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ANNEX II

GUIDING PRINCIPLES ON DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING PROCEDURES

FOR WORLDWIDE APPLICATION IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY

The Joint lLO/WHO Cornmittee on the Hea1th of Seafarers,

Having met in Geneva, in its Seventh Session, from 10 to 14 May 1993;

Adopts this fourteenth day of May 1993 the following guiding principIes:

Testing biological samples to detect the presence of certain drugs and

alcohol is a process which raises many important and sensitive moral, legal
and ethical questions. For this reason, it is important that the procedures
are thorough, tactfu1, discrete and maintain the individual 's right to
privacy, medical confidentiality and ensure accuracy of the results with
minimum inconvenience and distress to the individuals subject to the tests.

Testing procedures which achieve these objectives should be developed,

preferably subject to the approval of the appropriate national administration
in the flag state or the national administration in the country of origin of
the seafarers.

In introducing and implementing a testing programme, it is essential to

ensure the individuals to be tested are aware of the reasons for its
introduction, the safeguards developed to maintain personal privacy and
medical confidentiality are explained, and the rights of the individual to
receive, on request, the results of the tests are emphasized.

Alcohol testing

In accordance with the objective of developing procedures respecting

personal privacy and minimizing inconvenience, it is recornmended that
evidential· breathalysers should be used wherever possible for initial
screening purposes. Positive results which may arise from this initial
screening should result in more detailed blood analysis before further action
is taken. The maximum blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) level should be the
subject of internationally agreed standards.

Urine specimen collection and testing procedures

Integrity and identity of specimens

A collection site should be designated which must have the material,

equipment, supervision and privacy necessary to allow the sample to be
collected, temporari1y stored and transported to the testing laboratory and
which must ensure security. Procedures for col1ecting urine samples must
ensure:

personnel involved in the collection of samples must have successfully

completed- training to,perform these functions;

personal privacy cornmensura1:ewith the need to preserve the security of

the sample;

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the identity of the individual providing the samp1e is confirmed and

the samp1e is correct1y 1abelled as having been collected from that
person;

use of 1egally prescribed medication by the individual is proper1y

recorded;
adequate security arrangements are in force ta prevent adu1teration
of the samp1e;

the samp1e is adequate in quantity for testing purposes and the

temperature of the sample is taken and recorded;

the container(s) used for storing and transporting the sample will
prevent contamination, will not 1eak or break during transportation
and will be secure.

Laboratory requirements

Laboratories used for the analysis of samp1es should, where

applicable, be licensed or accredited by the appropriate national or
international bodies, comp1y with such detailed requirements and
procedures as may be specified by such bodies and the 1aboratory
management responsib1e for the ana1ysis must have specifical1y documented
qualifications in analytical forensic toxicology. The laboratory must
have documented procedures governing the integrity of the samples, the
proper performance of each test and the preservation of acceptable
analytical performance and controls to appropriate standards.

The laboratory must perform an initial screening test consisting of

an immunoassay technique with initial eut-off levels to determine positive
or negative results for specified drugs or classes of drugs to agreed
specified standards.
In the event of a specimen being identified as positive on the
initial test, a confirmatory test using a different technique and chemical
principle must be performed.

Chain of custody

Each sample must be subject to a secure chain of custody from its

point of collection to the site of its final d sposa.l. The chain of
í

eustody mus t be documen ted wi th records of the date and purpose of each
operation, including handling of the sample and transportation, and every
individual involved in the chain must be identified. The chain of custody
procedures should include a record of the receipt of the sample by the
laboratory, test results and final disposaI.

Review of results

A Medical Review Officer (MRO) should be 'appointed to review positive

results. The MRO should be a licensed physician with a sound knowledge of
substance abuse disorders. As a positive result does not automatically
identify an individual as an illegal drug user, the role of the MRO is to
review, verify and interpret positive test results. In carrying out
his/her responsibilities, the MRO should examine alternative medical
explanations for a positive test result, where possible conduct a medical

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interview with the individual tested, review available medical records and
take into account the extent to which the positive result might be due to
the use of legally prescribed medication. If the MRO determines that
there is a legitimate medical explanation or other reason for the positive
test, no further action should be taken.

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