Random Dope Test on Air Crew, Traffic Controllers to Commence From 2022

India’s civil aviation regulator announced it will institute random drug testing on flight crews and air traffic controllers, effective from January 31, 2022. “All scheduled commercial aircraft operators and air navigation service provider shall carry out random drug testing for the consumption of psychoactive substance by flight crew members and air traffic controllers employed by them respectively at the facilities established by them using the services of an appropriate laboratory.” “The medical personnel of the concerned organization shall associate during this process. The programme shall ensure that at least 10 per cent of the employees of an organisation are covered in a year.” Besides, the DGCA said that these organisations shall ensure testing before employing a person, before admitting a trainee pilot in a FTO, follow-up testing of confirmed cases, and at first available opportunity, in case an aviation personnel has refused drug test to a foreign regulator during flight operation to that country. “The pre-flight testing requirement will be introduced in due course, all the applicable organization are required to build capacity or infrastructure for the same.” In terms of penalties, the CAR mentioned that if screening test is non-negative, the employee shall be immediately removed from the safety sensitive duty till a confirmatory report is received. “In case of positive confirmatory test for the first time, the concerned employee shall be referred by the organisation to a ‘specialist doctor or counsellor or de-addiction’ centre for de-addiction or rehabilitation programme as applicable, in consultation with the MRO.” “Such an employee shall return to active duties after again having undergone the tests for the consumption of the psychoactive substance with a negative test report.