Pubdate: Tue, 16 May 2000 Source: Dominion, The (New Zealand) Copyright: 2000 The Dominion Contact: P O Box 1297, Wellington, New Zealand Fax: +64 4 474-0350 Website: http://www.inl.co.nz/wnl/dominion/index.html ONE IN 25 FAIL DRUG TESTING ROTORUA ONE in 25 people who apply for jobs at Fletcher Challenge Forests fail the pre-employment drug test. The tests are part of a physical examination and if people fail the physical, they are not given a job. Fletcher Challenge Forests and Carter Holt Harvey Forests both drug-test prospective employees. Fletcher communications manager Jacqui Millar said it was better to avoid problems by early detection of drug use. This year 4 per cent of applicants had returned positive drugs tests. Despite company policy to help employees with drug abuse, Fletcher sacked five after catching them on camera using drugs in a staff tearoom last October. Rotorua Employers and Manufacturers Union office manager Ken Raureti said random drug testing was not carried out because it would impinge on human rights. The Human Rights Apt says employees do not have to comply with any activity that was an "unreasonable intrusion" on themselves. Forestry workers were at higher risk of injury than other workers if drugs were used and it was an increasing problem, he said. "The thing with industries such as forestry is that if there is an accident, normally the person will die or have horrible injuries. "The nature of injuries in the bush or in the mills is worse and the cost of an error of judgment is so much greater." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea