Page 38 - Comerford Employee Handbook 2018 v.1

G) CLIENTS/CUSTOMERS PREMISES

Whilst visiting or working at any of our clients or customers premises, you must ensure that you
are aware of and strictly comply with all of their rules and requirements e.g. security, health and
safety, smoking, parking, etc.

H) ALCOHOL & DRUGS POLICY

Under legislation we, as your employer, have a duty to ensure so far as is reasonably
practicable, the health and safety and welfare at work of all our employees and similarly you
have a responsibility to yourself and your colleagues. The use of alcohol and drugs may impair
the safe and efficient running of the business and/or the health and safety of our employees.

The effects of alcohol and drugs can be numerous:
(these are examples only and not an exhaustive list)

a. absenteeism (e.g. unauthorised absence, lateness, excessive levels of sickness, etc.)

b. higher accident levels (e.g. at work, elsewhere, driving to and from work)

c. work performance (e.g. difficulty in concentrating, tasks taking more time, making
mistakes, etc.).

Where the Company has a reasonable belief that you are under the influence of some form of
intoxicants it may at its discretion send you home for the remainder of the day without pay. This
is not considered a form of disciplinary action but is done solely in the interests of the Health
and Safety of you, your work colleagues and any customers or third parties.

If your performance or attendance at work is affected as a result of alcohol or drugs, or we
believe you have been involved in any drug related action/offence, you may be subject to
disciplinary action and, dependent on the circumstances, this may lead to your dismissal.

As part of your role the Company may need to carry out alcohol and drug testing. This may be
required on health and safety grounds out of our duty of care towards customers, employees
and any other third parties. Failure to comply with such a request may be treated as an act of
gross misconduct and may result in your dismissal. Also, failure to pass such a test may be
treated as an act of gross misconduct and may lead to your dismissal following recourse to the
Company’s disciplinary procedures.

In the event that any medication is prescribed/supplied to an employee, the employee shall
make their work duties known to the prescriber / supplier of such medication. The employee
shall ascertain whether the medication is expected to produce any side-effects that may
adversely affect the performance of their work duties and shall advise your
Supervisor/Manager.

If a problem associated with the use of prescribed medication arises at work a claim by an
employee of ignorance about the possible effects of the medication shall not be regarded as
acceptable.

I) FITNESS FOR WORK

If you arrive for work and, in our opinion, you are not fit to work, we reserve the right to exercise
our duty of care if we believe that you may not be able to undertake your duties in a safe manner
or may pose a safety risk to others, and send you away for the remainder of the day with or
without pay and, dependant on the circumstances, you may be liable to disciplinary action.

J) PREGNANT EMPLOYEES

38