Drug and alcohol education programs

Drug and alcohol management plans (DAMPs) must include a drug and alcohol education program.

Drug and alcohol education programs raise awareness about:

• the effects of alcohol and other drug use on aviation safety
• the risks of alcohol and other drug use to the aviation safety
• organisation and employee responsibilities
• drug and alcohol testing
• an organisation's alcohol and other drug management policy.

Drug and alcohol education programs are for all employees who perform safety sensitive aviation activities (SSAAs). This includes staff, contractors, subcontractors and volunteers. They're also for drug and alcohol management plan (DAMP) supervisors.

Essential components for employees

For employees who perform SSAAs, the drug and alcohol education program must include awareness of:

• the organisation's policy on alcohol and other drug use
• testing in your workplace
• support and help services for people who use alcohol or other drugs in a way that might be a problem
• the potential risks to aviation safety caused by using alcohol and other drugs.

Employees who perform SSAAs must complete the education program before they start their SSAA duties. This applies to:

• new employees
• existing employees whose role changes to include SSAAs.

Employees who perform SSAAs must complete the education program at least once every 30 months.

Requirements for DAMP supervisors

DAMP supervisors need education and training to manage people who engage in or are affected by problematic alcohol and other drug use. They must complete this training before they start their role.

DAMP supervisors need to complete the education program at least once every 30 months.

Online learning

Our free eLearning package helps organisations deliver training to meet these requirements.

The 2 modules are:

• DAMP awareness for SSAA employees
• DAMP supervisor training.

You can access this training through AviationWorx.

All DAMP organisations can use this training. Small organisations wanting to adopt the DAMP exemption for micro-businesses must complete this training as part of the conditions under that exemption.

For all other DAMP organisations, this eLearning isn’t compulsory. But we recommend you use it as the basis of your organisation's education program to provide a standard training method. You can add your own material to it.

If you develop your own education program, it must include the essential components listed on this page.