Drug and Alcohol testing is used by employers and organisations to identify recent drug use or the presence of alcohol where this may be relevant to workplace safety, fitness for duty or an employer’s drug and alcohol policy.
Testing is particularly common in safety-critical, transport, offshore, maritime, energy, construction and industrial work, where impairment could have significant consequences for the worker, colleagues or the public.
The exact testing requirement depends on the employer, client, site, project or applicable industry standard.
Why might my employer require Drug and Alcohol testing?
Drug and Alcohol testing may be requested for several reasons, including:
- pre-employment or pre-placement screening;
- pre-mobilisation or deployment testing;
- random testing under an employer programme;
- for-cause testing where there is a specific concern;
- post-incident or post-accident testing;
- return-to-work or follow-up testing; and
- compliance with a client, contractor or site-specific Drug and Alcohol policy.
Not every workplace requires testing, and the appropriate process should follow the relevant employer or industry requirements.
What happens during a workplace Drug and Alcohol test?
The exact process depends on the specification requested by the employer.
A typical assessment may include:
- identity verification;
- confirmation of the testing requirement;
- collection of the appropriate specimen;
- multi-panel urine drug screening;
- alcohol testing;
- appropriate documentation of the result; and
- certification or reporting where required.
Testing should be carried out using appropriate specimen-handling and confidentiality procedures.
What substances can be tested for?
The substances included depend on the test panel required by the employer or project.
A multi-panel drug screen may test for a range of commonly encountered substances or drug classes.
The correct panel should be selected according to the employer’s policy or deployment requirement, rather than assuming that the same test is suitable for every workplace.
Does a urine drug test prove that someone is impaired?
No.
A urine drug screen detects evidence of recent drug exposure, but it does not by itself establish whether a person is currently impaired.
Different substances remain detectable for different periods, depending on factors such as the substance used, frequency of use, dose and individual metabolism.
The result therefore needs to be interpreted in the context of the purpose of the test and the applicable workplace policy.
What does alcohol testing show?
Alcohol testing is generally intended to identify alcohol present at or around the time of testing.
This is different from urine drug screening, which may detect drug use from an earlier period.
Where an employer has a specified alcohol threshold or testing protocol, the result should be assessed against that requirement.
What happens if the drug screen is non-negative?
An initial screening result may be reported as non-negative rather than immediately being treated as a confirmed positive result.
A non-negative result can require further assessment and, depending on the testing programme, laboratory confirmation before a final outcome is determined.
This distinction is important because screening tests are designed to identify samples that require further investigation rather than provide definitive toxicological confirmation in every circumstance.
Can prescribed medication affect the result?
Yes.
Some prescribed or over-the-counter medicines can be relevant to the interpretation of a drug-screening result.
You should therefore provide accurate information about any medication you are taking when requested.
The purpose is not simply to identify medication use, but to allow the result to be interpreted appropriately within the testing process.
Is Drug and Alcohol testing part of an ENG1 or OEUK Medical?
Not routinely.
An ENG1 seafarer medical or OEUK offshore medical has its own medical-certification requirements.
However, employers, vessel operators, offshore contractors or mobilisation teams may separately require Drug and Alcohol testing alongside the medical.
Where both are required, Marina Medicals can usually arrange the employer-requested Drug and Alcohol screen during the same visit.
This can be particularly useful for workers completing:
- ENG1 certification;
- OEUK Medicals;
- offshore mobilisation medicals;
- PEMEs; or
- other safety-critical employment assessments.
Drug and Alcohol Testing at Marina Medicals Cardiff
Marina Medicals provides workplace and employment Drug and Alcohol testing in Cardiff for individuals, employers and contractors.
Testing can be arranged as:
- a standalone workplace Drug and Alcohol screen;
- part of a pre-employment or mobilisation assessment; or
- alongside another occupational, offshore or maritime medical where separately required by the employer.
Where an initial screen is negative and the applicable requirements are satisfied, documentation can normally be provided promptly.
For current testing options, preparation requirements and appointment availability, visit our Drug & Alcohol Testing Cardiff service page.
