Alcohol and Drug Testing in the Workplace.

[Tired]

Red Earth - I really don't see how someone getting fired for turning up late is the same as someone getting fired for what they do outside work. Employers have no business monitoring peoples behaviour outside of the workplace. Turning up to work late is a work issue - what you do on your own time is not.

[monty]

exactly..........what folk do outside the workplace is their own business..........and it depends on what is classed as a drug ................... are we talking class A stuff or a joint ??? what exactly do they test for ??

[GnomeKing]

there is a lot to be said here but i am near incoherent with a vicous stomach bug - the effects of which are similar to hangover ect ~(but fully legal!) - i could have gone to work killed someone and nobody would blame it on the virus.

there is huge ammount of fear, bu*lshit, misinformation and self sumgness around this issue...

I ASK YOU ALL TO EXPLAIN THE RESIGNATION OF THE GOVERMENTS CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR ON DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
do you really think the lawyers and the politicians have a handle on this?????
should we criminalise all 'drug users' - surley as archaeologists we are mature and knowledgeable enough to percieve that moral views on the consumption of intoxicants are at least culturally relative, if not entirley spurious.....

we may all agree that we do not want intoxicated persons at work - but are we to take our own measures of vigelance, or though acceptance and passivity support the mechanisms of contoll deployed by scientiffically and morally bankrupt self-interested parties?

i would like all those enlightened citizens in favour of current testing mechanisms to deal with these FACTS -

smoke some dope quite regualy recreationaly >>>> test will pull you out "weeks" after you last consumed - despite effects scientifically shown to last hours, and demonstrarted to be mild with no come down period (inactive THC metabolised derivaties present for long time in fat cells)

take e, cocaine, amphetamine (+others)reguarly or not >>>>>>> test will only pull you out if you still within (including the come down) the effictive periods of the compound (very rapid metabolisation of most substances, passing quickly from blood to urine, very hard to test for any trace bypoducts no matter how much or how often or how long since consumed)

THese test definatley invade privacy - they also dissproportionatley single out recrecational cannabis users, regardless of the effiective period of the drug. at the same time regular 'powder' users will almost certainly pass tests unless they are actually under the influence very close to the sample piont.

also tehre is no legal cutoff point for 'illegals', unlike alchohol - this means that a person with blood alcholh just below (a firly scientifically arbitary) score will 'pass' (regardless of actula levels of background impariment, eg through triedness or hangover), whereas any trace what-so-ever of an 'illegal' will (regardless of any imparminet) fail.

users find many ways to evade/foil tests, so only the unlucky (not the most at risk) are caught out

In fact HSE shows triedness to be the overridding factor across all industrial and road accidents.

the main drive for 'drug' testing is financial - because realimpoariment occurs as lack of attention, tiredness, disorientation ect and range of other physcollogicaly definable mental conditions- these are not measureable in the sense that insurance companies want - nor are they easily definable for big bussiness when it tries to shift blame for poor working pratices on to the employees (a strong theme in the creation of all ~Big Bussiness Risk Assesments...).

It it also legality - if the compamny can demonstrate predetermined levels of alchohol or any trace whatsoever of 'drugs', then they are effectivley off teh hook - pretty much regardless of everything else that may have been contributory, or, ideed, actually at fualt.

the tests were meant to pick up imparmient - and especially in workforces where machinery is of direct concern....lot more to say here but i am too tired, angry and ill...be bsack!:o)

[Geli]

Monty: The main things that are tested for are: high levels of alcohol (anything above the legal drink drive limit), and basically opiates, cocaine/crack cocaine, cannabis, mdma (ecstasy), amphetamine and possibly Ketamine. Strangely missing from any test list I have heard of are hallucinogens such as lsd and magic mushrooms? You may also have to inform employers of any controlled medication you are currently prescribed. You may be asked to change any such medication at the discretion of your employers. As GnomeKing points out you are more likely test positive for cannabis use than any other illicit substance listed above!

[Geli]

Also have people noticed the google adds have thrown up drug testing web links. Ironic really!

[Unitof1]

doing archaeology is realy realy dangerous, you all should go home to your parents if you is scared.

I have got something for cash if anybodies interested

[Drunky]

There site there rules, end of like most things its HS arse covering in the main, i 've had to leave site untill i had to prove i could produce goggles at any time or the other time i was ask to leave because the overalls they gave me where to big and and i keeped tripping on them so refused to ware them.
i doesn't have to make any sense it just is,

[Unitof1]

scientists take it

[Unitof1]

GnomeKing ...teachers (druge) take it too

why cant we,
why cant we

drude sounds like you have an anger, ... jpb threatened?

[Geli]

The issue is not whether you do drugs or not ultimately, it's is to do with having firms pry into your personal life for no good reason. As I have noted earlier the invasion of your privacy will not end here. These tests are only the beginning!