Drug testing is often a sensitive issue in the workplace that can lead to challenging situations for both employers and employees. Around 5% of the UK’s working population actively use drugs, according to the Government’s latest British crime survey, but how can organisations ensure that their drug and alcohol testing is following best practice and securing a safer working environment for their employees?
The importance of drug testing has been increasingly recognised across all sectors in the UK. In industries such as rail and maritime, drug and alcohol testing is mandatory and is necessary to fulfil regulatory requirements. In industries that are non-regulated, it is important for companies to understand the risks that they may be facing by not implementing an active drug and alcohol policy.
In many cases, the risk of not testing is far greater than the cost implications of doing so. For example, a logistics company where employees drive as part of their job must be confident that all of their drivers are fully alert and putting safety first for the sake of themselves and the public.
Employers will decide to test their employees for a number of reasons, whether because of industry regulation, laws, as a requirement for employment, best practice in the workplace or following a number of drug- or alcohol-related incidents in the workplace. As part of the Health and Safety at work etc Act 1974, employers have a duty of care to provide a safe working environment, which includes ensuring that they do not knowingly allow an employee to work when impaired by alcohol or after misusing illegal drugs – and ignorance of the issue is not an excuse.
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