Brendan Hughes

If so, why? Coz it was for heavy machinery, or just an office job?

Would you refuse one out of principle? (I don't care what your actual habits are...)

Just curious. Wondering how much certain Stateside practices are wandering into British society...

homer lawtey

I have, it was part of the job selection process for my job as a power station operator. The station is owned by a large petrol refinery, and it is common to carry out random drug tests. The computer picks random numbers, and anyone with the security pass that matches the number won't get through the barrier the next day. The nurse then takes them to give a sample.

Anyone refusing to give a sample is seen as guilty of having drugs or alcohol in their system. Get caught with illegals in your body at work and you get thrown of the refinery, then banned for life from all major chemical process sites in the UK and offshore.

I think it's a good idea, I don't want to trust my safety to someone whose head isn't screwed on straight.

Steve

ChrisB

Steve,

Out of interest, what sort of levels are you allowed for alcholol in such tests? Do they compare to say drink-drive levels?

homer lawtey

I think it's the same level. It would make sense that if you're not legal to drive on the roads, then you can't be considered safe to operate machinery or set people to work safely.

dave-h

On the railway it is the same sort of thing,random / drug alcohol testing.
you get a letter one day you have to go for the test the next, you have an incident then those involved are all tested, the alcohol limit is a lot more lower than the drink driving limit for a car and drugs limit is zero.

ChrisB

Couldn't agree more. I guess you don't see many folks turning up with monster hang overs

Peanuts

iTrader: (15)

I sometimes work as an engineer on the railways.
agree with the above, random testing goes on with just 24hrs notice.
if there is an incident then everyone at work on that day will be tested.
every two years we have to retake the PTS card (competency near a railtrack) which involves a D&A test.
you pays your money you takes your chance, but, the night before my first test some of the group had a bender of a session and they would have failed a police test (didnt drive!) but breezed the D&A test.
also, the drugs test (AFAIK) is primarily aimed at class A's, which leave your system very quickly, lesser class drugs are seriously more expensive to test for.
filling the beaker isnt the most critical test ever taken, when they start tracing through hair samples then we all need to worry because these are much more accurate tests that show a lot more history.


A phonecall the NHS direct (seriously) will suggest you take niacin (in corn flakes) to detox the body in the (very) shport term.


*NB* none of the above applies to me, I am a good boy and will neve do anything illegal (your honour)

Chip

Get tested randomly as we sometimes work in oil refineries. Good idea if you ask me,especially if youve got nothing to hide.

Chip.

RB5-Black

I work offshore so as you could imagine .... drink/Drungs could have a very serious effect on you and the people you work with.

I think it's a good thing we get random tests. The last thing I want is someone putting my life and my workmates lives in danger

Jerome

The British Armed Forces have Compulsory Drug Testing (CDT). The CDT team turn up at random and test everyone at the base, regardless of rank or why they are there. A refusal gets you a discharge. I know of one guy in Kosovo (an Army driver) who was unlucky enough to be at several bases being tested in the same week. He got tested every time.

I was tested before being sent to the Gulf. Troops are often tested coming back from or during certain tours. They have tested my old TA unit twice in the last 3 years. They are mostly looking for illegal drugs rather than alcohol - not many squaddies would pass otherwise. They also test for some that aren't illegal but are banned in the services.

If the CDT team detect someone they are going to test is in the least bit nervous/suspicious (or asks stupid questions like "will it pick up ecstacy?" - don't laugh it happpens!) then they go further than the urine test and get a sample of hair. If the squaddie has a bone dome, they take an armpit/chest/pubic hair.