Working with Animals while Under the Influenc

drug testing experts

We can all imagine situations in which a drunk or high employee can endanger the lives or working conditions of their coworkers and themselves. We can all imagine situations in which heavy machinery is being operated by someone whose reflexes, judgment, or spatial abilities have been compromised. We can all picture a crane operator accidentally dumping a pile of bricks on a group of people. It is easy to envision things like this happening when we think of drug related work accidents.

However, there are other fields in which the results can be really horrible, as well. Child care centres can feature lost children, abused children, or neglected children. And, as for the animal care centres, this can include anything from neglect and angry abuse to experimentation to unnatural activities with the animals. When you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, your normal reserved nature is compromised, your inhibitions are lowered, your mind wanders into new and strange fields of thought, all of which seem normal and down to earth to you.

Working with animals while under the influence can result in both harm to you and to the animal. If you are a park ranger or a zookeeper, you know what it is like to work with large, dangerous, predatory animals. Imagine what would happen if they were to smell a weakened state of “prey” upon you. And what would happen if they began to show warning signs and you needed to follow your training, your safety protocols, to protect yourself and others….but you don’t remember all of them or you don’t remember them fast enough?

Obviously, even wildlife refuges need to get their employees screened regularly. It is not only dangerous for the worker but for the community at large if a large predator gets loose due to the trainer or ranger being intoxicated in some manner. Make sure that your workers are all fit for duty and sober when they are at work. Regularly implement onsite drug testing and alcohol screening from Mediscreen. Mediscreen is an onsite AOD testing agency which is accredited to AS4760 by NATA. Make sure that both your animals and your people are safe.

This article has been taken from : http://www.mediscreen.net.au/working-with-animals-while-under-the-influence/