In SwedishTheme: Alcohol and drugs
Drugs testing effective – if done professionally
Testing is one method for checking that the rules of the shipping company are followed. However, you have to be aware of unprofessional testing companies and poor quality measuring instruments, says Olof Beck, professor of pharmacology at Karolinska Institutet in Solna.
Zero tolerance onboard appreciated
Banning alcohol onboard is a good thing. It raises safety levels, discussions are avoided about how much is acceptable to drink, and colleagues with alcohol problems are not constantly subjected to temptation. That is how the crew on the Sirius Olympus view the situation.
The necessary talk
Somebody looks rough when it is time to be on watch. He or she perhaps smells of alcohol sometimes, has a hangover or seems to be drunk. This is the time for you, as an officer or HR manager ashore, to have a talk with the person.
Seafarers in risk group for alcohol problems
Zero tolerance is not a good method for preventing alcohol problems onboard. It is more successful to have an open dialogue about drinking habits.
