We can help you with some of the practical, legal and ethical issues that face an organisation with implementing a drugs and alcohol policy and help you find the best solution for your workplace monitoring and testing. We also provide training if you wish to do in house testing or you can use our sample collection service.

The following are examples are from a cross section of our clients and the questions that have been raised during consultation.

• A drug test programme that applies to all staff
  "Our workforce includes a wide range of personnel from graduate entries in our offices through to forklift truck drivers - I'm mainly interested in safety issues in the warehouse regarding drug and alcohol abuse: should I just focus on that area or is it possible to find one policy that fits all?" A drug and alcohol policy should address the issues fairly across all staff levels and responsibilities: whilst it's easy to see the safety hazards that could arise in a busy warehouse, there are also safety, security and business risk issues in an office which can't be ignored, with the added concerns around commercial confidentiality, customer relations and performance too. Plus, it doesn't matter if someone uses or sells cocaine to a colleague in a toilet, in the executive restaurant, or in the warehouse canteen - it's a criminal act, and if happens on your premises then senior managers can be held liable.
• 'Under the influence' or 'Recent Use' tests
  "We are really only interested if someone turns up to work under the influence of drugs, not what they might have been taking last month or even at the week-end. What would you recommend?" A 'reasonable suspicion' or 'for cause' and random test programme using oral fluids tests could be appropriate: they are simple and quick to use, need no special location - just a discrete area or office near the donor - and a competent accredited laboratory can provide a legally defensible screened and confirmed result.
• Post-incident or post-accident testing
  A Scottish Fire Service that covers extensive rural areas employs both full-time and part-time staff, and the latter can be called out at any time an emergency call occurs. As a result some part-time staff may still be under the influence of alcohol or possibly drugs from an 'outside work' event. When one of their vehicles is involved in an accident, they would like an easier method than urine testing to assess whether there is a drugs or alcohol context to the incident. To collect a urine sample under chain of custody conditions would require transporting the staff involved at any time of the day or night back to a base for the collection of the sample. An oral fluids sample however can be collected on the spot, simply and quickly; an on-site test can provide a simple unproven guide to any drugs that may be involved but the sample can be sent direct to a lab for a more conclusive robust result. Currently for alcohol a separate oral fluids test could be taken or a breathalyser kit could be carried on all vehicles. TrichoTech is working on a oral fluids sample that can be collected for testing for both drugs and alcohol.
• Getting rid of the addiction not the employee saves money and improves the health of the workforce
  A train driver came forward and admitted to having a problem with Cocaine use. As per the company's policy, because he came forward, he was counselled then sent on a drug rehabilitation and addiction treatment course. When he completed that he was tested with a hair test twice over a period of 9 months and both times the result was negative. He regained his previous post and the company believe that they have saved over £30,000 in recruiting and training a new driver after the expense of the treatment by retaining the experienced driver, plus they have helped improve the health of an employee.