Page 20 - Gi flipbook June/July 2018

ONE TOO

MANY

Suzannah Robin, an alcohol and drug safety substances in the workplace.
expert at AlcoDigital, has helped numerous Although there is little in the way
companies across the UK to implement of statistical research for workers
testing policies and procedures. Here she abusing drugs or alcohol in the oil and
gas sector, those providing
explains the importance of testing and how professional healthcare for offshore
it is helping to improve workplace safety workforces point to a common
denominator. Namely, that to ensure
employees remain healthy, productive,
il & Gas UK’s most when it comes to the issue of drugs and safe, alcohol and drug issues
recent report revealed and alcohol misuse in the workplace. should be just as much an ongoing
that safety continues to High profile incidents in recent concern for this industry as any other.
improve across the UK years, including a major investigation
O oil and gas industry and into a suspicious powder on the WHAT’S THE LAW?
the sector has an exceptional safety Piper Bravo platform (eventually While drugs and alcohol testing are
record. Dangerous occurrences are at revealed to be painkillers) and two legislated in certain sectors such as
their lowest and the three-year workers who were removed from aviation, rail and shipping, there is
average non-fatal injury rate is less BP’s ETAP project after the discovery no legal obligation for the gas
than half that of construction and of a syringe, have highlighted that industry to adopt any specific testing
transport. Clearly, the industry’s drugs and alcohol testing should be policies. At present, it is down to
fastidious approach to health and an essential element of the health individual operators to implement
safety is meeting with considerable and safety protocol for the industry them. However, despite testing not
success. However, no operator can – if only to serve as a deterrent to being currently enforced, the
afford to be complacent, particularly those even considering abusing majority of regulatory bodies

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