Testing times

THERE HAVE been numerous studies in recent years which have looked at the impact of economic downturns over the past few decades on the health of the nation. One of the most recent studies, published in October 2023, states that three in five (60%) of Britons report that the cost of living crisis is negatively impacting their mental health.¹

Mental health in the workplace

These findings are perhaps not surprising, and align with the findings from this year’s Dräger Safety at Work report 2023,² which went on to explore the impact of such issues on safety in workplaces. The independent research carried out for this year’s report found that 45% report that poor mental health makes them less able to concentrate, 42% say that they are less productive and just over half (51%) of the respondents say that it affects their sleep so that they are sometimes more tired at work. 

Alarmingly less than a third (28%) of those interviewed for the research reported that they don’t have worries about their mental health, with the remaining respondents all highlighting worries about their present and future wellbeing. This was more pronounced in the younger generation, with the under 35s more likely to express concern.

There is little doubt these pressures have the potential to cross from the mental to the physical in terms of having a negative impact on safety at work through performance impairment. It is therefore perhaps no wonder that more than three in five (63%) of all respondents think an increase in anxiety and depression in workplace may have a negative impact on safety at work. This is higher among those with anxiety and depression (72%), among the under 35s (68%) and among managers (67%) but, upon examining different areas of industry, it was notably less pronounced in the utilities sector (56%).

Correlation between mental health and increased substance use

At the same time as we’ve seen an increase in mental health concerns, there has been a gradual escalation in reports of substance use (or misuse), whether drugs or alcohol, and this has clear implications for safety in the workplace. 

Previous research has explored the link between poor mental health and substance abuse, including a study by the Priory Group, a provider of mental healthcare in the UK which reported that 70% of individuals with mental health disorders who engage in community healthcare resources, have substance abuse issues.  

This is further supported by the Mental Health Foundation which has stated that people with severe mental illness are more likely to have alcohol problems, and Alcohol Change UK state that ‘in times of stress, we can find ourselves drinking more often and more heavily”.

Impact of prescribed medicine

When we talk about drugs, it is important to acknowledge that pressures first experienced during the Pandemic and now exasperated by the cost of living crisis has led to an increase in the prescription of legal drugs, such as those prescribed for stress and anxiety. While it can be seen as positive that there is a growing acceptance and awareness of the importance of treatment for mental health, alongside physical health, there are, nevertheless, implications for safety at work, regardless of the motivation.

Prescription medicines, such as benzodiazepines (which treat common medical issues such as depression) have the potential to impair the person taking them, and in turn, the potential to impact safety in the workplace.

Common side effects from such drugs can include drowsiness, dizziness, loss of balance, confusion or memory loss. Clearly this type of side effect has very real and practical impact, particularly in safety critical jobs, whether operating heavy machinery or simply driving a colleague to a meeting. It is therefore vital that employees are given appropriate support, and ensure they keep taking their medication, while sensitively managing any possible risks to workplace safety.

Support for drug and alcohol testing

Given such evidence coupled with a growing recognition of the impact of drug and alcohol use on workplace safety, is leading to a growing sense within businesses of the need to act at a corporate level. This is often through implementing drug and alcohol testing programmes.

And it seems that employees are supportive of such moves. Nearly three quarters (74%) of those questioned are in favour of all employees in the organisation being tested for drugs and alcohol – increasing to 80% in the oil & gas / renewables sector, traditionally higher-risk work environments.

These findings build on and reinforce the research carried out for last year’s Drager Safety at Work Report (2022) which found that the vast majority of workers (83%) would comply with a corporate alcohol and drug testing policy as they believe it is in everyone’s interest to be safe at work. 

When it comes to the impact of drug and alcohol use, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is clear that all employers have a legal duty to protect employees’ health, safety and welfare. Having a drug and alcohol policy which tests for all substances that have the potential to impair safety is increasingly seen as an important part of fulfilling this obligation and protecting all employees.

Testing in practice

It is important to recognise that drug and alcohol testing is a highly sensitive area and employees may have concerns around the topic, so it is important:

1. To explain to employees why the policy is being introduced and to provide education on the significance to workplace safety, e.g. someone under the influence of drugs could pose a risk to themselves, to others in the workplace or to the general public, rather than the company imposing on an individual’s private life.

2. To consider an amnesty period, a defined length of time during which employees can approach HR colleagues without judgement to alert them to any drug use alcohol use that may prove problematic once the testing programme is brought in. This is particularly important for employees who may be taking prescribed medication.

3. To decide what type of testing to introduce, particularly for drug testing where the options range from oral fluid testing (which as mentioned below is not dissimilar to Covid tests), to a full laboratory test, or whether you might incorporate a combination of both, with the former being used for screening and the latter if there is a concern that drugs are impacting on work performance.

4. To manage the testing process itself with care, dignity and respect. 

New technology in workspace testing

With the advent of lateral flow and PCR testing for Covid, employers have become more familiar with the concept of oral fluid testing (as opposed to urine or blood tests), and one way of introducing testing into the workplace is using new techniques which offer fast and less invasive tests.

Oral fluid testing has benefited from significant improvements in recent times and in

contrast to other forms of testing, its advantages include ease of use, non-invasiveness, observable sample collection, difficulty to adulterate, and demonstration of recent drug use. 

Against the backdrop of increased drug and alcohol use, oral fluid testing is increasingly used in workplace environments. It would be wrong to suggest that oral fluid testing offers a replacement for blood and urine testing; but it is a highly valuable tool for health and safety professionals for occasions when detection of relatively recent use of drugs is sought in a non-invasive manner. With employees much more familiar with lateral flow and PCR tests, and ever advancing improvements in more sensitive and reliable detection, this form of testing is set to become more common in the future.

Encouragement for ongoing health and safety

In conclusion, given the links between mental health and substance abuse, it is perhaps of little surprise that that Dräger has seen an increase in companies looking to introduce drug and alcohol testing. It is clearly encouraging that forward-thinking employers are taking such workplace safety risks more seriously and also that there is a modernisation in attitudes towards personal responsibility for collective safety. At the same time, it is clear that drug and alcohol use, and misuse, continues to pose a tremendous – and growing – challenge to businesses and their ability to operate productivity whilst safeguarding employees’ health and wellbeing. Against this background, and as we head into 2024 with no sign of the cost of living or mental health crises abating, it is increasingly important that testing programmes are integrated as standard in corporate health and safety.

References

1 https://www.kcl.ac.uk/csmh/assets/esrc-csmh-cost-of-living-crisis-and-mental-health-report.pdf

2 https://www.draeger.com/Content/Documents/Content/DSAW23.pdf

Dave Head is head of safety marketing at Draeger Safety UK. For more information, visit www.draeger.com/en_uk/Safety/Drugs-Alcohol-Testing-At-Work