Railway Worker Sacked for Drinking 'Herbal Tea'

[The Puddock]

where do you stick the cottonbud !!!!

Ah yes, I see what you mean. You'll be glad to know that the method for obtaining the urine hasn't changed!

 

[Neo9320]

Sounds very similar to the tests used in the addiction/recovery setting. Generally I would always ask ‘am I expecting to find anything’. Obviously NR & TOCs won’t ask this (nor should they). As you said, declare anything anyway.

Apologies this was a reply to @The Puddock

 

[LAX54]

Recent Network Rail D&A tests I have witnessed (two randoms and a 'for cause') didn't feature the nurse asking the donor to declare any medication and the paperwork didn't ask either. The test equipment itself has changed - it's now a little bit like a Covid test with urine so you get a result for various substances there and then, depending on whether lines appear or colour changes. The sample only gets sent off to a laboratory for further testing if the kit indicates a fail. I don't know whether the new kit means they're confident enough in the initial results to not bother with asking about medication but it certainly wasn't done at the three tests I've witnessed. Although obviously if you know you've taken something it would be very wise to declare it anyway!

Which is better then, the last 'routine' medical I had some years ago now, I had to declare all medications taken prescribed and over the counter, although the clearance of meds before taking them I think still applies (did in 2021)

 

[The Puddock]

Which is better then, the last 'routine' medical I had some years ago now, I had to declare all medications taken prescribed and over the counter, although the clearance of meds before taking them I think still applies (did in 2021)

Yes it still applies, though I've never known anyone to actually bother to declare and check simple over the counter stuff like paracetamol or ibuprofen.

 

[LAX54]

Yes it still applies, though I've never known anyone to actually bother to declare and check simple over the counter stuff like paracetamol or ibuprofen.

When I was an SSM, i did get the odd call from Siggies asking me to check, but as you say many didn't !

 

[Elecman]

Recent Network Rail D&A tests I have witnessed (two randoms and a 'for cause') didn't feature the nurse asking the donor to declare any medication and the paperwork didn't ask either. The test equipment itself has changed - it's now a little bit like a Covid test with urine so you get a result for various substances there and then, depending on whether lines appear or colour changes. The sample only gets sent off to a laboratory for further testing if the kit indicates a fail. I don't know whether the new kit means they're confident enough in the initial results to not bother with asking about medication but it certainly wasn't done at the three tests I've witnessed. Although obviously if you know you've taken something it would be very wise to declare it anyway!

Yes same with my last random NR one had the complete list of Meds to hand , offered the list and was told it’s not needed.

 

[Tim_UK]

Anything beyond paracetamol/aspirin needs to be declared. Even over the counter hay fever remedies or cough mixtures may not be acceptable if they can cause drowsiness, for example

I’ve been asked about hay fever on a (non railway) medical. But really the question is about what you take for it. And what you might take if it gets worse that could cause drowsiness.

 

[Egg Centric]

It's not, it's an accurate and legally based explanation of zero tolerance as it applies to drugs and driving. What the government says (for good reasons) and the reality aren't the same. It is perfectly possible to test positive for an illegal drug at the roadside but be under the prosecutable limit when the evidential test is carried out and it happens routinely. That's not zero tolerance. The limit for driving isn't zero.

As far as I can see we don't disagree on anything other than the definition of zero tolerance (or perhaps which definition to use).