Steroids and safety critical roles!

[SD977]

What would the rules be for steroid use in a safety critical role (train driver, depot driver)?
Seeing as anabolic steroids are legal to possess in this country.
Would their use whilst at work end with a dismissal etc?

Thanks

 

[Bayum]

What would the rules be for steroid use in a safety critical role (train driver, depot driver)?
Seeing as anabolic steroids are legal to possess in this country.
Would their use whilst at work end with a dismissal etc?

Thanks

I don't think steroids, anabolic or corticosteroids have an element of 'risk' that would be of any kind of worry within safety critical roles.

I think the main issue might be the legality of it more than anything.

 

[Mugby]

Presumably the random and scheduled screenings which are carried out are primarily to detect the use of recreational drugs, such as cannabis etc.

Would they have any reason to test for steroids at routine screenings, in fact would it be within the capability of the usual test?

 

[W230]

Would they have any reason to test for steroids at routine screenings, in fact would it be within the capability of the usual test?

Maybe/maybe not.

Our control have a list of drugs that we can/cannot take when undertaking a safety critical role. Whether anabolic steroids come under the acceptable or not camp is anyone's guess. Same guess again as to whether they would show up in a drug test.

But it's not just about whether a drug is illegal - there is loads of medication out there that is fine and legal but is not suitable for taking when operating heavy machinery etc. This includes medication that would not be suitable when driving cars etc also.

In my previous life I used to come across plenty of old folk who should not have been driving cars under the wonderful cocktail of prescription drugs they were taking - it didn't stop them though. It's amazing though how many people think that on the roads, to be unfit to drive through a drug you would have had to ingest an 'illegal' drug (eg cannabis). Simply not the case at all.

 

[Shaggy]

The only ones who can definitely tell you what will or will not affect your safety critical role are medical professionals.

We can guess and assume, however even the TOCs rely on these guys for this sort of thing.

 

[Signal Head]

What would the rules be for steroid use in a safety critical role (train driver, depot driver)?
Seeing as anabolic steroids are legal to possess in this country.
Would their use whilst at work end with a dismissal etc?

Thanks

There are steroids and steroids. My understanding is that Anabolic steroids are not the same as those prescribed for various medical conditions.

I've been prescribed non-Anabolic steroids (actually corticosteroids) in the past, and declared them to the 'Railway Doctor' at the time who had no problem with their use. I think it would be different for anyone using non-prescribed steroids for other than genuine medical purposes.

Assuming your use is legal, I think the best bet is to declare them and seek proper advice.

FWIW, I'm not a driver, or involved with train movements, but am in a safety-critical role and at the time was out on track reasonably regularly.

 

[TDK]

Presumably the random and scheduled screenings which are carried out are primarily to detect the use of recreational drugs, such as cannabis etc.

Would they have any reason to test for steroids at routine screenings, in fact would it be within the capability of the usual test?

The drugs test checks for many things, even if you have taken ibuprofen, paracetomol etc you need to tell them at medical

 

[DarloRich]

You should also report any medicines or drugs you are prescribed for any medical complaints.

Your employer should have some sort of chemist contracted to offer them advice on what is safe and what isn’t. The problem comes if you don’t declare something then get caught out.

 

[Mugby]

There are steroids and steroids. My understanding is that Anabolic steroids are not the same as those prescribed for various medical conditions.

Indeed, some steroids are prescribed for asthma.

 

[asylumxl]

Anabolic steroids are known to have some serious side effects, with the obvious one being increased aggression but also can cause liver problems. I won't even go there in regards to what it does to your bits... They're also considered addictive.

Assuming this person is hypothetical, I'd advise them not to take them. If they are doing fitness training, they're far better off doing it properly without the "juice".

 

[Monkey Magic]

I think steroids seem to be part of the diet for some RPI/barrier staff.

 

[Monty]

I think steroids seem to be part of the diet for some RPI/barrier staff.

On what factual basis?

 

[asylumxl]

On what factual basis?

He's implying they're aggressive meat heads .

 

[Vicpaul]

What ever you take needs to be declared.

I train regularly and declare all supplements I take just incase

 

[Monty]

He's implying they're aggressive meat heads .

Oh, Someones been reading the disputes and prosecutions section too much.

 

[asylumxl]

Oh, Someones been reading the disputes and prosecutions section too much.

Very rarely, just expanding on what the poster implied .

 

[Monty]

Very rarely, just expanding on what the poster implied .

No I meant the poster had! :P

 

[asylumxl]

No I meant the poster had! :P

Ah! Misunderstanding. Apologies :P

 

[chuckles1066]

Oh, Someones been reading the disputes and prosecutions section too much.

On my brief sojourn into the world known as rail travel, I once came across a guy in rail uniform telling a colleague how he'd stumbled across a site in the UK that sold ephedrine and how good, and cheap, it was for his gym workouts.

I was about to point him in the direction of the site I use (which was considerably cheaper) when he mentioned his "partner" who was a BA pilot and who, from what he was saying, was male.

At that point, I bailed out.

Yorkie: is this post ok?