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Drugs Screening
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Vacuumfriends
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Results take 48 hours
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Avoid poppy seed bagels.
kaine19
Member
Would of thought results there and then on a pee strip lol
grumblingalong
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It's a more in depth test than that
RPM
Established Member
I've never been advised to avoid any foodstuffs so I don' think there's anything to worry about. Obviously don't eat hash cakes!
I've sometimes wondered if exposure to a lot of passive cannabis smoke could affect somebody enough for it to show up on a drug screening.
I've sometimes wondered if exposure to a lot of passive cannabis smoke could affect somebody enough for it to show up on a drug screening.
tsr
Established Member
I am aware of a number of people for whom eating foods containing poppy seeds has caused problems. In one case, someone was taken off safety-critical duties for two weeks for further testing until there was solid evidence that the test failure was due to food.
So don't say the tests aren't sensitive. There are some strange but nonetheless probably logical things they pick up - at my last drugs test I had to list any energy drinks (amongst an interesting list of other potentially problematic items) I had consumed within the last week. I usually loathe the things but then I realised I'd had one six days beforehand. However, TOC occupational health will always be able to advise what you can/cannot eat or drink, and what needs to be declared. And if it's anything like any of the medicals/drug tests I've had, you will be countersigning that you're happy with the way the sample(s) were taken anyway, including any substances therein.
Back on topic, I've never heard of any foods including coconut or curry powder to cause problems, but I'm not an occupational health expert and I don't know if they contain passive forms of any substances which can be flagged up as problems. If in doubt, always speak to the person obtaining the samples from you. So long as it's explainable and is not illegal or able to affect you in any way during your duties, you should be able to find a workaround. But in all things the railway nowadays errs on the side of caution, and medical tests likewise.
I believe all tests would be completed in the same amount of time - eg. 48hrs - but there may only be on-call staff in occupational health or their agencies at weekends, so you may find things are flagged up on a Monday morning. Each company would probably vary.
So don't say the tests aren't sensitive. There are some strange but nonetheless probably logical things they pick up - at my last drugs test I had to list any energy drinks (amongst an interesting list of other potentially problematic items) I had consumed within the last week. I usually loathe the things but then I realised I'd had one six days beforehand. However, TOC occupational health will always be able to advise what you can/cannot eat or drink, and what needs to be declared. And if it's anything like any of the medicals/drug tests I've had, you will be countersigning that you're happy with the way the sample(s) were taken anyway, including any substances therein.
Back on topic, I've never heard of any foods including coconut or curry powder to cause problems, but I'm not an occupational health expert and I don't know if they contain passive forms of any substances which can be flagged up as problems. If in doubt, always speak to the person obtaining the samples from you. So long as it's explainable and is not illegal or able to affect you in any way during your duties, you should be able to find a workaround. But in all things the railway nowadays errs on the side of caution, and medical tests likewise.
I believe all tests would be completed in the same amount of time - eg. 48hrs - but there may only be on-call staff in occupational health or their agencies at weekends, so you may find things are flagged up on a Monday morning. Each company would probably vary.
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Vacuumfriends
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They can only check for diabetes, and protein in your urine with the strip.
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I would think Monday to Friday like most things involving admin etc
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Yes urine is sent off to a lab to be tested.
Urine dips are usually for things like Diabetes rather than drugs. As mentioned already the Drug part is done in the lab.
Sunset route
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We've had a signaller at my location flag up an alert and require a further investigation because as it turned out they had eaten some rolls with poppy seeds on.
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scotsman
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I asked a mate of mine (a nurse) how the whole urine testing thing works - on cannabis he said that second hand smoke shouldn't be an issue, as it's occasional and the concentration wouldn't be high enough. I suppose these tests have to be designed with the assumption that you will occasionally walk past someone doing weed or whatnot.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
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I was tested with one of those when I worked at a bus company. The doctor for the TOC I joined a few months later slagged them off, apparently they're not very good at detecting certain drugs.
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