Can we test without consent?

Testing needs the person’s consent, and the arrangements should be clear in the policy and, for employees, their contract. Refusing a test can be treated as a breach of the policy.

Are test results personal data?

Yes. Test results are health information, which is special category data under UK data protection law. Keep them secure, confidential and only for as long as needed. The ICO expects testing to be justified and proportionate, with random testing generally limited to safety-critical work.

Do rail or client sites have stricter rules?

They often do. Network Rail and many principal contractors set their own testing and cut-off requirements, so check them and set the policy to meet them. On the railway, the Transport and Works Act 1992 makes it a criminal offence for people doing certain safety-critical work to be unfit through drink or drugs.

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Policies

Drug and Alcohol Policy Template

Written from experience on CTRL, Crossrail and Network Rail

This drug and alcohol policy template sets out a clear, fair policy for everyone working on your sites: a zero-tolerance statement, definitions, testing arrangements, consequences and the right of appeal, support for anyone who asks for help, and rules on prescription medicines.

See what you get →

Completed except the facts only you know

£25 + VAT

£30 inc. VAT

Fills in: The policy wording for your company.
Stays [TO CONFIRM]: Named roles, contact details and review dates.
A competent person must review before use.

Company logo in header
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Word document (.docx)

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Template

£9 + VAT

£10.80 inc. VAT

Blank policy — fill in yourself

Word document (.docx)
Guidance notes included
Instant download
Use on any project

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I agree to the Terms of Service and have read the Privacy Policy and Refund Policy. I want the document delivered immediately and understand I lose my right to cancel once it is available to download.

Prices exclude VAT: UK customers pay 20% VAT; VAT is not charged for customers outside the UK.All documents are drafts. Placeholders marked [TO CONFIRM] must be completed with your site-specific details. A competent person must review before use on site.

What it's for

Someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol on site puts themselves and everyone around them at risk, particularly when operating plant, working at height or working near live services. Employers have a general duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to protect the health and safety of workers and others. A written policy makes the rules, the testing and the consequences clear to everyone before there is a problem, and many principal contractors expect one.

When you need it

Before work starts, and included in the induction for employees, subcontractors and visitors. Review it at the date set in the policy, and when client or site requirements change.

Who signs it

A director or the project manager.

What's inside

Company, effective date and review date
A zero-tolerance policy statement covering employees, subcontractors and visitors
Definitions of drugs, including misused prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and of alcohol
Testing arrangements: pre-employment or pre-site, random, for cause and post-incident, with the provider, method and cut-off levels
Consequences: removal from site, notifying the employer, and the right to appeal and to a confirmatory laboratory test
Support: self-referral, occupational health and return to work
Rules on prescription and over-the-counter medication, kept confidential
Sign-off

FAQ

Can we test without consent?: Testing needs the person’s consent, and the arrangements should be clear in the policy and, for employees, their contract. Refusing a test can be treated as a breach of the policy.
Are test results personal data?: Yes. Test results are health information, which is special category data under UK data protection law. Keep them secure, confidential and only for as long as needed. The ICO expects testing to be justified and proportionate, with random testing generally limited to safety-critical work.
Do rail or client sites have stricter rules?: They often do. Network Rail and many principal contractors set their own testing and cut-off requirements, so check them and set the policy to meet them. On the railway, the Transport and Works Act 1992 makes it a criminal offence for people doing certain safety-critical work to be unfit through drink or drugs.
What is [TO CONFIRM]?: Details only you know, such as named roles, contact details and review dates. We never guess these. They appear as highlighted [TO CONFIRM] placeholders, and the policy opens with a list of every one, so you can fill them in before the policy is signed and issued.
Can I edit the document?: Yes. Both options are Word documents you can edit freely.
Do I still need to review it?: Yes. A competent person must check every document against the actual site and works before it is used. ClarusDocs gives you a complete first draft, not a substitute for that check.

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What it's for

When you need it

Who signs it

What's inside

FAQ

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