Drug and Alcohol testing

[Hesstondriver]

Firstly I am not offering free samples for you to test ........

has any one on here got any experience of implementing a testing program for employees ?

random or blanket ?
frequency ?
Selection by risk /department ? (i.e a forklift driver poses a greater risk than say the bloke who sweeps the floor)

any help appreciated

Hesston

 

[Yale]

Anyone in particular you want to get rid of...?

 

[MrNoo]

Chap I know who employs quite a few workers using farm kit but not on a farm gets random tests done now. Chatting to a chap who runs a building company said it wasn't worth it as most of his younger staff would fail esp if the tests were done on a Monday morning!!

 

[A1an]

Personally if an employee turns up sober/straight for work all the time Ive no issues with what they do in their spare time.

If there was a sneaky suspicion that somebody might regularly be under the influence of either drink or drugs during work then I'd be testing and would let them know that it would be a random test.

Common sense has to prevail though, we can all turn up for work smelling of drink after over indulging at the previous nights' BBQ. They'd be sweeping the yard or painting the gable end with a 2" brush.

You get a feel for those that are ripping the ar5e out of it though.

Just my opinion, other people may have a less tolerant attitude.

 

[ollie989898]

Seek professional employment advice, I can see an industrial tribunal appearing by magic otherwise, need to follow certain procedures I believe.

 

[had e nuff]

Talking to a lad in the pub who owns a building company. They are currently working on a pub extension and he said they usually have a pint or 2 at lunchtime.

 

[Brisel]

I think you'd better consult an employment law specialist so you can handle this properly and legally from the start. IMO a question above about allegedly targeting someone you suspect of being under the influence is very valid. What do the employment contracts say about drink & drugs? If you get a positive test(s) you'd need to prove impairment and lack of fitness to work to have a case against that person or people.

 

[chickens and wheat]

A neighbour had a good staff member.apart from his boozy nights
Ended up blowing into breathaliser every morning and being sent home if over limit.

Sadly he started drinking at work, so had to go. Forklifts and booze don't mix

 

[TripleSix]

Why don't people claiming benefits have to pass a drugs and alcohol test in order to claim?

 

[Ukjay]

.
This is the kind we have:

http://www.breathalyserdirect.co.uk/Drager6810.htm

 

[PostHarvest]

Large fruit and veg growers have strict policies that are written into their employment terms. If staff are found to be under the influence and fail a breath test they are sent home with a warning, any repeat and they are out. Any bottles or cans found at work mean instant dismissal. Of course it will be more difficult to introduce such rules to a small operation but workplace safety must take precedence.

 

[Kidds]

Large fruit and veg growers have strict policies that are written into their employment terms. If staff are found to be under the influence and fail a breath test they are sent home with a warning, any repeat and they are out. Any bottles or cans found at work mean instant dismissal. Of course it will be more difficult to introduce such rules to a small operation but workplace safety must take precedence.

Seriously?
I wouldn't have anyone to pick the fruit if I adopted that policy.

Nor anyone to supervise them if I applied it to myself.

 

[michael N123]

It’ll be unreal how many workers will milk cows and feed up on a Sunday morning Christmas Day ect that will be well over the legal drive limits

 

[Dr. Alkathene]

So what should I do if I am sheeting up and chucking tyres for someone in the sun and they offer me a cold beer when we have finished?

 

[TripleSix]

Our shearer gets fed with cold ciders/beers.
Seems to get quicker after a couple of cans...

 

[kiwi pom]

At my last job at a dairy company we had to take a drug test before being employed, then it was a case of being tested every time there was a stuff up of some kind, usually involving damage to something (never had to do one) it was written into our contracts.
If you introduce random testing be aware you could end up losing staff you didn't want to lose. I know of a couple of companies that do it and it turns out- with drugs anyway- it might not be the people you'd think that are using.
You really need proper advice before going ahead.

 

[ollie989898]

Ive worked places where you really ought to be on drugs just to be able to work there. If you werent you clearly had at least a mild neurological disorder.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

^^^

 

[Kiwi Pete]

At work we undergo random testing, if you make fųckups then you get tested immediately.
(Here, random drug testing must be written into employment agreements)
You pee in the jar when you start for the season, and when transferring between departments, otherwise a swab test is performed and if that fails, urine/blood tests.

Often drug use is just part of an underlying "issue" just as fertiliser use is part of an underlying issue - it's more simple to fire on poor performance than D&A testing, the way employment laws are written to favour employees these days.

Also unfortunate is the more addictive and damaging 'hard' drugs rapidly pass through the system and therefore less detectable than cannabis and alcohol, which tend to linger longer in the body because they are stored in tissues.

My understanding is that meth etc is basically undetectable in 24 hours, pot with a swab test about the same, but urine/bloods will detect pot more than a week after last use, especially if used daily.

 

[juke]

who tests the boss man that likes a sup or to sniff a few lines ?