The company I work for want to start random alcohol and drugs testing, anyone know how we stand on this, are they within their rights to make this compulsory… 
I suppose they could write it in their T’s and C’s similar to random searches that a lot of Companies conduct.
See also:
personneltoday.com/articles/ … gal-q.html
Mark 
Smee:
The company I work for want to start random alcohol and drugs testing, anyone know how we stand on this, are they within their rights to make this compulsory…
HOW are they proposing to do this - blood sample, urine sample etc
- certain things have to be done by a ‘medical’ person
Wil you get an identical sample to keep
- this is to cover you in case of a mix up or for you to have independant tests done
Will you get paid for your time when giving sample
- it is by their request so they should pay you for the time it takes
A company I used to work for did this on a regular basis. It never bothered me cos I never had anything to hide. That said, a couple of the blokes went a bit white when they were told this was going to be happening!!
Personally, I don’t see a problem with it. If you have drink or drugs in your system you shouldn’t be let loose in a mobility cart, let alone a full weight artic 
However, that is my take on it, I am sure others might disagree 
As a ‘legal rights’ issue this situation may favour the employer as there is a public safety issue involved.
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing to hide but I just want to know is it allowed as some of my colleagues have expressed anger at the idea…
Testing for drugs is a flawed system …
You could maybe if so inclined to have a little bit of cannabis at the weekend .
Effects lasting a couple of hours.
By monday you are no way near under the influence of it but it it is still detectable in your system, by way of blood or urine sample.
A particular good night on the beer in the pub on a saturday would still be detectable on a monday morning in your urine or blood.
Flawed system to be honest , what are they looking for ?
Detectable in the system or people still under the influence ?
I would refuse to be honest with you until they clarify the above.
At a good guess it is a half arsed idea that will be applied in a half arsed manner, like most management decisions.
I actually bought myself one of these a few months back. Mainly for fun as I always avoid drink at least 24 hours before driving. It’s surprising how shiot you can feel but still be under the limit !
http://www.alcoholbreathalysers.co.uk/alcosense.asp
Jab:
. It’s surprising how shiot you can feel but still be under the limit !
Very true 
Hoyer used to do this 20 years ago, not sure whether they still do it.
However a similar question came up about a local offroad motorcycle event, not about the actual threat of racing against someone who was “slightly advantaged” but about the equipment and the methods, also the qualifications of the tester.
I too would refuse unless it was a GP or trained Police officer.
i think it will be an excellent idea, and it will presumably, just be to see if you are still under the influence.
we have had compulsory drug testing in the armed forces for numerous years now and it does weed out the people using drugs, it is done by urine sample and no rog you dont get to keep an additional sample. it is sealed in a barcoded bag with no name by the person whose sample it is, it is all done by barcode until it is illegal.
i cant see why drivers are getting angry about it, if it keeps them off the road because they are over the drink limit then its a good thing and maybe help reduce the amount of accidents on the roads if all companies bring it in.
if you refuse to give a sample then you should be disciplined (warned, fined, sacked) it will send a message to everyone then.
i am all for it as i have nothing to hide. the people getting angry about it obviously have!
Giblsa:
i think it will be an excellent idea, and it will presumably, just be to see if you are still under the influence.we have had compulsory drug testing in the armed forces for numerous years now and it does weed out the people using drugs, it is done by urine sample and no Rog you dont get to keep an additional sample. it is sealed in a branded bag with no name by the person whose sample it is, it is all done by barcode until it is illegal.
i cant see why drivers are getting angry about it, if it keeps them off the road because they are over the drink limit then its a good thing and maybe help reduce the amount of accidents on the roads if all companies bring it in.
if you refuse to give a sample then you should be disciplined (warned, fined, sacked) it will send a message to everyone then.
i am all for it as i have nothing to hide. the people getting angry about it obviously have!
I think there are far more accidents caused by bad drivers what do you suggest we do about that… 
No-one is getting angry
If it’s going to be done it needs to be done properly.
The armed forces test was flawed as well…
Giblsa:
if you refuse to give a sample then you should be disciplined (warned, fined, sacked) it will send a message to everyone then.i am all for it as i have nothing to hide. the people getting angry about it obviously have!
Im so pleased you have nothing to hide, I hope you feel different if you are prescribed antihistamines or medication for hypertension or arrythmia from your doctor as both would show as drug abuse in your world.
Exactly.
I tested positive for Amphetamines in the Army.
I t wasonly after further investigation due to my protests a substance was found in medication I was prescribed that made the drug testing equipment show positive for Amphetamines.
I nearly got kicked out for that , just goes to show…
Giblsa:
i cant see why drivers are getting angry about it, if it keeps them off the road because they are over the drink limit then its a good thing and
maybe help reduce the amount of accidents on the roads if all companies bring it in.
Notice the word maybe , how many drivers do you know that spend most of thier sundays off in the pub all day and then get up at 5 on monday to drive a loaded artic■■?
i dont have the answer to bad driving apart from banning them but it is the plod catching them thats the problem
Paul@midway - how is the armed forces drug testing flawed? it was to start with but do you know of anything that is brought in by the armed forces and isnt flawed at the start?
Look above for my answer
Amphetamines was filed under stimulants and that was what they tested for , stimulants.Medication I was on was a stimulant.
Had SIB interviews the lot, asked for a solicitor and it was him that sorted it all out.
Wheel Nut:
Giblsa:
if you refuse to give a sample then you should be disciplined (warned, fined, sacked) it will send a message to everyone then.i am all for it as i have nothing to hide. the people getting angry about it obviously have!
Im so pleased you have nothing to hide, I hope you feel different if you are prescribed antihistamines or medication for hypertension or arrythmia from your doctor as both would show as drug abuse in your world.
that is why there is a form to declare any medication you are on or have taken in the last 30 days (which if needed can be cross referenced with your medical records) if you dont declare it then it will take longer to fight it but it will come through in the end. as long as your not getting stoned and doing things properly with regard to medication then you have nothing to fear.
i sympathise with people that it has wrongly accused of using drugs but have no sympathy what so ever for people that get caught from doing the likes of coke and weed. especially if they are on a ship with me!
i believe that pretty soon there will be some form of device in cars that you need to breathe into before it will even start. i know it will be open to abuse ~(getting someone else to breathe in to it) but if you need to do that it tells you something doesnt it!
Our firm has the right to carry out these tests, it’s in the contract of employment. That said, I’ve never been tested yet, so I have no idea how it’s done. Presumably urine test, as I would object to a blood test (nothing to hide, just squeamish 
). I thought this type of testing, or at least the right of the employer to do it, was pretty standard in transport operations now.
if you refuse to give a sample then you should be disciplined (warned, fined, sacked) it will send a message to everyone then.
I would still refuse to give a sample on the grounds that the person taking the samples could be the foreman yard sweeper or office cleaner. I dont get a reference sample to keep, and if the company is so inclined they could use these tests as a selection tool for job cuts. I have no proof that my sample was positive or negative.
If there was an industry standard like a drugs test for every driver and the results were uniform then I could support it, a random selection is only random for the ones it misses.
This subject is very close to my heart at the moment, because I have been prodded, poked, X-ray, wired up, photographed, and had multiple scans along with several changes of medication trying to diagnose an illness. At all times the specialist is concerned that he will not jeapardise my vocational licence although that is not his main concern, his main concern is keeping me alive 