Drug testing

[Conkers]

I work for a utilities firm and random drug and alcohol testing is being introduced in November. Can't see the issue.
Safety is a huge issue and if I owned the firm, I would want to make sure the people out in the field or even in payroll aren't smashed from the night before.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I work for a utilities firm and random drug and alcohol testing is being introduced in November. Can't see the issue.
Safety is a huge issue and if I owned the firm, I would want to make sure the people out in the field or even in payroll aren't smashed from the night before.

Agree. When the meter reader comes round I will be reassured to know that he has had a random drug test, possibly, at some time in his career.

 

[big nuts]

That implies you can guarantee that 1 in 10 people under 30 is taking illegal drugs
That is a very big claim.

No its probably at least two in ten.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

No its probably at least two in ten.

"The NHS Information Centre's annual survey of drug misuse in England reveals the...... trend among 16- to 24-year-olds. One in five (20%) of that age group used one or more illegal drugs in 2009-10"

This was published a year and a bit ago.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If drugs are in the system then they must be having some effect?

That implies you can guarantee that 1 in 10 people under 30 is taking illegal drugs
That is a very big claim.

I hope you do not mind me saying that for someone with such strong views you seem very ill-informed on the subject.

 

[ifuhatepalacestandup]

That implies you can guarantee that 1 in 10 people under 30 is taking illegal drugs
That is a very big claim.

I also used the "The NHS Information Centre's annual survey of drug misuse in England," as basis for my comment.
But also to stop people saying 1 in 5 was way to high, I doubled the percentage ,and yet you still say its to high.
Might i ask you to do some research before you suggest my claim is wrong .

 

[perseus]

If you live in a glass house, don't throw stones

Big Society. First drug testing. Next the Millon Indoctrination Code.

We are civilised in the Western World. The Social Workers (=Secret Police) will not connect you to the electricty supply (well not often), we have better ways of controlling the miscreants. It is the Guards! Guards!

If Big Brother doesn't get you, I bet Big Sister will !!!

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

That implies you can guarantee that 1 in 10 people under 30 is taking illegal drugs
That is a very big claim.

Probably a bit conservative!

...as pointed out above...i'll read all the posts next time.

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

Oh and i agree with random drug testing i have had it for the last 12 years and it doesnt bother me or anyone i have worked with because its ingrained in the job.

 

[Seagull kimchi]

I got drug tested at work because I was in the vacinity (the toilets) of other employees doing coke. Needless to say, by Monday morning when we were called in for the test all the coke users were clear but I got shafted coz I'd had a doobie some time in the previous few days.

I used to smoke pot to help me regulate my sleep patterns during shift changes, if anything it helped my performance at work and I wouldn't have dreamt of actually going to work 'high'. Drug tests can suck.

 

[scarby]

the company did their pilot scheme in scotland which needless to say they had a very high return of positive results for alcohol.so are they under the impression that we're all pissheads!! we have been told that if we test positive it is a sackable offence.

if they are going to introduce testing then i can see it on any new employees at an induction, or after an incident but ive been contracting to them for nearly 19 years without one problem / accident.

i think a bit of common sense should prevail

 

[User removed 4]

Yup. As a City-based firm everyone gets a drug test when they start - i'm not aware if they can do random ones after, i didn't look for it in my contract.

I was advised to tick the box for possible opiates as at the time i used to eat a cake from Pret that had poppy sEeds and that might show up as a positive.

Ha ha ha, I dont know what firm you're talking about now TD, but at the company we BOTH used to work for the flat surfaces in the trading floor toilets were vaselined for a while, thats 100% true, and we are talking about a multinational "well respected" inter dealer brokers here

 

[Marshy]

That implies you can guarantee that 1 in 10 people under 30 is taking illegal drugs
That is a very big claim.

ITs probably higher than that sadly

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

What would happen if drug testing reduced accident rates or improved output? We will only know this if a large enough sample of employers over the whole country were to do it. I wonder if the moaners would have anything to say then?
Also I bet they are the same people who would moan if there was a drug related accident at work and they got injured, suing the company.

I don't think anyone is disputing accidents. My argument is more the futility, benefit and motives of drug testing. Accidents can happen due to alcohol, drugs, tiredness, stupidity or just general sloppiness. Do you screen for all of these? And if the aim is to prevent accidents how often do you screen?

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Ha ha ha, I dont know what firm you're talking about now TD, but at the company we BOTH used to work for the flat surfaces in the trading floor toilets were vaselined for a while, thats 100% true, and we are talking about a multinational "well respected" inter dealer brokers here

That does not surprise me in the least

 

[crabface]

It is another example of the Big Borther culture that we now unfotunatly live in. I dont feel there is a need for something like this at all, unless something very blatent is going on and the employer feels the need to step in.

We have not need measures like this in the past, why now?

 

[Munkfish]

That implies you can guarantee that 1 in 10 people under 30 is taking illegal drugs
That is a very big claim.

Not really I would say its higher than that OR has at least done it more than once.

out of interest what line of work are you in?

 

[Mister Mix]

That implies you can guarantee that 1 in 10 people under 30 is taking illegal drugs
That is a very big claim.

I reckon that is true

 

[Mister Mix]

I got drug tested at work because I was in the vacinity (the toilets) of other employees doing coke. Needless to say, by Monday morning when we were called in for the test all the coke users were clear but I got shafted coz I'd had a doobie some time in the previous few days.

I used to smoke pot to help me regulate my sleep patterns during shift changes, if anything it helped my performance at work and I wouldn't have dreamt of actually going to work 'high'. Drug tests can suck.

Must of been more than reason than that. Must be the constant columbian cold

 

[Postman Pat]

I work for an airline and when we start working here we agree that we can be randomly selected for a drink or drugs test at any time. I don't work anywhere near a plane but for anti-discrimination reasons all staff members have to agree.

I have been here 2.5 years and I have never been tested and as far as I am aware no one else in my team has either (although not sure they would say anything if they had).