Building sites on drugs alert as Barratt begins random tests for staff
BRITAIN’S biggest housebuilder has started testing its construction workers for illegal drugs amid r i s i ng f e a r s a bout s ubstance abuse.
Barratt Developments has introduced random tests for drugs and alcohol across its sites and has ramped up its focus on health and safety after its injury rate jumped by more than a fifth last year.
According to a statement buried in its annual report, the selection of those to be tested will be on a random basis.
The FTSE 100 housebuilder’s injury incident rate leapt from 379 to 462 per 100,000 employees in 2017-18.
Barratt l aunched an i nternal review into the injuries, but did not uncover any specific issues with its approach to health and safety.
The company said an increase in production activity, combined with a shortage of skilled workers, had increased the risk of accidents on its housing developments.
Barratt said it has now ‘redoubled’ its efforts to improve its management systems and training for staff.
It is unclear whether the random testing programme was introduced directly in response to incidents on its own sites or whether it was due to wider industry concerns.
Drug problems in the industry were highlighted in a 2016 survey by the Considerate Constructors Scheme, which found that 35 per cent of construction workers had noticed colleagues under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work.
The study revealed that 59 per cent of employees were concerned about the effects of drugs and alcohol in the workplace.
Dr Michael Cash, chairman of the construction group at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, s ai d many l arge building companies test for alcohol by using breathalysers and for illegal drugs by taking urine or blood samples.
He said: ‘Of course companies should have an alcohol and drugs policy – and be supportive towards people who have got issues. If you turn up to work at a construction site and you are operating a 16-ton digger and you had six pints the night before, or you have been smoking cannabis, that’s going to affect you and your ability to think, take decisions and react. You can become a risk to yourself and to other people.’
Dr Cash pointed out that builders often work away from home and stay together in budget hotels which can lead to the regular drinking of alcohol.
‘There will be a tendency to drink a lot more than they would at home,’ he said. ‘They are going to want to fill their time and will potentially go down the pub to have a few beers.’
A spokesperson for Barratt said: ‘The health and safety of our people, contractors, customers and the general public is our number one priority.’
He added: ‘We assessed our existing drug and alcohol testing policies and introduced additional random testing in line with our commitment to the highest health and safety standards.’
According to the Government’s website on workers’ rights, staff cannot be made to take a drugs test. However, if they refuse when the employer has good grounds for testing, they could face disciplinary action.
Barratt built 17,579 homes in the year to June – the most of any of the major housebuilding companies. It has built nearly 500,000 homes in its 60-year history.