Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Alcohol and drug misuseLatest NewsWellbeing

Drug and alcohol tests on hair of job applicants increasingly used

by Mike Berry 12 Feb 2008
by Mike Berry 12 Feb 2008

More companies are checking on potential employees by carrying out drug and alcohol tests on their hair, according to a supplier of testing products.

Trimega Laboratories has signed a deal with the Nursing & Midwifery Council to provide its testing services in misconduct cases where drug or alcohol dependency is thought to be an issue.

Hair testing is said to be a more accurate method of determining someone’s alcohol and drug history. Safety critical sectors such as aviation and rail have traditionally been the main users of such tests.

But Trimega managing director Avi Lasarow said employers in other sectors were increasingly calling on his company’s services.

“More and more corporates employing high-profile executives are looking to test potential employees,” he said. “If an individual has nothing to hide, then what is the problem?”

Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) last year revealed that more than one-fifth of employers carried out some form of drug or alcohol testing, but only 12% undertook pre-employment screening.

CIPD employee relations adviser Ben Willmott said employers should be mindful of applicant attitudes towards testing.

“Where employees feel they are under excessive surveillance they are more likely to have negative attitudes towards employment,” he said.

Avatar
Mike Berry

previous post
Performance-related pay imposed at Yahoo
next post
Power and chemicals skills passport scheme goes ahead despte failure in other sectors

You may also like

Lone workers fear their safety is often overlooked

19 Aug 2022

CV fraudster stripped of earnings after lying about...

19 Aug 2022

Migrant workers to be asked to fill care...

19 Aug 2022

HMRC employee without driving licence wins disability discrimination...

19 Aug 2022

Huge profits at owner of P&O Ferries in...

19 Aug 2022

Personnel Today Awards 2022 shortlist: Apprenticeship Employer of...

19 Aug 2022

Women’s health, the workplace and ‘big data’ –...

19 Aug 2022

Oven-Ready HR Reheated part 1: Gethin Nadin, Charlotte...

19 Aug 2022

Will the Scale-up visa increase the UK’s flow...

18 Aug 2022

Fall in number of students accepted on degree...

18 Aug 2022

  • 6 reasons why work-based learning is better than traditional training PROMOTED | A recent Fortune/Deloitte survey found that 71% of CEOs are anticipating that this year’s biggest business disrupter...Read more
  • Strengthening Scotland’s public services through virtual recruiting PROMOTED | This website is Scotland's go-to place for job seekers looking to apply for roles in public services...Read more
  • What’s next for L&D? Enter Alchemist… PROMOTED | It’s time to turn off the tedious and get ready for interactive and immersive learning experiences...Read more
  • Simple mistakes are blighting the onboarding experience PROMOTED | The onboarding of new hires is a company’s best chance...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+