MJM Groundworks and Paving Solutions

Drugs & Alcohol

Any member of staff who is concerned that they may have a dependence on alcohol and drugs is encouraged to seek help/advice from their GP If MJM Groundworks believe that an employee is dependant on alcohol or drugs it may be required that the employee attends an interview with the occupational health doctor appointed by the company. the doctor will then provide MJM Groundworks with a report on the employee's condition.

If shown that the working environment is contributing to a dependency problem, then MJM Groundwork will take all responsible actions to eliminate such problems.

It is hoped that any member of MJM Groundworks who believes that a colleague who has a drink or drug dependency problem will encourage them to seek professional help.

MJM Groundworks will regard anyone seeking help as having a health problem and will cooperate to enable appropriate help/treatment/ to be obtained.

If because of a drug/alcohol dependency, a persons performance at work/behaviour is suffering then this would normally result in disciplinary action being taken, to such action will be suspended for an appropriate period during treatment. Should help be refused or treatment unreasonably discontinued or, there is no improvement in behaviour/ work performance disciplinary procedures will be resumed or initiated, such procedures may result in termination of an individuals employment.

If, because of alcohol/drugs dependency or for any other reason a member of staff behave or carries out there work in such a way as to endanger themselves or others, prompted affective action will be taken as necessary to prevent damage being done. In this sort of situation the employee's drugs/alcohol dependency will be taken into account, but will not necessary free the person concerned from the consequence of their conduct.

Procedure

1. Establishing the problem.

Managers and supervisors should be aware that the misuse of alcohol/drugs by employees and sub-contractors may come to light in various ways. The following characteristics,especially when arising in combinations, may indicate the presence of and alcohol/drug problem.

Absense

1. Instances of unauthorised leave.
2. Frequent Friday/Monday absences.
3. Lateness especially. on returning from lunch.
4. Excessive level of sickness absences.
5. Strange and increasingly suspicious reasons for absences.
6. Unusually high level of sickness for cold flue and stomach upsets.
7. Unscheduled short term absences with or without explanation.

High Accident level

1. At work.
2. Elsewhere, i.e. driving, at home etc.

Work Performance

1. Deterioration in quality of workmanship.
2. Difficulty in concentration.
3. Work requires increased effort.
4. Individual tasks take more time.

Mood Swings

1. Irritability.
2. Depression.
3. General confusion.

Misconduct

An employee's alcohol or drug problem may come to light as a mitigating factor in a disciplinary interview. It should be treated as a mitigating factor for certain "less serious" disciplinary offence, such as poor time keeping or lateness, provided the persons is prepared to undergo treatment. Instances, employees may seek advice and help themselves.

Intervention

Managers and supervisors who feel an employees or contractors unsatisfactory performance may alcohol or drug related should inform their own immediate manager, of GROUP HEALTH and SAFETY MANAGER, to discuss the matter. If thought necessary, that manager should arrange a meeting with the employee concerned, or in the case of a Contractor, the Contractors manager.

Treatment

Where employees acknowledge that they have a problem and are willing to seek help and treatment the following will apply:

Whilst they are undergoing treatment, they will be classified as being on sick leave

Every effort will be made to ensure that upon completion of the recovery programme subject to medical assessment employees are able to return to the same or equivalent work.

Following the employees return to work they will be subject to frequent random drug/Alcohol testing at the discretion of the company.

However, where such a return would jeopardise either a satisfactory level of job performance or the employee's recovery, the manager will review the full circumstances surrounding the case and agree a course of action to be taken. this may include the offer of alternative employment, the consideration of retirement on the grounds of ill health or dismissal, (before a decision on dismissal is made, it should be discussed with the employee and up-to-date medical opinion obtained).

Serious Misconduct caused by alcohol.

INTOXICATED EMPLOYEES

If an employee is known to be or strongly suspected of being intoxicated by alcohol during working hours, the employee's Manager will be consulted. The employee will be escorted from the premises or site immediately. Disciplinary action will follow.

CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL ON THE SITE OR PREMISES:

Employees are forbidden to consume alcohol when at work or to bring onto company premises or site under any circumstances. Any breach of this rule will result in disciplinary action being taken, which is likely to result in summary dismissal for gross misconduct.

Drug abuse on site or company premises

Employees who take drugs which have not been prescribed on medical grounds are, in the absence of mitigating circumstances committing an act of gross misconduct and are liable to summary dismissal without notice. Being in possession of drugs or the passing of drugs to another person on company premises is also a matter of gross misconduct, the employees will be liable to summary dismissal and all information relating to any incident will be passed on to the police. There will be no deviation from these courses of action.

Testing for Drugs and Alcohol

The company will carry out tests for substance abuse on an in-house basis when required by qualified medical personnel only, on all MJM GROUNDWORKS sites and premises.

If a positive result is returned by the in-house random tests, then the personnel implicated will then have the option of being retested by an independent outside organisation that may be appointed by the company.

These independent tests for alcohol and drugs will be carried out under controlled conditions by independent laboratory technicians.

Any employee implicated by a positive in-house test, will e suspended until the results of the independent tests are made available to all parties.

All Tests, results and subsequent treatments, if required, will be carried out in the strictest confidence, subject to the provision of the law.

An alcohol test is likely to prove positive if the donor has consumed one pint or equivalent in the previous 2 hour or 4 pints or equivalent in the previous 6 hours.

The Maximum permitted blood alcohol/drug concentration for employees for MJM GROUNDWORKS is ZERO.