World Day for Safety and Health at Work: protecting your employees from drug and alcohol misuse

Workplace health and safety remains a high priority in the wake of the pandemic, as more and more people return to work following a prolonged period of homeworking.

But with so much emphasis on handwashing and hygiene, how are senior managers tackling the serious risks associated with alcohol and drug misuse at work?  

Today (28^th April) is World Day for Safety and Health at Work, a global awareness-raising campaign organised by the International Labour Organisation, and designed to focus attention on creating safer workspaces and reducing the number of work-related deaths and injuries.

As a leading provider of workplace drug and alcohol testing solutions, AlphaBiolabs works with companies of all sizes and across a range of sectors to create a safer working environment for their employees.

In this blog, we take a closer look at an employer’s duty of care to employees and how companies can reduce the risk posed by alcohol and drug use at work to create a safer, more productive working environment for everyone.

Employer responsibility

Although the pandemic has shone a spotlight on occupational safety and health, there is still a lot for businesses to learn when it comes to the importance of having a drug and alcohol policy.  

In a survey of 500 senior managers conducted by AlphaBiolabs, 20 per cent admitted to having no such policy in place, while 1 in 5 did not feel confident they’d be able to spot the signs of someone abusing drugs or alcohol at work. ¹

These are shocking statistics when you consider that from 2020 to 2021, 441,000 workers sustained a non-fatal injury at work according to a report from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). ²

And while we cannot say how many of these incidents involved illicit substances, we do know that using alcohol or drugs can seriously impact your concentration, increasing the risk of severe and, in rare instances, fatal workplace accidents.    

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, all employers have a duty of care for the health, safety, and welfare of their employees.

Having an appropriate drug and alcohol policy in place not only demonstrates your commitment to workplace health and safety, but can also help protect your company’s reputation in the event of a serious incident.

A culture of safety

Before updating your drug and alcohol policy, it’s important to think about how you will communicate these changes to your employees to ensure health and safety is firmly embedded in your company culture.

Creating an environment where people feel comfortable discussing health and wellbeing with their line manager, and offering appropriate support, can also help individuals struggling with drug or alcohol misuse before these issues pose any significant threat to other employees.

Additionally, effective awareness training can help ensure management and staff are equipped to spot the signs of a person who may be drinking alcohol or taking drugs at work.

Here are a few of the tell-tale signs of drug or alcohol misuse:

• Reduced productivity
• Increased conflict with colleagues
• Unexplained absences
• Poor decision making

Thankfully, for businesses looking to update or introduce a substance misuse policy, there are many testing solutions available that can be tailored to suit your company’s needs.

At AlphaBiolabs, our toxicology laboratory can analyse oral fluid (saliva), breath, urine, fingerprint, hair and nail samples for the presence of drugs and/or alcohol, with Random, For Cause, Pre-employment and Post-rehab & Return to work testing available.

Plus, with our UK-wide network of trained sample collectors available 24/7, 365 days a year, there is always a sample collector on hand to implement your drug and alcohol testing programme. This rapid sample collection is vital when analysing samples that give a narrow window of detection for drug or alcohol use, such as urine (up to four days), breath (here and now), and oral fluid samples (up to 48 hours).

Where can I get drug and alcohol testing for my business?

AlphaBiolabs works with businesses across the UK, providing a broad range of drug and alcohol testing services for the workplace.

Plus, with our nationwide network of sample collectors, you can trust us to collect your samples quickly and efficiently.

We also offer awareness training, assistance with policy review and creation, and sample collection training, so you can collect your own samples on site if needed.

To learn more, call our friendly, knowledgeable workplace team today on 0333 600 1300 or email workplace@alphabiolabs.com to discuss a bespoke solution for your business.

Sources
1: Find Out Now, survey of 500 senior managers in safety critical industries, commissioned by AlphaBiolabs (construction, manufacturing, engineering, and logistics).
2: HSE, Health and safety at work, Summary statistics for Great Britain 2021, Self-reports from the Labour Force Survey 2020/21