FORS urges greater awareness of drug and alcohol impairment risk

The Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is urging fleets to be ‘extra vigilant’ in managing drug and alcohol impairment.

It warned it is 'more important than ever' that drivers and fleet managers spot the signs of impairment and address them 'effectively', and said that in the case of drivers, technicians and other staff members involved in the safe operation of a fleet, impairment can put lives at risk.

Paul Wilkes, FORS business services manager, said, “Drug and alcohol impairment is an unfortunate challenge that operators of all sizes face.

“The FORS Standard requires that members have a drug and alcohol procedure in place.

“That includes actions to take on suspecting driver impairment due to drugs or alcohol, and I would urge operators to look carefully at these procedures to make doubly sure that they are fit for purpose.”

To help tackle the issue, FORS associate, OdiliaClark is hosting a webinar on how operators and drivers manage the risk of impairment caused by drugs and alcohol in their business more effectively.

The webinar will cover topics such as managing the risk of drug and alcohol impairment, organisational culture surrounding drugs and alcohol impairment and how to handle the outcomes of testing.

FORS said that having robust procedures in place is of ‘paramount importance’ for employee welfare and for the safety of other road users and members of the public.

According to FORS, research shows that alcohol accounts for 167,000 missed working days per year, as well as £7.3bn in lost revenues due to low productivity.

The FORS associate webinar on managing drug and alcohol impairment will be hosted on August 31. Register to attend on the GoToWebinar website.