Workplace Drug Testing Kits

Workplace & Employment Drug Testing Kits: What UK Employers Need to Know

James Gunter

“According to statistics, workplace drug testing has increased significantly in the UK.

In fact, leading screening companies found that there had been a rise in the number of annual tests carried out of up to 470%” [1]. On-site drug testing lowers business insurance premiums, reduces health & safety risk in the workplace, ensures better productivity, creates a more stable workforce, & helps identify employees who need extra support” [1]. Here at Drugs Testing Kits UK, we are proud to be making a substantial contribution to the safety & efficient working of UK industries, businesses, organisations, & medical institutions

The Need to Eradicate Illegal Drug Use in the Workplace

When it comes to managing the use of illegal drugs in the workplace: “the CIPD Drug & Alcohol Misuse Survey showed that approximately three-quarters of organisations (77%) have a specific policy on drugs &/or alcohol, & around half (51%) say they have a disciplinary procedure for alcohol &/or drug-related incidents/issues” [1]. Smart companies, organisations, and others employers, implement regular on-site testing; however, many companies have not yet done this, & are unsure about who to turn to for advice

Our highly trained, professional Customer Service Team at Drug Testing Kits UK, are renowned as the UK's go-to source for information on the latest UK regulations, & advice on the most efficient drug testing kits that are best suited to specific industries, companies, organisations, medical establishments, & private individuals

Drug use is now so widespread, that it has created a clear and present danger for UK and Republic of Ireland employers. - Studies show that the risks from staff working under the influence of drugs, has rapidly shot up. Illegal drugs generate serious adverse mental and physical effects, and these abnormal states can last for extended periods of time, thereby creating serious knock-on effects.

What Type of Industries & Businesses Conduct Drug Tests?

As UK Drug Testing Kits can show, on-site drug testing is becoming more and more commonplace in all sectors. Industries such as railways, construction, and logistics, conduct frequent testing, as employees under the influence of illegal drugs could potentially put co-workers, and the general public's life at risk. - Serious and fatal accidents are a reality because employers have not had a sufficiently rigorous health and safety policy which includes the use of approved on-site drug testing kits. And that is why it is so important to ask questions and seek professional advice from our Drugs Testing Kits UK, CX team. There is no charge for this, and we always go the extra mile to ensure that you have all the information you need, in simple layman's terms.

Providing a Safe Working Environment

Under UK and Republic of Ireland law, employers must provide a safe workplace, and to that end, they are obliged to incorporate measures to ensure that their staff do not pose a danger to colleagues or members of the public. - And this is where approved drug testing kits come in. The cutting-edge drug tests provided by Drug Testing Kits UK, can be easily administered by a member of staff, thereby saving companies and others a great deal of money, as they do not have to arrange the services of a medic via an agency, which could cost hundreds of pounds for the day.

UK Law For Drug Testing in the Workplace

Companies and organisations which: prioritise the health & safety of their employees and the general public, want to protect their reputation, and strive to avoid any costly legal cases related to staff being under the influence of illegal drugs, have to follow a number of simple guidelines if they want to conduct regular or sporadic drug testing. This involves: gaining consent from their employees, by having a 'no drugs and no alcohol' clause in their contract of employment.

If your company/organisation has drawn up any contracts that omit this very important element, then the best course of action is to amend them. However, there is a condition: “Usually, the employer and employee both need to agree to any contract changes” [2]. Alternatively, you can approach your employees, and ask them to take a drug test. They do however, have the right to refuse. For more detailed information, please visit the dedicated gov uk section on this matter.

What Happens When Employers & Employees Agree On Changes?

As soon as changes related to drug testing have been agreed by both sides, you need to:

  • Modify the conditions of your employees’ written statement of employment conditions
  • Send written notification to your employees within a period of one month, to clearly inform them about the changes

“If an employer changes terms and conditions that are not in the written statement, then they should tell their employees where to find information about the change. This could be in a company handbook, noticeboard or intranet site” [1].

