Alcohol and drugs policy - PN 550 Flashcards
What is the maximum blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level for any employee? What is the legal limit applicable to drinking and driving?
Should not exceed 30mg or more alcohol per 100 ml of blood (30mg/100ml) This equates to 13mg/100ml BrAC (breath alcohol concentration) 80mg/100ml.
The number of units of alcohol we drink relate to the amount in our blood:
An average male of 12.5st weight would be over the Authority’s limit of 30mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood if he consumed more than one unit of alcohol.
This equates to what in terms of drink?
- 1/2 pint of ordinary (3%) strength lager or beer.
- ¾ of a small glass of wine (125ml).
The number of units of alcohol we drink relate to the amount in our blood:
An average average woman of 9st. weight would be over the Authority’s limit of 30mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood if she consumed more than 3/4 unit of alcohol.
This equates to what in terms of drink?
- 3/8 of a pint of ordinary strength lager/beer; or
- 1/2 a small glass of wine (125 ml).
What happens to an employee immediately following a positive alcohol test, or an initial positive drugs screen?
Following a positive alcohol test, as confirmed by two alcohol breath tests carried out at least 15 minutes apart, and/or following an initial positive drugs screen which is not on account of prescription/over-the-counter drugs as declared by the employee, the clinician will provide the employee with a letter, advising that they should not return to operational duty, but instead should go home, and that they will be contacted by the Brigade shortly. This will be on full pay.
Under the Brigade’s alcohol and drugs policy, the describe the 2 instances that would constitute potentially disciplinary offences.
- Refusal to take an alcohol or drugs test without good cause
- Failing an alcohol test with more than 30 milligrams (mg) per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood, or the equivalent in urine or breath; and/or failing a drugs test.
Random testing/RPM testing.
What happens where an employee refuses to take a test?
(i) If there is otherwise no indication of impairment, the employee will be permitted to remain at work until further notice. The case will be treated as a potential breach of conduct, and if a disciplinary award is the outcome, it is likely that a ‘for cause’ test will follow subsequently.
(ii) If there is otherwise an indication of impairment, then similar action will follow as refusal under ‘for cause’ testing.
Describe the management action that takes place if an employee refuses to take a ‘for cause’ alcohol or drugs test.
Where an employee refuses to take a test, the employee will be sent home, and advised to report for work on their next duty day/shift (for operational staff, this will be on light duties).
A ‘for cause’ test will then be conducted on the employee’s return to work.
(i) If the employee again refuses to take a test, the employee will be sent home and suspended until the conclusion of a disciplinary process.
(ii) If the employee takes a test, and this is negative, the employee will resume work as normal, and the original refusal will be treated as a potential breach of conduct.
(iii) If the employee takes a test, and this is positive, see section treated per ‘Failing a test’
Failing an alcohol test:
What happens where an employee fails an alcohol test (only)?
The employee will be sent home, and advised to report for work on their next duty day/shift (for operational staff, this will be on light duties). A ‘for cause’ test will then be conducted on the employee’s return to work.
(i) Test negative? The employee will resume work as normal, and the case will be treated as a potential breach of conduct.
(ii) If the test is positive a second time, they will be sent home and suspended; this may be until the conclusion of the subsequent disciplinary process.
Failing an alcohol test:
What happens where an employee fails a drugs only; or both drugs and alcohol test?
Where there is a positive drugs test at an RPM and the initial screen (a) indicates this is on account of prescription/over-the-counter drugs; and (b) is consistent with medication declared by the employee on the consent form; OHS will provide advice as to whether or not the employee can continue at work on full/light duties.
In any event, the sample will be subject to laboratory testing, and OHS advice will be updated when the laboratory results are received.
Otherwise, where there is an initial positive drugs screen, the employee will be sent home, and advised they will be contacted as soon as the laboratory results are known (should be within 48-72 hours).
(i) If the laboratory results are negative, the employee will return to work as normal (unless the alcohol test was positive, in which case see 2(a) above).
(ii) If the laboratory results are positive (in respect of illicit drugs), the employee will remain at home and be suspended. This will normally be until the conclusion of the subsequent disciplinary process.
(iii) If the laboratory results are positive in respect of prescription/over-the-counter drugs only, further advice will be sought from OHS before determining management action.
Employees who are sent home under these guidelines will show on StARS as what?
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What happens to their pay?
They should be shown on Stars as ‘incomplete’ (I) for the remainder of the duty day/shift, and ‘excused attendance’ (EA) for full days/shifts pending the receipt of the laboratory results.
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Employees who are sent home under these guidelines will remain on full pay.
Who can initiate a ‘for cause’ test?
A manager will request a ‘for cause’ test when they have a reasonable belief that an employee is in breach of the Authority’s acceptable alcohol and/or drugs limits. Pending the ‘for cause’ test, the employee will be removed from safety-critical work. For uniformed operational staff, this means the employee will be taken ‘off the run’.
The request for a ‘for cause’ test shall be initiated as follows:
• For operational watch-based staff, by the OIC of the watch at the time.
• For day-duty and flexible duty (FDS) staff, by a line manager, no lower than station manager (SM).
• For control staff, by a line manager no lower than control commander.
• For FRS staff, by a line manager, no lower than FRSE.
What is the procedure for requesting a ‘for cause’ test?
To request a test, the manager will ring the Resource Management Centre (RMC) on extension 88111, and ask for the Officer of the Day. The following information should be provided to the OOD/RMC:
- The name and role of the manager requesting a ‘for cause’ test.
- The telephone contact details of the manager requesting a ‘for cause’ test.
- The name, role and pay number of the employee(s) to be tested.
- The location (full address, including postcode), where the testing is to be conducted.
- The location point at the site where the testing contractor (the ‘Collection Technician’’) should report to. (This should be a safe and clearly identifiable venue, and the Collection Technician must be escorted from this point onwards.)
- A named point of contact and contact number for the Collection Technician to call upon arrival at the location point.
- A brief indication of any access problems to the site, e.g. car parking, obscured access, gatehouse controls.
- The circumstances which have led to the request.
The OOD will then contact the testing contractor (Alere Toxicology) and arrange for a collection technician to be sent to the location. The collection technician should arrive when?
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Can the employee have a witness?
The collection technician should arrive within 2 hours, but this may be longer if there are adverse weather or travel conditions.
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Yes. The witness should be available at the location where the testing is taking place, as the test should not be delayed on account of witness attendance.
Further advice is available from the HR HelpDesk on extension 89100. Who can help out of hours?
There is an out-of-hours HR/employment relations rota; RMC have the contact details.
