Drugs and Alcohol Policy

Introduction

This document sets out CWR’s policy on drugs and alcohol and describes the actions we take to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees and any individuals affected by our activities.

Consumption or being under the influence of drugs and alcohol whilst at work has serious health and safety implications, not only for the individual but for colleagues and the public. These substances (including prescription and over the counter medications) impair coordination, judgement, and decision making which has serious health and safety implications not only for the individual but for colleagues, members of the public and the reputation of the business.

This policy applies to all CWR employees, agency staff and contractors working on behalf of CWR or on CWR premises.

 

Policy Aims

  • Reduce risks in the workplace associated with drug or alcohol misuse.
  • Provide practical guidance to managers on how to deal with declared or suspected drug or alcohol misuse.
  • Provide guidance for all employees on how to declare they have a problem and how CWR will deal with this

 

Policy Statement

CWR has zero tolerance for any employees or contractors working under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

 

Policy Requirements:

  • Working under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or consuming alcohol or drugs during hours of work, including paid and unpaid breaks, is not allowed.
  • No employee may possess (unless for legitimate medical reasons), sell or give away drugs whilst at work or during working hours.
  • No employee may consume drugs (unless for legitimate medical reasons) or alcohol whilst at work or during rest or lunch breaks.
  • No employee should undertake safety-critical tasks if taking prescribed or non-prescribed medication that has the potential to affect their ability to work safely, without first informing their manager or supervisor.
  • Employees involved in court proceedings arising from a drug or alcohol related offence must report the matter immediately to their manager or supervisor.
  • If requested, employees are required to consent to be tested for drugs and alcohol.

Employees should be aware that the consumption of alcohol or drugs at a time or in a quantity that would cause them to test positive at work will be considered a breach of this policy. Due to the potential impact on the safety and health of employees and customers, and the reputation of the company, breaches of this policy will lead to disciplinary actions being taken which may lead to dismissal.

 

Testing

All tests will be carried out by an approved, competent, trained individual with equipment provided by Intelligent Fingerprinting.

All non-negative results will be sent to the laboratory for confirmation.

 

Circumstances for Testing

New employees - All candidates for employment will be required to undergo a Drug and Alcohol test which requires a negative result.  The test will be carried out either during the pre-employment assessment, during the induction, or within their probationary period.

For cause – Whenever a manager or supervisor has reasonable cause to suspect that an employee has misused drugs or alcohol and is unfit to continue working, a reasonable suspicion test will be instigated.

Post incident – Drug and alcohol testing of employees may be conducted following an incident where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the effect of drugs or alcohol may be the cause or a contributory factor.

Unannounced random – CWR have the option to test a proportion of all employees each year on an unannounced random basis. Individuals will be selected randomly and given no advance notification of the test.

Rehabilitation & follow-up – As part of a rehabilitation programme, CWR may require the employee to consent to a series of drug and/or alcohol tests, some of which may be unannounced. These tests will be used to monitor the employee’s progress during and following rehabilitation.

 

Refusing a Test

Refusal to undergo a test may be subject to disciplinary procedures. Refusing to take a test includes, but is not limited to:

  • Failure to consent to a test.
  • Failure to cooperate with any part of the testing process.
  • Failure to appear for testing.
  • Leaving the scene of an incident without just cause and without submitting to a test.

 

Actions Following a Positive Result

CWR operates a zero tolerance for drink and drugs and therefore any test result that is above the national drink/drug driving limit will be classed as positive and disciplinary action will be taken.

 

Searches

CWR reserves the right to search an employee and / or subcontractor or any of their property held on CWR premises at any time if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the prohibitions on alcohol or drugs are being or have been infringed.

A refusal to comply with the search may be subject to disciplinary procedures.

 

Medication

Many medications obtained with or without a prescription can affect performance at work. These include, but are not limited to, tranquillizers, anti-depressants, painkillers, sleeping pills, some antihistamines, and some medicines for cough, colds, and indigestion.

Employees must, before undertaking any operational tasks (e.g. loading, driving, working in yard areas) inform their supervisor or manager of any medication they are taking that has the potential to affect their ability to work safely. All discussions with individuals regarding medical information are strictly confidential and subject to the provisions of the law.

 

Assistance with dependency issues

Where an individual voluntarily reports a drug or alcohol issue to a manager or supervisor and CWR acknowledges the problem to exist, CWR will treat the problem as a medical condition and offer the employee assistance with rehabilitation. The level of assistance and conditions attached to the assistance will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Individual circumstances and safety issues will be taken into consideration to determine whether the employee can continue with their normal duties during the period of rehabilitation. If normal duties cannot be continued, the employee may be required to undertake non-safety critical duties or stay away from the workplace. Any period of rehabilitation required away from the workplace will be classed as sickness absence.

This offer of assistance is only available if the dependency issue is declared prior to the individual being selected for testing or involved in an incident or accident that is likely to lead to testing. If drug or alcohol dependency is discovered by means other than self-disclosure (e.g. as the result of the testing process), the individual will be subject to disciplinary procedures.

 

Contact Details for Help and Guidance

For any issues, worries or concerns regarding drugs and alcohol you can talk to your supervisor, manager or an on-site mental health first aider. Your information will be treated sensitively.

Cheshire West Recycling have an Employee Assistance Programme in place, to offer support for drug and alcohol problems through Health Assured.   The programme offers counselling and advice services to all CWR employees and is available both online and through a helpline.

Online is accessed via the Wisdom App or the free 24 hour confidential helpline telephone number is 0800 028 0199 and MHA078219 should be quoted.

 

Other help and advice can be found at:

 

Equal Opportunities

This policy applies equally to all staff regardless of grade, experience, or role within the company.

 

Monitoring and Review

This policy will be subject to monitoring to review how the policy works in practice. We will review this policy in twelve months.

 

Legal Requirements

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, we recognise the duty to protect the health, safety, and welfare of employees and others who are (or may be) affected by their activities, as far as is reasonably practicable, and we are committed to taking measures to ensuring this safety.

Misuse of Drugs Act (1971), under this act, it is illegal for anyone to produce, supply or be in possession of illegal drugs. Employers may be liable if they knowingly allow an employee, customer, or service user to dispense, manufacture, possess, use or sell drugs on their premises.

 

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Definitions

Employees – anyone who is working on behalf of CWR, this includes agency workers and sub-contractors.

Alcohol abuse – Alcohol abuse as any drinking, either intermittent or continual, which interferes with health and/or social functioning and/or work capability or conduct.

Drug – Any substance that affects the way in which the body functions physically, emotionally or mentally. This includes, but is not limited to, alcohol, solvents, over-the-counter and prescribed medicines, legal highs and illegal substances.

Drug abuse – we define drug abuse as the use of illegal drugs, the deliberate misuse of prescribed or over the counter drugs, and the use of solvents, either intermittent or continuous, which interfere with health and/or social functioning and/or work capability or conduct.

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