IMSPA update


Would you let him be responsible for the safety of people in a busy swimming pool? You probably are! Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream within a


few minutes of being drunk, and is carried to all parts of the body, including the brain. T e blood alcohol concentration depends upon many factors – whether you have eaten, or your size and weight – so it is diffi cult to know exactly how much alcohol is in the bloodstream. It takes around one hour for a healthy liver to break


down and remove one unit of alcohol. Black coff ee, or a cold shower will not remove alcohol from the bloodstream. Only time can do that. It is quite common for someone who has drunk heavily the previous night to still be over the drink/drive limit the following morning. According to the Health and


Safety Executive (HSE), even at blood alcohol concentrations lower than the legal drink/drive limit, alcohol reduces physical coordination and reaction speeds. It also aff ects thinking, judgement and mood. Large amounts of alcohol in one session can put a strain not just on the liver but other parts of the body as well, including muscle function and stamina.


(CIPD), points out that grounds for dismissal cover capability and/or conduct: ‘Coming in with a hangover will aff ect both. You are probably going to be late and you are not going to be very eff ective when you are in.’ T e axe, however, is unlikely to fall for a fi rst or very infrequent off ence. What would be most suitable would be for an organisation to give the employee a warning and a chance to improve. Employers are under increasing pressure to treat


A unit is


equivalent to 8gm or 10ml (1 cl) of pure alcohol. A half a pint of beer, lager or cider, a small glass of wine and a single measure of spirits contain at least one unit and often more


drink and drugs problems in the same way that they would any other medical or psychological problem. For the manager of a sport or recreational service, the primary concern is in providing a safe workplace. T e Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSW Act) places duties on employers, employees and self-employed people. It protects not only people at work, including those undertaking voluntary work, but also the general public who may


be aff ected by work activities. Employers and managers need clear policies in place that are well understood by all. Clear guidance in contracts of employment, written


procedures and regular reminders at staff briefi ngs,


are obvious means of communicating the message. More and more companies are now using


IMPLICATIONS FOR THE WORKPLACE A raised blood alcohol level will increase the chance of accidents. People with hangovers have problems concentrating and regular heavy drinking can lead to a range of social, psychological and medical problems. T ere is no direct legal requirement for employers


to implement alcohol policies as such. However, health and safety at work legislation requires both employers and employees to maintain a safe working environment and, were an alcohol-related accident to occur, then, depending on circumstances, the employer or the employee concerned could be liable. Turning up for work under the infl uence of drugs


or alcohol, or taking drugs while on work premises, is gross misconduct – a ‘sackable’ off ence. An employee has a legal duty not to turn up in a condition whereby their performance will be inhibited due to the eff ect of drink or drugs. Similarly, if a supervisor has grounds to believe that an employee is unfi t to work due to drink or drugs, then he or she has a legal responsibility to prevent them from taking up their duties. Turning up with a hangover is a greyer area. T e Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development


screening and testing as a way of controlling alcohol problems, but it can be a sensitive issue. Securing the agreement of the workforce to the principle of screening is essential, partly because of the practical and legal issues involved. Screening is only likely to be acceptable if it can be seen to be part of a company’s occupational health policy and is clearly designed to prevent risks to others. Screening is an uncommon procedure in sport and


recreation services and is unlikely to be justifi able. Good surveillance of those employees for whom you are responsible, especially the condition they report to work in, is fundamental. T is, together with all staff having a clear understanding that they have a duty to turn up for work in a fi t and proper condition, not suff ering from the previous evenings excesses is, for the majority of centres, the appropriate action.


Drinks survey


A survey carried out in December 2007 for Norwich Union Healthcare found a third of employees admitting to having been to work with a hangover, while 15 per cent reported having been drunk at work. One in 10 employees reported hangovers at work once a month, one in 20, once a week.


For more details, see Information Note 001 on the IMSPA website at www.imspa.co.uk


www.imspa.co.uk


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