AMSA also made changes last year regarding alcohol policies for all commercial vessels including hire and drive too which will affect your business.
Here at Shorlink, we always focus on the safety, education and wellbeing of our clients and the marine industry. The good news is any SMS developed by Shorlink Pty Ltd already has an Alcohol Policy including testing included.
Before we highlight some of the key alcohol rules and regulations, it is imperative that you are knowledgeable of your specific vessel/business alcohol business as they may have imparted variants on the below!
The master of a Class 1 commercial vessel (passenger) must have a BAC of 0.00. For Class 2, 3, and 4 vessels, the limit is generally less than 0.05, though some jurisdictions or company policies may require 0.00.
While specific limits for non-master crew may vary, they must be fit for duty, and a zero-tolerance policy is recommended for safety.
AMSA have not (yet!) implemented a 0.00 for all on our waters, owners, in consultation with the master and crew, are best placed to develop a risk-based alcohol policy. This might include having a ‘dry vessel’ policy where no alcohol is permitted.
Alternatively, crew may be permitted to have a limited supply of alcohol at the end of their day. Where alcohol is allowed, vessel owners should consider how this will be managed and any impacts it may have on the crew’s ability to undertake duties in an emergency and the implications of operations should an incident occur. Hence why Shorlink do recommend a zero tolerance.
It is extremely important to understand the alcohol restrictions for each State, which do vary. Please click on the following links for more information:
Queensland : https://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Safety/Alcohol-and-drug-rules
Western Australia: https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/wa/consol_act/wama1982278/
New South Wales: https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/2000-04-03/act-1991-080
South Australia: https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/boating-and-marine/boat-and-marine-safety/boating-safely/alcohol-drugs-and-boating
Northern Territory: https://nt.gov.au/marine/marine-safety
Tasmania: https://www.police.tas.gov.au/services-online/pamphlets-publications/alcohol-and-boats/
Canberra: https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/boating-on-canberras-lakes-tab-boating-safety
Anyone operating a vessel, or a member of the crew, may be required by a police officer to submit to an alcohol test.
There are penalties when your blood alcohol limit meets or exceeds the stated allowance detected in the:
The penalties can include large fines and/or imprisonment. The court may impose an additional penalty and suspend or cancel a certificate of competency, including a boat operator’s licence.
If you hold a commercial marine qualification and are convicted of a drink driving offence, this information will be provided to AMSA, who may consider whether the person is a fit and proper person to continue to hold that marine qualification.
Did you know that the drivers of vehicles leaving boat ramps, yacht clubs and marina’s can also be prosecuted under the State Driving Acts applicable?
Whilst some states allow blood alcohol limits higher, we recommend that all skippers and crew have a blood alcohol limit of zero as part of their general safety duty. This ensures their full awareness of their environment, and their judgement/skills will not be impaired with alcohol.
Also, please ensure to have an open line of communication with your team. Safety is everyone’s responsibility and if staff witness alcohol consumption that is against your policies and/or may endanger safety, they should be encouraged to come forward and understand how the reporting process should be followed.
Our best tip is to ensure all persons onboard have read, understand and acknowledged the Alcohol Policies within your vessel and/or Company at the same time as the Drugs Policies.
