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Drug-testing policies important for post incident investigations

WORKPLACE TESTING
Employees perform better and are more productive when they are sober at work

WORKPLACE TESTING Employees perform better and are more productive when they are sober at work

21st June 2019

By: Schalk Burger

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

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Companies should have drug-testing policies in place that are communicated to employees and unions to ensure that the procedures of drug testing, conducted after an incident, cannot be challenged or disputed, says workplace testing company Alco-Safe CEO Rhys Evans.

It is extremely important to involve employees and unions in the introduction and communication of drug-testing policies. This allows for the measures to be rolled out in good time and in the correct order, and enables staff to adapt to the ‘sober-work’ rules, he says.

Significantly, this also provides forewarning and ensures an understanding by staff when they are tested after an incident, which is crucial to help determine the cause of the incident and whether safety measures should be improved or whether it was the result of intoxication, adds Evans.

The drug-testing policy must provide all the details about the times during which testing will typically take place, such as on entering a site, and the reasons for testing, such as reasonable suspicion, which typically includes an employee acting or doing something out of the ordinary or if there is a change in behaviour.

“We advise that all the scenarios for testing be included in the policy, such as compulsory testing, random testing, reasonable suspicion, [and] postaccident and continued monitoring.”

Regulation 3A of the Occupational Health and Safety Act No 56 of 1974 prohibits employees from being intoxicated at work, regardless of whether the drug is legal, illegal or decriminalised.

However, as with alcohol consumption, a workplace should use testing to determine whether an employee is under the influence during work hours.

He says it is critical that a company tests every employee, including all leaders, according to the same procedures, even during testing blitzes where every employee is tested.

“It is also critical to note that testing should not be used as a disciplinary measure, as this is contrary to the intention of Regulation 3A to ensure sober and safe working. Workplace testing should be done according to the stated policy.”

Workplace testing is an effective deterrent against, for example, alcohol hangovers, the symptoms of which can be debilitating and affect safe and productive work. Testing pushes people to drink responsibly, because they run the risk of testing positive for being under the influence of alcohol if they drink too much. This also reduces the incidence and severity of hangovers.

Industrial Workplaces

“The safest car poses a risk if driven by a drunk person. Similarly, in industrial workplaces, operators must be sober to perform effectively. The performance and productivity of employees are better when they are sober; therefore, workplace drug testing can form part of a business strategy, as well as for health and safety purposes.”

Additionally, workplace drug testing is international best practice and can be applied even in countries that do not have regulations for workplace sobriety, health or safety.

“As long as companies state the requirement that employees be sober during work and the intention to test as part of employment contracts, workplace testing is accepted worldwide,” he adds.

Demand for Alco-Safe products is increasing in Africa, and the company foresees a steady increase in the prevalence of workplace testing across the continent.

“Workplace testing in many industries in South Africa is fairly common, owing to international shareholding and local regulations. We expect that international workplace sobriety best practices will continue to stimulate growth in testing, because it makes commercial and safety sense, both of which support the sustainability of an operation and the businesses,” concludes Evans.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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