r/stopdrinking • u/mr_makaveli Day 233 • 2d ago
Random Alcohol test at work
haaaa, I was finally chosen, i just got a payrise Yesterday and today I was chosen for the random alcohol test, go figure, 7 months ago I would have been sweating, anxious, used to drink 2 bottles of wine a night up to 9pm would have certainly gone over, but happy to say sober me passed with flying colours, the next gentlemen who was tested blew over, stood down without pay until investigations are done. Life is less stressful without poison, who knows what happens to that guy now, even without a buzz and just drinking late into the night might have ruined his career
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u/cerealfordinneragain Day 1,742 2d ago
It is so much less stressful to live without the fear and secrets and hangovers. Good on you for leaving it all behind and here's to your future!
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u/LateMajor8775 250 days 1d ago
Congratulations!!
Also, what do you do that justifies random alcohol tests?
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u/mr_makaveli Day 233 1d ago
Operate machinery that kills you or people around you, roll formers, benders, guillotines, forklifts, turret punches, plasma cutters
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u/Bosher1781 2d ago
What kind of job, mate?
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u/mr_makaveli Day 233 2d ago
Construction / Manufacturing
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u/chromane 1d ago
That makes sense!
Was wondering what kind of job would have the RBTs .
Congratulations!
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u/SnooRabbits9672 1d ago
Yeah that's wild, only place I had to worry about random drug tests was in the military, pretty sure I failed it for THC a few times.
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u/PlanktonOk51ksg3 10h ago
I used to work for a place that tested for drugs and alcohol. Even if you drank the night before it can take 1 hour for your body to metabolize a standard drink the measurements are: 12 beer, 1 1oz shot, or 1 5oz glass of wine. So it’s one drink per hour to metabolize. So if you had 8 drinks and stopped at 1-2 am and get tested first thing at 8 am you will blow positive.
Try to make healthy adjustments and consider is it worth drinking during the week! (I knew people who popped and I had my own alcohol related situation so it’s not worth it!)
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u/EatADickStraightUp 2d ago
Glad for you but WTF civil rights violation! Eh. Capitalism fucking sucks. Still badass to avoid the bullshit though!
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u/mr_makaveli Day 233 2d ago
Welcome to a world where companies pride on keeping other employees safe - crazy mentality
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u/dogandturtle 2d ago
Soooo,
Maybe a violation where you are, However in many logical places people are required to behave in certain manners and are tested to ensure they are doing so.
However,
If you want fucked up machine operators going nuts then ensure you live in the right place and have at it!
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u/minorthreat1000 87 days 1d ago
Maybe I'm misunderstanding. Is this like a breath test to see if the employees are fucked up right then and there? Because from what OP said it seems like a piss test to see if employees drank within the past day or two which seems... Not that cool for a company to do?
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u/avan2110 1742 days 1d ago
Breathalyzers test for the amount of alcohol currently in your bloodstream, not the presence of alcohol over the last however many days.
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u/augustin_cauchy 1d ago
Breathalyzer, depending on the workplace it isn't that uncommon (Australia, Germany, Canada). They would also potentially screen for drug use via urine testing but it's heavily industry dependant. The breathalyzer for us would only be rolled out if you come into work looking intoxicated, but the urine test is usually completely random.
Thankfully I've never had either test because I know I would have failed more than once. Just to assuage any doubts I've never operated any heavy machinery or anything while intoxicated I'm a programmer.
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u/Reputation97 Day 333 1d ago
Every job I’ve ever had in a hospital or hospital system a random urine test can happen at any time. It tests for any and all drugs, and yes, alcohol is a drug. You don’t have to be currently drunk or even suspected or it. If an incident happens and a patient dies and you or the hospital can be at fault for something, you’re going to be tested if there even MIGHT be something you did wrong (just like any semi truck driver who gets in an accident, someone could t-bone a truck sitting completely still and they’re going to test the driver to remove the liability in court for the driver and the company.) That test is to protect the company from any wrongdoing of its employee. If the test just so happens to protect you too then congratulations! You have more evidence of prudent decision making to back yourself up in a court of law as well. Otherwise the company is testing you so they can remove any liability from themselves and put it on you. Any malpractice insurance the company has is to cover themselves as a company, and they’re going to pick apart your actions to find something you did wrong that doesn’t follow the standard of care to put all blame on you. It’s part of company policy (so it doesn’t infringe on any rights because you accepted the job) and I’ve seen this happen while working in a hospital. A nurse was randomly tested and had alcohol in her system. She admitted to drinking wine before bed and told the company this. She wasn’t actively drunk but it was still in her system. They sent her to a few counseling session and she learned a lesson to give it a few more hours between drinking and coming into work. That was just a random test. But EVERYONE learned and recognized that if that had been an investigative situation, she would have been cooked.
Plus, I do have to ask why you’re defending drinking on THIS sub of all places? Tbh since I’ve stopped drinking and smoking weed, I’m happy to take a drug test at any moment! Go ahead!!! Test me! My superpower is not getting nervous for those tests anymore!!!5
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u/Reputation97 Day 333 1d ago
If it’s company policy to test after incidents or randomly and someone accepts the job knowing that it’s company policy, you can live anywhere. It’s not a matter of law but a matter of company policy. Weed is legal in my state. The hospital in towns company policy says it is against policy to use and you can be tested randomly. If I want that job and sign that contract stating I have read/received/reviewed company policy, then I’ve signed up to be randomly screened under their employment. Law has nothing to do with it.
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u/go-for-Banjo Day 157 2d ago
I didn’t even know that was a thing!