The 'one thing' KORAIL employees resorted to after alcohol was detected in pre-shift tests

[The Financial News] Some employees of the Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) have repeatedly used annual leave to avoid a second, more precise test after alcohol was detected in their initial pre-shift screening, it has emerged.
According to the Dong-A Ilbo on the 8th, data KORAIL submitted to the office of Kang Dae-sik, a People Power Party member of the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, showed that alcohol was detected by initial screening devices 3,936 times during pre-shift tests of rail workers from January through August this year.
Because initial screening devices can react to mouthwash or medication, among other things, workers typically undergo a second test that precisely measures their blood alcohol concentration. A total of 92 cases were ultimately confirmed, with blood alcohol concentrations of 0.02% or higher, after the second test.
By job category, there were 25 cases among train operators, 18 in office and sales roles, 17 in rolling stock, and 13 in electrical roles.
The issue is that there were 281 cases in which workers used annual leave to avoid a second test after an initial detection in January through August this year alone. The cumulative total has reached 450 since the system for managing alcohol test records was introduced in late August last year.
If a second test confirms a reading at or above the threshold, the employee is taken off duty and becomes subject to disciplinary action. However, the cases appear to involve exploiting a provision under which no precise test is conducted if an employee takes annual leave before the second test.
Meanwhile, alcohol-related violations have also continued in the airline industry. In the first half of this year (January through June), Korean airlines conducted 1,342,219 in-house alcohol tests on pilots, crew members, mechanics and others. A total of 46 people were caught and disciplined.
Cabin crew accounted for the largest group by job category, with 31 people. By airline, the figures were 11 at Korean Air, nine at Asiana Airlines, and six each at Jeju Air and Trinity Airlines.
Kang Dae-sik said, "The current system, under which employees can avoid a precise test by taking annual leave even when alcohol is detected in the initial test, undermines the purpose of the alcohol testing system," and added, "Urgent improvements are needed to address the blind spots in alcohol testing."

[email protected] Seong Min-seo Reporter