Plans for random drink and drugs tests criticised

The trade has criticised calls for businesses to carry out random drug and alcohol tests on employees

The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged businesses to randomly test their staff after research found a so-called "hangover syndrome" was costing UK businesses up to £2billion every year.

Trade leaders criticised the proposal, which could cut weekday drinking and consequently hit trade in town and city centre pubs.

Chairman of the Guild of Master Victuallers, John Bristow, said that he thought such a scheme would be pointless and added that testing of barstaff would be expensive and ineffective.

He said: "In the pub trade, licensees should be able to tell if their staff are in any way under the effects of alcohol and I believe they would also be able to tell if employees were acting strangely because of the effects of drugs.

"This kind of thing would be of no benefit to the trade and I can't see any members going for it."

But the report claimed that alcohol and drug related absence and illness is a huge cost to the industry and added that 43 per cent of firms did not have an alcohol and drugs policy.

Report findings​

• illicit drug taking has increased by 30 per cent in the last seven years
• workplace problems may result from staff getting drunk or taking drugs outside office hours as well
  as during them
• workers can test positive to an alcohol test 24 hours after a drinking session
• workers are more likely to admit to a drink problem if they feel it will be dealt with as a health problem and not result in immediate disciplinary measures.