Product category:
Personnel: Safety, Hygiene + Development
News Release from: Grendonstar | Subject: Drugs and alcohol at work
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 13 June 2008
Drugs and alcohol at work
With the recent changes to the Corporate Manslaughter Act now in force, there has never been a better time for organisations to address the issues of drugs and alcohol misuse at work
Simon Truelove, General Manager at Grendonstar, comments "As one of the UK's leading authorities on the problems associated with drug and alcohol misuse in the workplace, Grendonstar helps organisations to meet their legislative responsibilities in an easy, effective and cost efficient manner Companies are required to do everything which is reasonable to prevent an accident or incident resulting from the actions of an employee who is under the effects of substances or due to preventable ill health
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 10 Aug 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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25% of work accidents can be attributed to alcohol
That's the shock finding of a study by the Royal and Sun Alliance which has been welcomed by Grendonstar, specialist consultants on the subject of drugs and alcohol at work
A solution to avoiding drugs and alcohol at work
How can employers be sure that their employees are safe from the effects of drugs and alcohol misuse at work? Grendonstar offers a positive solution to the problem
From April, and as a result of the new Corporate Manslaughter legislation, it will not be the company owners, CEOs and MDs who will be targeted for prosecution.
Instead it will be those in management positions, such as HR or Transport Managers, who are deemed to be senior enough to have put policies and procedures in place to limit the risk posed by drugs and alcohol and poor health".
Established in 1996 and providing a total solution partnership to many of the leading UK employers, Grendonstar offers an all encompassing service from writing and implementing policies through to carrying out management training.
Further reading
What is misuse of drugs and alcohol at work?
There is a growing awareness amongst employers that the misuse of alcohol and drugs at work can be a very serious hazard to users as well as their colleagues
Drugs and alcohol misuse at work
Established in 1996 Grendonstar is now one of the UK's leading authorities on the problems associated with drug and alcohol misuse in the workplace
'Interlock' helps prevent drink driving at work
The Interlock is a device fitted as an integral part of a vehicle ignition system, and is designed to stop any fleet vehicle being started if the driver is monitored as over the alcohol limit
It also offers a range of drug and alcohol testing devices including Interlock, an innovative breath alcohol measuring instrument complete with vehicle immobiliser.
A carefully written, successfully implemented drugs and alcohol misuse policy clearly demonstrates a company's commitment to health and safety at work.
It also means that routine tests can be performed to check for alcohol or drugs without falling foul of Human Rights issues, and allows companies to choose to install equipment such as Interlock, a breath alcohol measuring instrument complete with vehicle immobiliser.
CEVA Logistics, one of the leading UK distribution and logistics organisations has had very positive results following the implementation of a substance misuse policy.
The policy, which covers 7,000 employees, was written and implemented by Grendonstar and has been well received throughout the company.
John Paterson, HR Director at CEVA Logistics explains, "Committed to providing the highest levels of health and safety and mindful of the current social climate, we wanted to make sure that we continued to provide the right safety levels for all our employees.
Following a thorough evaluation of the benefits that a substance misuse policy would bring and after discussion with our Trade Unions, we felt that the most positive action would be to take a welfare approach rather than treat the policy as a punitive measure.
The benefits to the business are obvious", he adds: "Not only do we retain the employee and the investment already made in that employee but, through the welfare approach, the employee has the opportunity to address their problems without the added stress of losing their job.
By employing the services of Grendonstar to carry out testing, we have empowered our line managers to resolve a potential problem wherever and whenever the need arises.
Handled professionally and with minimal fuss, drugs and alcohol testing can be quickly and easily carried out in a private, hygienic and non-confrontational way".
He concludes, "In our experience, the policy has been positively received and has been treated, very much, as a welfare issue by all concerned".
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