Appeals Court Rules For Random Drug Testing In Suncor Energy Case

Employees at the oil and gas operations of Suncor Energy in British Columbia may be interested in the outcome of a legal battle that followed disputes in 2012 between the energy giant and Unifor - the union that represents some of the employees at the company's oil sands sites in another province.

At issue was random drug and alcohol testing, with the union taking the position that the company had violated employee rights by invading their privacy. In response, the employer underscored the fact that impairment by drugs or alcohol cannot be tolerated in employees in safety-sensitive positions.

Employees who were tested included those in "safety-sensitive" positions; for example, those who work with heavy equipment, such as trucks weighing over 400 tons that stand as tall as multi-storey buildings, along with hydraulic shovels and cables that can exceed heights of 21 metres.