Contract Clause For Your Company's Drug Policy in the Workplace in the UK

Implementing a clear workplace drug & alcohol policy empowers you to clearly communicate your company's position on illegal drug & alcohol misuse, both in the workplace, and while representing the company elsewhere; leaving your staff in no doubt as to the serious consequences of not abiding by such contractual obligations

Drug Testing Kits UK strongly advices you to include a contract clause which covers unannounced random drug and alcohol testing, in the basic employment contract that you give to all your all staff.

Furthermore, you should also write a concise statement pertaining to your company's drug and alcohol policy, highlighting the fact that being under the influence of drugs and alcohol while working (either in the company premises, or elsewhere in another location, or whilst driving, or operating machinery, etc.), or being within the external grounds of the workplace, is totally unacceptable, and will result in severe disciplinary action.


When the aforementioned is agreed, this serves as a basic consent agreement for all members of staff. To that end, all employees who have been given this form of contract, may be subject to random drug tests, and have acknowledged that being under the influence of drugs in the workplace, or consuming drugs in the workplace, will result in severe disciplinary action.

Drug Testing Kits UK are always abreast of any new government guidance or legislation, in regard to workplace drug tests in the UK

Of note, when you do conduct on-site drug tests, you should only use test kits which conform to stringent UK regulations. Unlike other companies on the internet, for example, those which appear to be based in the UK, but are actually based in the US or elsewhere, and as a result, try to sell test kits which do not meet UK standards, all Drug Testing Kits UK meet UK regulations, and comply with current HSE expectations. Moreover, we only offer the latest cutting-edge devices which provide superior quality, and the most accurate results. Please visit our Drugs Testing Section to see the full range of our premium drug tests which are suitable for both employment and pre-employment drug test screening.

As An Employer, Which Drugs Do I Need to Test For?

The UK Government website states that: “ Cannabis is the most prevalent drug, followed by powder cocaine, MDMA , ketamine & amphetamine” [3]

Generally speaking, on-site UK workplace drug tests should cover the following, which are currently classed as the most popular drugs:

  • Cannabis
  • Cocaine
  • Opiates
  • Amphetamine

Additional Drug Groups comprise:

Methamphetamine and/or Methadone and/or Benzodiazepines

What Types of Drug Tests Do You Recommend?

Here at Drug Testing Kits UK, our specialist advisors suggest that you order a minimum combination workplace drug testing kit, which incorporates the aforementioned core 4 drug groups, as well as the 3 additional groups. - This meets the standard for the majority of drug screenings in the workplace, on top of which, further drug groups can be added if necessary.

Specific Issues

If the taking of any different drugs suddenly arises due to the demographic, or the particular availability in your region, etc., then our advice is to still screen for the common drug groups (as listed), and simply add the other ones. Drug Testing Kits UK offer a broad spectrum of tests for a combination of 7, 10, 12 or 13 drugs.

Keeping Things Simple

On-site drug testing using Drug Testing Kits UK's range of leading-edge. highly accurate tests, is the best way forward to protect your business or organisation, and those who work in it. The tests, along with the easy instructions, are super-simple to administer by a member of staff, in a temporarily dedicated room. Moreover, the tests do not take long to administer, thereby negating any disruption, and allowing employees to get back to work in a short period of time.

References

[1]. Attwells (2022). “The legalities of drug testing.”

https://attwells.com/the-legalities-of-drug-testing/

[2]. Gov.UK (2022). “Changing an employment contract.”

https://www.gov.uk/your-employment-contract-how-it-can-be-changed#:~:text=Usually%2C%20the%20employer%20and%20employee,a%20legal%20right%20to%20it.

[3]. Gov.UK (2021). “United Kingdom drug situation 2019: summary.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-drug-situation-focal-point-annual-report/uk-drug-situation-2019-summary#:~:text=Cannabis%20is%20the%20most%20prevalent,Wales%20in%202018%20to%202019.