Why workplace drug and alcohol screening is vital

Substance misuse is costing the UK economy an estimated £7.3 billion per year in lost productivity. That’s according to an impact assessment paper produced by the Institute of Alcohol Studies. It’s a massive amount of money, but more importantly there is a huge human cost involved too. From the negative impact that it can have on fellow colleagues and team morale, to the potential is has to effect customer relations and destroy company reputation, not to mention the very real risk to life it could pose, especially for workers whose responsibilities include operating machinery, driving or working at heights.

So for the sake of the user, their colleagues and the company as a whole, many businesses rely on the Occupational Health experts at YourGP to carry out drug and alcohol screening. Here’s why your business should consider it too…

Top reasons to test your team

• Employee safety: No matter how high-functioning the user may be, any amount of illicit drugs or alcohol has the potential to impair judgement and reaction times, which can lead to accidents and injuries.
• Employer’s duty of care: Every employer has a legal obligation that requires them to do everything “reasonably practicable” to protect employees’ health, safety, and welfare, covering both physical and mental wellbeing, as stated in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
• Industry compliance: Employers are obliged to meet certain industry standards and regulations in order to operate.
• Business performance: An employee that is under the influence will not perform at their best. It can lead to issues with punctuality, affect their behaviour and reduce productivity.

When is the best time to test?

The Occupational Health experts at YourGP understand that every business is different and screening policies will vary. We can work with your HR and management team to provide drug and alcohol screening services whenever you need them. Depending on what your company screening policy includes, we can offer your team the following tests:

• Before commencing employment: We can screen your newly hired employees to ensure they are fit to carry out their duties safely.
• Random and unannounced: We can test a random selection of your workforce at any time, to give you full peace of mind.
• When you have reasonable suspicions: If you believe one of your team is working under the influence and therefore putting themselves and others at risk, we can step in and test.
• After an incident: Whether it was a near-miss or a dangerous accident, we can carry out a test to confirm or rule out the possibility of drugs or alcohol being a contributing factor.
• Before an employee returns to work: Should you decide that an employee can return to work after an incident, we can carry out any necessary tests to ensure the drug and alcohol use has stopped.

Testing tailored to your needs

At YourGP, we offer a range of options for drug and alcohol testing at work to ensure that you are screening your workforce as required. We can carry out these tests at our Edinburgh practice or we can send someone to your premises, depending on what works best for you.

We offer a full range of breath, urine and blood tests, with clear results sent quickly and in full confidence.

To speak to an Occupational Health professional about screening your team, call 0131 225 5656 or email occhealth@your.gp and we’ll be happy to arrange an appointment at a time that suits you.