Drug Testing Kits UK which leads the way in helping to prevent drug abuse in the workplace, has empowered countless companies, organisations and institutions across the length and breath of the UK and Southern Ireland, by providing them with non-invasive, top-of-the range, cutting-edge, highly accurate, CE-approved, easy-to-use, rapid results workplace drug testing kits - which involve a small saliva or urine sample. This revolutionary process saves them a fortune each and every year, as they:
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No longer have to pay extortionate lab fees
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No longer have to lose productivity time by periodically sending staff off to a laboratory/drug testing facility. - Something which could mean each employee being away from the workplace for around 3 hours (taking into account travelling and lab waiting time)
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No longer having to be concerned about any member of staff who abuses illegal or prescription drugs, temporarily stop using them due to knowing when their upcoming drug test will be
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Can now announce random workplace drug tests (due to having a supply of in-house drug testing kits) - a scenario that would prevent employees who abuse drugs from doing the aforementioned
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Can assign a responsible member of HR/staff to administer the drug (and alcohol) tests (which in the case of Drug Testing Kit UK's CE approved drug and alcohol tests, have clear instructions, and are super simple to use).- Thus making it unnecessary for companies and organisations to pay a lot of money for a visiting medic. - Something which is usually quite difficult if an immediate random drug test needs to be administered (due to an employee's suspect behaviour, etc.)
In the UK and Southern Ireland, illicit drug use has become an ever-increasing issue for employers and all industries. Research indicates that: "more employees than ever are attending work under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol compared with 10 years ago. Moreover, the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has reported that [in the past] 90% of UK company directors stated that alcohol consumption was a problem for their business including 17% who described it as a major problem" [1]
Indeed, the UK Health and Safety Executive, advise that: "employers have a legal duty to protect employees' health, safety and welfare; and that understanding the signs of drug and alcohol misuse (or abuse) will help you to manage health and safety risk in your workplace, and enable you to develop a policy to deal with drug and alcohol-related problems and support your employees" [1]
Being Able to Administer Immediate Workplace Drug Testing is Essential
Due to this alarming sky rocketing trend in abusive drug use (involving both illicit street drugs and the over consumption of prescription pharmaceuticals), drug testing in the workplace is now far more prevalent, especially in certain industries (for example: transportation, construction, and manufacturing).
And as Drug Testing Kits UK's Health Science Advisor regularly points out: "Drugs and alcohol affect the body and the brain with effects enduring for long after the drug has been taken. This can and does affect an employee’s work performance, even if they took the substance outside of working hours" [1]
The TUC cautions that: "trade unions have always made it clear that the use of mind-altering substances, whether legal or illegal, has no place in the workplace, and can be a major safety risk. Estimates of the number of injuries that occur where drugs are a contributory factor vary but any person who is under the influence of a mild altering substance can pose a risk to themselves and others. That is why we believe that every employer should seek to negotiate a comprehensive drugs and alcohol policy that addresses these issues in a fair, open and non-judgemental way. There may be workplaces where some form of drug testing can have a part to play in that... [2]
Drug Testing Kits UK's Guidelines: Confidentiality in Workplace Drug Testing
With regard to confidentiality, members of staff can be asked to disclose any medication that they are on, to their employer, under the understanding that (subject to law), the information given, is to some degree, confidential. Legally speaking: "if an employer gathers information about the prescribed medication taken by staff, the UK Data Protection Act applies. In other words, the right of workers to a measure of privacy has legal support. This support is not absolute, however. The Data Protection Act allows employers a certain degree of freedom" [3].
Find Out How Drug Testing Kits UK Can Save You Money
If your company or organisation is looking for a better deal on workplace drug testing in the UK or Southern Ireland. - Or if you are currently using a laboratory or drug testing facility, and you are interested in finding out more about why so many employers are switching to workplace drug testing (which is conducted on-site using rapid, premium quality, highly accurate, CE approved drug tests; and can be administered by a dedicated member of staff. - And in in the case of any tests coming up as positive (meaning that if an employee has alcohol, or one or more illegal drugs, or an overload of prescription medication in their system, then the test sample can be sent by courier to a laboratory for confirmation); then do not hesitate to contact our Drug Testing Kits UK's professional sales advisors, who can give you FREE guidance on what strategy would be the most beneficial, efficient, and cost effective for your company or organisation.
See Our Extensive List of Professional Written, Referenced Blogs
Being leaders in the ever growing field of workplace and home drug and alcohol testing kits, and being registered approved suppliers of the highest quality cutting-edge high-tech testing products, we are dedicated to informing our consumers about all aspects related to on-site drug and alcohol testing. This extends from large corporations to small companies with just several employees, to individuals. Drug Testing Kits is committed to keeping you up to date on the latest mandatory rules and regulations, as well as breaking drug testing technology, and the low-down on the current popular illicit drugs.
References
[1]. Allan. L. (2023). "Everything you need to know about Workplace Drug Testing."
[2]. TUC (2019). "Drug Testing in the Workplace."
https://www.tuc.org.uk/resource/drug-testing-workplace
[3]. Health and Safety Executive (2023). "Managing drug and alcohol misuse at work."
https://www.hse.gov.uk/alcoholdrugs/
