Medical alcohol levels

[juniorred]

Hi, Was wondering what alcohol levels they check for in the medical?
Reason why I asked is that I have a medical tomorrow but I drank a shot of whisky with coke lastnight. Was wondering if that was enough for me to fail the alcohol and drugs test? Before that was partying all week nonstop as I was off work and drinking heavily, went Wednesday without drinking a thing but stupidly decided to have one more shot lastnight.
don't want to worry but i feel like I have let myself down massively and shouldn't have drank nothing leading up to the medical.

 

[Bromley boy]

Hi, Was wondering what alcohol levels they check for in the medical?
Reason why I asked is that I have a medical tomorrow but I drank a shot of whisky with coke lastnight. Was wondering if that was enough for me to fail the alcohol and drugs test? Before that was partying all week nonstop as I was off work and drinking heavily, went Wednesday without drinking a thing but stupidly decided to have one more shot lastnight.
don't want to worry but i feel like I have let myself down massively and shouldn't have drank nothing leading up to the medical.

There are various figures depending on the method used to measure (blood, breath, urine) but the network rail alcohol limit is approx. 1/3 the drink drive limit. We were taught that half a pint of lager immediately before a test would probably put you over, as a rough guide.

The precise figure for everyone is different, and unknowable. Your liver will metabolise alcohol at roughly 1 unit per hour but blood alcohol level etc will depend on absorption rate, your blood volume, how much fat you have etc. This is why you must leave a massive margin for error between drinking and starting a duty.

One shot (2 units or so?) two days before the medical won't cause an issue at all.

 

[The Lad]

Depends how big the shot was . . .
About 1 hour per unit of alcohol so probably not a problem but best not to test it

 

[chooochoooo]

U obviously dont care that much for the job....

 

[Darandio]

U obviously dont care that much for the job....

Because they had a whisky and coke nearly two days before a medical?

Get over yourself.

 

[Bromley boy]

U obviously dont care that much for the job....

No requirement for railstaff to be tee-total, as you'll discover if you get on yourself.

The ones I drink with could down pints of cider for England*

*allowing a huge margin before booking on, of course.

 

[juniorred]

Thanks for the replies, was just worrying that I might have dug my own grave by my drinking levels leading up to the medical. Would have preferred the piece of mind knowing that I didn't drink but it is what it is. Chooochooo come on in think anyone that is pursuing a career as a driver cares alot about the job. Just wouldn't want something so silly to trip me up at the last hurdle as I don't normally drink.

 

[Bromley boy]

Thanks for the replies, was just worrying that I might have dug my own grave by my drinking levels leading up to the medical. Would have preferred the piece of mind knowing that I didn't drink but it is what it is. Chooochooo come on in think anyone that is pursuing a career as a driver cares alot about the job. Just wouldn't want something so silly to trip me up at the last hurdle as I don't normally drink.

Be tee-total the night before, don't stop for a pint on the way to the clinic, and you should be fine.

 

[LETHLFH]

My rule is if you are RD the next day then I can drink as much as I like, if I am in the next day I won't have anything the night before, not even if it's a late sign on.

 

[chooochoooo]

To be honest you have done really well to get this far.we all know its not easy get these kind of roles. apologies for the bluntness, but for you to get this far and then risk it before you medical is a bit silly no? Im sure youll be fine.your obviously worried,so i dont understand why you put youself in this position.i drink a lot weekly, but had i have got this far i wouldnt even think of having a drink before the medical.id get past that then carry on my routine knowing there is nothing to worry about.thats just me though,each to their own.

 

[juniorred]

Thanks Bromley boy you've put my mind at ease, somewhat. Chooochooo that's exactly how I am, I always do things logically and always think before I act, for the life of me I don't know why I took the shot but regretted it instantly. Done and gone now nothing i can do about it other than get the info i need to put my mind at ease. Don't mind the bluntness as I prefer when people are honest and upfront rather than beating around the bush, but your comment didn't help.lol

 

[chooochoooo]

I see that,sorry.youll be fine its only a shot

 

[chooochoooo]

Just read your first post again.2 days before the medical 1 shot....10000% ull be fine

 

[Clip]

A general rule is that your liver will use up 1 unit of alcohol per hour out of yoru system so 10 units = 10 hours before it should be gone.

No need for any scaremongering about any of it.

