Employers urged to play role in clamping down on drink driving
The call comes from breathalyser and alcohol testing specialist AlcoDigital, which says more needs to be done to improve policy standards.
Suzannah Robin, an alcohol and drug safety expert at the firm, said: “We work with numerous companies in many different industry sectors that already operate robust alcohol and drug policies. This includes regular random testing of their employees, which has resulted in significant benefits for improving safety and safeguarding their businesses. However many more companies, particularly those in the transport industry or those operating heavy machinery, need to do more to improve standards not just for the safety of their employees but to protect the general public as well.”
Currently companies operating under the Railways and Transport Bill, such as airlines and rail operators, have to adhere to a drink-drive limit (0.02% BAC) that is just a quarter of the current drink-drive level in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (0.08% BAC) and less than half of Scotland’s lower limit (0.05%). However, there is no obligation for companies operating outside these confinements to follow these guidelines.
Suzannah Robin added: “We would always recommend that a business adopts a drug and alcohol policy as standard and consults a professional to help implement their plans.”