Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson announced the stronger regulations yesterday, which would help prevent tragedies from drug and alcohol-related accidents.
The proposed changes encompassed the Health and Safety (Adventure Activities) Regulations 2011, aviation and maritime rules.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) have developed new requirements to reduce risk, give greater assurance to adventure tourists and protect New Zealand's reputation as a tourist destination.
Under the proposal, each operator would have to specifically address in their health and safety management the possibility of drug and alcohol use.
Operators would then have their drug and alcohol management checked, as part of regular independent safety audits.
For adventure activity operators under MBIE jurisdiction, auditing would begin in the new year, starting with operators providing the highest risk activities.
The first round of safety audits would target about 54% of the industry and was scheduled for completion by November 2013.
For those under the CAA or MNZ jurisdictions the existing programme of regular safety audits would include an audit of drug and alcohol management once the proposed amended rules were in force.
