Rail, Construction and Transport
Employers have a number of statutory duties and responsibilities towards their employees and the public, and clearly, these duties have to be taken very seriously. Many companies now have drug and alcohol screening policies which ensure that employee and public safety is not compromised.
However, whether or not your company has a drug and alcohol screening policy, it is illegal to drive whilst under the influence of drugs (legal or illegal) and alcohol and to do so could cause serious injury or even death to the driver or an innocent third party.
If your work requires you to be 100% alert whilst driving, operating machinery or working within a Safety Critical environment, deviation from this could have catastrophic consequences. Whilst it is widely recognised that alcohol and prescribed medication can cause drowsiness, dizziness, sickness, fainting spells and other serious side effects, it is less well-known that seemingly simple medications bought over the counter from your local pharmacy or supermarket for colds, flu and hay fever, can also cause similar problems. Different medicines can also interact when taken together and may result in enhanced or even new side effects. It is therefore of vital importance that any medication taken by you is screened for side effects if you work in an environment where safety is critical.
As a company, having a drug and alcohol screening policy, may be a legal requirement in certain sectors but it can also have great benefits in industries where it is not currently subject to the law. The presence of a drug and alcohol policy will provide a safer working environment and may reduce the frequency of workplace injuries and in turn insurance and compensation claims. An effective drug and alcohol testing policy will also protect your customers and members of the general public and it will protect you, the employer, in the unfortunate event of an incident, if you can prove due diligence.
An integral part of an effective drug and alcohol screening policy is the education of workers. Even simple pain killers and cold cures may contain substances which are screened for and which, if taken, could render them unfit for duty. Chemist On Call provides a 24/7, 365 day service which will give you the reassurance and your employees the answers they need, all just a phone call away. Our expert team of pharmacists and nurses can make sure that your employees have prompt and friendly advice on medication whether prescribed or bought over the counter and if necessary, recommend alternatives or refer them back to the prescriber for something which won’t compromise safety.
