Alcohol testing in the workplace

VeNT said:
if its not but they want you to think it is however.......
tbh, I'd be annoyed if I couldn't EVER go out (how long does it take for 100% of the alcohol to leave your system? how much would you have had to drink the night before to get fired?) and I doubt that anyone would want to work in an enviornment that forced this on the empolyees
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It takes about an hour per unit. So your not going to test positive unless you've had 4 pints the night before or something stupid like that.
 
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It's a perfectly reasonable request to be tested for alcohol. I wonder if you'd have the same qualms about being tested for drugs? A friend of mine has had problems at work with regards to drug testing as he works offshore occasionally in the oil industry up in Scotland. He tested positive for MDMA (ecstasy) on a test on Tuesday despite taking it on the Friday. Bar the Clubbers Blues he is for all intents and purposes completely sober by then yet he has still had problems. In my opinion if you work for a company that stipulates drug testing then it should be for all psychoactive drugs that they choose.
 
Oliver said:
It's a perfectly reasonable request to be tested for alcohol. I wonder if you'd have the same qualms about being tested for drugs? A friend of mine has had problems at work with regards to drug testing as he works offshore occasionally in the oil industry up in Scotland. He tested positive for MDMA (ecstasy) on a test on Tuesday despite taking it on the Friday. Bar the Clubbers Blues he is for all intents and purposes completely sober by then yet he has still had problems. In my opinion if you work for a company that stipulates drug testing then it should be for all psychoactive drugs that they choose.
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That's why I gave up the weed.

I work offshore and my company has a very strict drugs (including alcohol) policy to comply with offshore regulations and we are subject to random drug/alcohol tests both by our own company and by our offshore clients.

I was told this before I took the job and quit the weed straight away - basically, I could either carry on with it and risk losing my job or pack it in and rake in the cash working offshore.

IMO, anybody who deliberately flouts their company's drugs policy is asking for trouble and should have no complaints if they get caught.

I know that sometimes the levels they consider to be in breach of regulations appears to be excessively low but at the end of the day, if you sign a contract agreeing to abide by their policies, you only have yourself to blame if you get caught with levels of substances above those stipulated.

Stan :)
 
Yeah I agree Bigstan. He's given up taking ecstasy unless he's on a long enough holiday for it not to be detectable and switched to drugs that they don't test for :p ;)
 
Oliver said:
Yeah I agree Bigstan. He's given up taking ecstasy unless he's on a long enough holiday for it not to be detectable and switched to drugs that they don't test for :p ;)
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That wasn't quite my point :p but as long as he's complying with the terms of his contract then............

Stan :)
 
Would it make a difference if you were a heavy mech operator? You wouldnt want them to be the slightest bit under the influence no matter how small. The same goes for pilots etc.

If it is fair that certain jobs require absolutely NO drugs in your system, and we already have some, and it is then fair game to test for drugs (alcohol etc).

So why should your job be any different. As per the thread, alcohol testing is already enforced in the workplace, your argument is that should it be applied to your job and the second part, should it be applied retrospectively after appointment to the post.

If your job involves supervising kids, it is mandatory that you have all your wits about you and hence it is fair that no drugs are allowed. However, if you were a salesperson/call centre operator, then it is a different argument since the lack of judgement/perception would have less serious consequences.
 
I think my point has been misunenderstood by a couple of people. My point is not that we should be allowed to drink what we like and come to work hungover, I do agree that we should be completely sober when at work.

My point is that they should trust us to come to work sober of our own choice, not because they stand over us and force testing. I've worked for many different childcare companies, all have a drug/alcohol test clause, but none of them test randomly. They only test when they've reason to believe that you have been breaking their rules.
 
na what a load of monkeys. I work in quite a restricted job which is subject to random testing, however if my work took it quite as serious as your employer does half of the nations Customs Officers would face the boot :o :confused:
 
yak.h'cir said:
My point is that they should trust us to come to work sober of our own choice, not because they stand over us and force testing. I've worked for many different childcare companies, all have a drug/alcohol test clause, but none of them test randomly. They only test when they've reason to believe that you have been breaking their rules.
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when i worked for tesco random searches were always carried out to check whether you were stealing the stock. not because they didnt trust you, and you shouldnt take it as them not trusting you.

but because some people do indeed take the **** when it comes to rules and so everyone gets treated the same.
 
Energize said:
It takes about an hour per unit. So your not going to test positive unless you've had 4 pints the night before or something stupid like that.
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4 pints? stupid?
:(

not a heavy drinker but I've done that more than once, fine in the morning tho, don't see the issue!
 
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