The drugs don't work

Drug and alcohol misuse – why do many scaffolders think it’s acceptable and is there a way to tackle the culture? Karl Christy, Tech IOSH, Founder of D&A Confidential Ltd investigates

Speak to anyone in the street and ask them their perception of scaffolders. You’ll most likely hear a stereotype along the lines of ‘loud and rough, cokeheads who like a beer’. Unfair? I think so, but this is the image of scaffolders and the industry, and those characters are out there!

It doesn’t matter if it’s a small firm or a larger contractor, scaffolders in general are tarnished with the same brush. It is the culture. Throughout the construction industry itself, substance misuse is a big issue. In fact, from a survey carried out by a substance misuse charity here in the UK, construction came in second place behind the hospitality industry! The glaring difference is, one industry is significantly higher risk than the other and scaffolding is one of, if not the, highest-risk trades in construction.

The national average drug-test failure rate is estimated to be 10% of the workforce on sites. A lot of principal contractors don’t implement a testing regime on a regular basis in order to reduce their risk profile, and there are certainly several scaffold firms who do this to protect their company. It is also worth noting that there aren’t any statistics regarding accidents and whether substance misuse was partly to blame. Rarely are tests carried out on scaffolders involved in accidents, nor are there any central registers to track testing and detection rates within companies. The government has announced, however, that they are exploring options around implementing a drug-testing charter for companies with over 250 employees in offices, with the results being published. Although it hasn’t come to fruition yet, this to me signals an indication that the government is looking to tackle the issue head-on.

The scaffolding industry itself has come along in leaps and bounds. It is a safety-critical role and the introduction of CPD training has brought the trade into the modern world with skills updates and refreshers. The fact remains, though, that people are still people and will indulge in vices that they enjoy – and if that involves drink and drugs, then so be it. However, when their activities affect their employer’s business, it becomes vital to do something about it, and this is where, as an industry, we come up short.

BY UNDERTAKING TESTING, EMPLOYERS MUST BE PREPARED TO REALLY LOOK AFTER THEIR WORKFORCE WHILST PROTECTING THE BUSINESS FUNCTION

There isn’t a straightforward answer as to why scaffolders think drink and drugs are acceptable, as there are many factors involved. Questions that could be considered include: Is it a lack of understanding or a lack of care? Peer pressure, or is it the culture? Mental ill health? Disregard for the law? Or is it a firm belief that what they get up to in their private lives shouldn’t come under scrutiny by anyone outside of their world? Is it that they feel safe in the knowledge that if they got sacked, they could get work anywhere they like i.e., a lack of consequences? Let’s face it, the list seems endless.

There are a lot of scaffolding companies affiliated to either NASC or the Scaffold Association and/or will have some form of safety accreditation (CHAS, SMAS, CQMS, etc). These schemes require a drugs and alcohol policy to be in place which also forms part of the audit criteria. This is all well and good, but a lot of companies don’t implement their policies for various reasons, and there is no legal requirement for them to do so either, unless part of a specific scheme like RISQS for work near railways, for example.

From an employer’s perspective, several company directors have said that their resistance to substance misuse testing comes from not wanting to alienate their workforce, not wanting their workers to go to a competitor and that they can’t afford to sack anyone. After all, the workforce is the lifeblood of all companies. Employers cannot afford to lose their staff. Let’s also not overlook the obvious – the industry is short of a lot of scaffolders, and business is booming post-Covid with no signs of slowing down.

So, the question is how do we implement change and tackle the culture for the better? I’ll share my experience here of implementing testing and will offer some recommendations to those who choose to be proactive.

“Are you sure your boss wishes to go down this route? The last scaffold company I tested, out of 20 people, 11 failed.” Those were the exact words spoken to me by the independent drug and alcohol tester that my company opted to use to implement our testing policy. His statement was backed up by the evidence seen on-site too, which also brought two large house-building sites to a standstill as the other contractors ‘jumped the fences’. Literally.

By undertaking testing, employers must be prepared to really look after their workforce whilst protecting the business function. There are a few options, testing-wise, depending on how far back you wish to look at an individual. This will give you an indication which test would be best suited.

Testing shouldn’t be the ‘be all and end all’ either. It shouldn’t be a case of instant dismissal for someone with a non-negative result as it does nothing to solve their issue. It just moves that individual – and the problem – onto somewhere else. Testing should be used as a tool, a deterrent, an insurance. It should be implemented as part of a health and safety-monitoring system and health surveillance. It could be argued that it would benefit the company so far as productivity and staff turnover are concerned as well, which will increase profits. It could also lead to reduced accidents on site, which in turn saves money on insurance.

For anyone who does provide a non-negative test, support and signpost them to treatment services or encourage them to speak to trained counsellors. There are plenty of charities out there who are ready and willing to offer support. Do this and promote a positive culture around the company and the image of scaffolding, and over time you will see the stereotype – and the culture – change.