.
The balloon crash is considered one of New Zealand's worst aviation disasters.
"Over the 10 years to the beginning of 2014, we have investigated eight occurrences where persons performing safety-critical roles in the operation of aircraft, vessels or rail vehicles have tested positive for performance-impairing substances," Chief Commissioner Helen Cull QC says.
In those incidents, 41 people died.
Mr Foss says the random testing will "further strengthen the culture of zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use in our transport sector".
The directors of Civil Aviation and Maritime New Zealand will also be given the power to authorise testing of safety sensitive staff.
The new measures are a result of a review prompted by TAIC's report into the Carterton crash and align with new Health and Safety at Work Act which comes into force in April this year.
However, Mr Foss says the new testing regime will give passengers greater confidence and help make the skies and water safer.
Newshub.
