The Considerate Constructors Scheme has launched a new online course for contractors to become more informed about drugs and alcohol across the industry.
The online course is available on the CCS Best Practice hub and offers lessons on drugs and alcohol in the workplace and what can be done to address misuse.
After taking the lessons online, companies can take a quiz. If they answer more than 70 per cent of questions correctly they will pass the course and receive a certificate.
CCS chief executive Edward Hardy said the impact of drugs and alcohol on the industry is an “extremely serious issue”.
He added: “We all know that our industry is only as strong as our workforce, and it is therefore essential to ensure that everyone in our workforce is well looked after, both physically and mentally.
“As drugs and alcohol has a huge impact on both the physical and mental wellbeing of everyone, we see our Drugs and Alcohol e-learning course as an essential way of extending the Considerate Constructors Scheme’s reach to help educate and further raise awareness to help address this issue.”
As part of a CN investigation into drugs and alcohol use in the industry, Mr Hardy said there had been a general increase in drugs and alcohol regulation in recent years – but that more could be done.
He pointed to a general lack of data on the issue, adding that the only information the CCS had been able to gather on industry drug and alcohol use was from its own 2016 research.
That study revealed that more than a third of construction workers had witnessed a colleague under the influence of drugs or alcohol on site.
Around 65 per cent of workers had never been tested for drugs and alcohol, while a quarter said they were tired at work because of the effects of drugs or alcohol.
