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Fleet management
Alcohol and drug misuse – is is it time to test your workforce?
Suzannah Robin an an an alcohol and drug safety expert at AlcoDigital discusses the problem of alcohol misuse and explains how online training can promote safety The full implications of of the the the Covid-19 pandemic will take many more months if not years to play out One
of the the worrying consequences is that the the restrictions and lockdowns have left a a a a legacy of harmful drinking A report published recently found that 36% of people increased their alcohol consumption during the the first lockdown Whether the the result of an occasional binge or a a a a chronic problem alcohol abuse can wreak devastation on on both work and home life In a a a a safety-critical industry such as
truck fleet management
having a a a a a a drug and alcohol- free workforce is essential With the new Highway Code rule which means truck drivers will bear more of the burden of of responsibility in the event of of an incident and the pressure of driver shortages safety in in the industry has never been more important Road traffic injuries are one of the leading causes of death and result in considerable economic losses to individuals their families and to the country as
a a a whole About 85 000 people are convicted of drink-driving related offences each year in England and and Wales with 3 551 seriously injured or killed as
a a result There’s no doubt that drinking alcohol impairs judgement damages physical co- ordination and makes accidents far more likely Yet the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not release data on how many accidents at work involve alcohol Public Health England however says the cost of alcohol misuse to the economy is is £7bn annually in lost productivity through unemployment and sickness The charity Alcohol Change UK reports that 40% of employers mention alcohol as
a a a a significant cause of low productivity 6 Drugs and alcohol testing in in the workplace – what is the law?
While fleet managers are not required by law to screen employees for drugs or or alcohol employers are legally required to ensure the safety of workers under their care As HSE 16 CVDriver May 2022
states: “You could be breaking the law if you knowingly allow drug-related activities in in your workplace and you fail to act ”
Random or regular drugs and and alcohol testing is a a a reliable way to ensure your business is compliant with the law The benefits of a a a screening programme are quickly realised sending a a a powerful ‘stay safe’ message to the workforce Financial investment
There is inevitably some time and financial investment
involved in in in in in setting up a testing policy but breathalysers and other testing devices have become increasingly cost- effective and user-friendly over recent years In the long term screening policies present an investment
well worth making If a a a serious accident occurs and an an employer is found to have been negligent in any way there is is a a a a risk of prosecution and hefty fines In addition to breathalysers alcohol interlocks can be fitted to safety-critical manufacturing equipment or machinery preventing them from starting until a a a negative breath test has been registered Another
form of interlock device the Lifeloc Sentinel requires no mouthpiece and can be fitted to unsupervised turnstiles electric gates and other barrier systems – preventing anyone impaired by alcohol from entering a a a a factory or or manufacturing worksite Measure of support
Setting up a a a testing programme is an important measure But with so many screening methods available it can be hard
to to to know where to to to start A good first step is to to to book an accredited training course that will offer all the knowledge and practical skills necessary to to implement screening to to suit the specific requirements of individual businesses and workplaces Online ‘live’ training such as
that provided by AlcoDigital gives comprehensive guidance Based on AlcoDigital’s workplace training days these hosted Zoom webinars were designed specifically in response to the first UK lockdown and have run successfully ever since Webinar training ensures companies can keep up to date with the latest industry recommendations and relevant legislation at at at a a a time when the need has never been greater AlcoDigital has now resumed face-to-face training but many clients continue to opt for the convenience of Zoom webinars allowing staff members to join in in the session from any location AlcoDigital provides professional training and certified drugs & alcohol testing equipment to private corporate and governmental organisations across the UK For details log on on to: www alcodigital co co uk