 

[tiptoptaff]

I had a couple of drinks the night before my pre-employment D&A test (I'm not s/c) supplemented with some water and a coke before I went to bed and blew a complete 0 at 0930 the next morning. Obviously its different for everyone but I wouldn't worry too much about one drink

 

[Bert and Ernie]

I wouldn't worry too much about the alcohol content as it will be out your system before your medical/screening. However I'd be asking myself why would I drink before a medical or screening? Bonkers if you ask me, to even put yourself in that position.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

It takes the liver approximately 1 hour to metabolize 1 unit of alcohol.

1 shot ....diluted with coke..... think about it

Let us know how you get on today

 

[Bromley boy]

I wouldn't worry too much about the alcohol content as it will be out your system before your medical/screening. However I'd be asking myself why would I drink before a medical or screening? Bonkers if you ask me, to even put yourself in that position.

For goodness sake, he's had one shot, two days before the medical!

Some of the responses to this thread are unbelievable.

 

[juniorred]

Thanks for the replies. My mind is at ease now not worrying about it too much now. but as mention it was only a shot, it's not link I went on a binge and got totalled or drank the night before the medical. But I appreciate the responses.I notice some people on here saying what the do before shifts, so it's safe to have a drink on the day before you last day of and not touch anything on the day before?

 

[Davidson4301]

Thanks for the replies. My mind is at ease now not worrying about it too much now. but as mention it was only a shot, it's not link I went on a binge and got totalled or drank the night before the medical. But I appreciate the responses.I notice some people on here saying what the do before shifts, so it's safe to have a drink on the day before you last day of and not touch anything on the day before?

You will be totally fine . Don't worry

 

[juniorred]

Would just like to say Ive passed my medical and would like to thank everyone who made me feel at ease before the test.

 

[danyurl]

Good to hear, exciting times ahead!

 

[Pilotman]

Just to confirm and may vary to each TOC.

125ml of whiskey amounts to 1 unit of alcohol (approx). Normally takes a male an average of 1 hour to assimilate 1 unit of alcohol, but everyone is different. This is only a guide.

Again depending on TOC you can be up to 29mg per 100ml blood or equivalent in urine/breath and normally a TOC wont take any action. anything above this to 80mg per 100ml blood or equivalent in urine/breath normally will result in losing your job. Anything above will definitely be loss of employment.

Hope this helps

 

[GusB]

I assume you meant that 1x25ml of whisky is equivalent to 1 unit of alcohol. 125ml is 5 pub measures!

 

[Bromley boy]

Just to confirm and may vary to each TOC.

125ml of whiskey amounts to 1 unit of alcohol (approx). Normally takes a male an average of 1 hour to assimilate 1 unit of alcohol, but everyone is different. This is only a guide.

Again depending on TOC you can be up to 29mg per 100ml blood or equivalent in urine/breath and normally a TOC wont take any action. anything above this to 80mg per 100ml blood or equivalent in urine/breath normally will result in losing your job. Anything above will definitely be loss of employment.

Hope this helps

We need to be very, very careful with these figures.

29mg per 100ml of blood is the NR limit for safety critical rail staff and we were told at my TOC a test scoring over this amount would lead to immediate loss of job, if you fail a random screening. If you have an incident and are found to be over it gets a lot more serious. You'll be sacked and probably also prosecuted as there's a specific criminal offence for driving a train while intoxicated.

The 80mg figure is the road drink driving limit which is around three times the rail one. It has no bearing on the railway figure and you could certainly fail a random test at work, be suspended pending disciplinary action (sacking!) and still be well under the limit to legally drive your car home.

Very important people appreciate this point. The rules on the railway are much more stringent. A couple of pints of lager an hour or two before driving a car is probably ok for most reasonably tall blokes. Having the same and driving a train could well land you in prison.

This RSSB doc linked-to below has the limits at 2.8.9 (it's out of date but I'm sure its not changed and the figures are same in the guidance I was given last year)

https://www.rssb.co.uk/rgs/standards/gert8070 iss 1.pdf

 

[broadgage]

I was told the following "rule of thumb" regarding drinking alcohol and safety critical work.

Allow 12 hours between a single drink and starting work.
Allow 24 hours between several drinks and starting work.
Allow 36 hours between heavy drinking and starting work.

This was from a doctor working for a major airline.

The body does indeed eliminate alcohol at about one unit an hour on average, it can take longer in some people.

In previous employment I had access to an accurate breathalyser instrument as used by the police.
Purely in the interests of science, I consumed one double gin (50ml) with a little fruit juice.
After about 30 minutes I was just legal to drive a car.
After another 30 minutes, one hour after drinking, the reading was almost unchanged, just about legal for driving a car.
After 2 hours I was well within the law for driving a car, but well over the limit for a train or aircraft.
After 8 hours no detectable trace of drink remained.

I was overweight but otherwise in fair health.