Occupational Drug and Alcohol Testing in the UK

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Occupational Drug and Alcohol testing
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• Drug and Alcohol use and misuse at work has
  significant safety threats to a company's
  employees, customers and reputation.
• They are notoriously difficult to manage once it
  becomes evident or are implied unless companies
  have strategies in place from the outset.
• The use of illicit and prescription drug use
  within work places is rising.
• This is causing concern amongst the business
  community and government departments.
• Organisations which have business critical
  and safety critical roles need to have  a variety
  of strategies in place to manage these risks.
• One such effective strategy is to have an
  established work place Drug and Alcohol Testing
  process.

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• The benefits of workplace drug and alcohol
  testing include
• Establishes a clear, ongoing and ambiguous
  company message that substance misuse is
  unacceptable
• Acts as a deterrent against substance misuse at
  work
• Acts to ensure employees confirm their
  prescription medications can be safely
  used whilst at work
• Rapidly answers questions related to suspicions
  of substance misuse at work
• Helps to answer whether short term, short notice
  sick leave relates to substance misuse
• Gives confidence to managers/ HR that employees
  returning to work are being appropriately and
  safely monitored
• Protects the company reputation and mitigates
  against accusations of substance misuse
  in relation to safely critical work and incidents

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• Independent testing
• We offer the ability to test for substances as
  part of a drug and alcohol policy / programme
  independent to the organisation thereby removing
  the implication of bias
• ?
• Independent review of results
• The results of any Drug and or Alcohol test
  should be reviewed by a MRO ( Medical Review
  Officer)  to check to see if there is another
  reasonable explanation for the results.  We offer
  this service in conjunction with or separate to
  our testing capabilities.
• More information about the MRO review process can
  be accessed here

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• Testing
• Testing can be done rapidly on site via POCT (
  Point of Care Testing)  and  sent for
  verification at approved laboratories  without
  delays
• ?
• When testing is needed
• Testing as part of your HR Drug and Alcohol
  process is usually  done for the following
  scenarios
• 1) Pre-employment - To ensure steps are taken in
  not hiring those taking , using, abusing illicit
  or psychoactive substances
• 2) Post Incident/ accident - To see whether
  psychoactive substances were involved in an
  incident/ accident
• 3) On suspicion of substance use/misuse- To
  answer whether someones change in behaviour,
  aggression or the smell of alcohol in their
  breath related to psychoactive substance use. 
• 4) Randomly- To ensure compliance to the Drug and
  Alcohol policy and to act as a deterrent against
  illicit use. 
• 5) Return to work/ Post rehabilitation- To ensure
  employees maintain their abstinence after
  returning to work.

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• Samples of testing
• The usual method for testing is on blood, urine
   (breath for alcohol) although hair samples can
  be used and are a good way to look back over a
  longer time period ( months)

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• Substances which can be tested
• Drugs
• Amphetamines
• Metamphetamines
• Ephedrine
• MDMA (Ecstasy)
• Cocaine
• Benzodiazepines
• Barbiturates
• Cannabinoids

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• Opiates - Codeine
• Opiates- Dihydrocodeine
• Opiates- Morphine
• Methadone (Heroin replacement)
• Ketamine
• LSD
• Methaqualone
• Phencyclidine
• Propoxyphene
• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCA)

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• Alcohol
• Alcohol levels
• Liver Function Tests (LFTs)
• Mean cell Volume ( MCV)
• CDT
• Phosphatidylethanol) PEth
• Urine Ethyl Gluconaride (EtG)
• Urine Ethyl Sulfate (EtS)

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• For verified results a GC/MS test needs to be
  done which added an additional 3 day turnaround
  time
• The sample can be done with or without Chain of
  Custody
• Time scales
• Onsite test - Same Day via a Point of Care Test (
  POCT)
• Lab test - 1-2 days on average
• Verified GC/MS result 5-7 days

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• Packages
• We offer various combinations of tests although
  specifics can be requested?
• Urine based Occupational Drug and Alcohol
  Screening Fee with report 195
• Alcohol
• Amphetamines Barbiturates Benzodiazepin
  e Cannabinoids Cocaine CodeineDihydrocodeineE
  phedrine MDMA Methadone Metamphetamines Morphi
  ne

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• Why use FlyingMedicine Ltd- As CAA and FAA
  aeromedical examiners with extensive experienced
  in the aviation sector, we understand regulations
  with regard to DA testing and can ensure not
  only pilots but other safety sensitive workers
  are checked appropriately. 
• For further information please contact us

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THANKS!

• Do you have any questions?

• 0333-404-3232
• www.flyingmedicine.uk info_at_flyingmedicine.uk

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