Drugs screening, hair or urine?

[Jimmy12345]

Just wondering if anyone can tell me what the drugs screening consists of pre employment, urine only or hair too? was smoking weed, not smoked for a month now and its not a big part of my life, happy to give it up for a career in rail. If its only urine I should be able to pass the test, but if they test hair too then id rather wait and appply again a couple months down the line when its more likely to be out of my system as I have no intention of smoking ever again.

Thanks for any help!

 

[TheEdge]

The drug test is normally a cheek swab.

Not sure how long weed keeps showing up but I do know its a lingering one, you do need to be aware, especially if you smoked lots at uni, there is a chance of a positive result.

 

[iWanabee]

Mine was a urine test. But it may vary with different tocs/medical companies.

 

[causton]

Mine was a urine test.

 

[Clip]

Always been a urine test for jobs I went for.

Info from NHS about longevity here http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2287.aspx?CategoryID=53

 

[San_Pellegrino]

It all depends on how much you were smoking.

I work in the engineering sector, and get drug tested all the time. I've seen people fail after about 3 months if they were very heavy, daily smokers.

 

[E&W Lucas]

Just wondering if anyone can tell me what the drugs screening consists of pre employment, urine only or hair too? Was a student a couple months ago so was smoking weed, not smoked for a month now and its not a big part of my life, happy to give it up for a career in rail. If its only urine I should be able to pass the test, but if they test hair too then id rather wait and appply again a couple months down the line when its more likely to be out of my system as I have no intention of smoking ever again. This is for a first rail company if that would make the answer more accurate.

Thanks for any help!

Always a urine test in my career. The briefings I've had, have indicated that weed can be detected for up to six months.

However -
You must have had this application in for several months. You will have known that drug testing forms part of the selection process, but you've still continued to take illegal substances until a month ago?
Some of us managed to complete ours, without ever touching drugs.
There aren't exactly many First rail businesses now, and there can't be many candidates going for drug screening any time soon.....
If you fail a drug test, you're unlikely to get near the industry again.

 

[Jimmy12345]

Always a urine test in my career. The briefings I've had, have indicated that weed can be detected for up to six months.

However -
You must have had this application in for several months. You will have known that drug testing forms part of the selection process, but you've still continued to take illegal substances until a month ago?
Some of us managed to complete ours, without ever touching drugs.
There aren't exactly many First rail businesses now, and there can't be many candidates going for drug screening any time soon.....
If you fail a drug test, you're unlikely to get near the industry again.

I'm gonna be really careful and do home tests before I go for any sort of medical (If I even get that far) and if I fail home tests then just reject anything and apply again after.

If you're all certain that it's not a hair test even for a pre employment drugs screening then that increases my chances of getting into the industry sooner. Thanks for your help!

 

[Gemz91]

I've only ever had urine tests for the two companies I've worked for. I asked at my first one, she said in theory they can do hair tests, but they never do.

Not sure how easy it is to give up smoking weed as I've never done it, but I know friends who have struggled to stop smoking it. Also know people who've been sacked from the railways for smoking it.

 

[Jambo86]

It's generally a urine test by all accounts. Mine certainly was. "Weed" can indeed linger in your system for many months depending how much was used, and for how long, according to a quick Google search.

BTW these things can't be cheated, but fair play to you, you didn't come here asking "how can I defeat a railway drug test?", so I think the benefit of the doubt should be given here rather than people getting on a high horse over your original question.

You wouldn't be the first and last candidate who's smoked weed or something in his younger days, (I've heard many stories about things that used to go on on the railways, but won't share them on a public forum, for risk of looking like I'm condoning that stuff) but as long as you understand that it can never, ever be a part of your life from here on in, until retirement, then you should be OK.

If you think you can stop the weed just to pass the test, and think you can then resume old habits later on, then I suggest you cancel your application right now as you'd only potentially be taking a position away from someone else and don't deserve that job. Good luck.

 

[12guard4]

Urine test is all I have known in the TOCs I have been at. Didn't know that smoking weed was on the curriculum these days

 

[Jimmy12345]

I'll have no problem not smoking weed ever again, i know there are random drug tests once youre in and would never jeopardise my future over drugs, im not addicted or anything, I was just influenced by the people around, had a lot of free time and it wasnt doing any harm.

If i pass my medical honestly, which I intend on doing, then i will be as fit to work in railway as anyone else on this forum. Jheez, you ask for advice and get judgement.

Once again, thank you to all of you that did help. If I cant pass a test this time round ill reject any offer rather than fail a test and apply again in the future when ive not touched the stuff for longer. Im not trying to cheat anyone, I don't smoke anymore and wont do again.

 

[Sebastian O]

I'll have no problem not smoking weed ever again, i know there are random drug tests once youre in and would never jeopardise my future over drugs, im not addicted or anything, I was just influenced by the people around, had a lot of free time and it wasnt doing any harm.

If i pass my medical honestly, which I intend on doing, then i will be as fit to work in railway as anyone else on this forum. Jheez, you ask for advice and get judgement.

Once again, thank you to all of you that did help. If I cant pass a test this time round ill reject any offer rather than fail a test and apply again in the future when ive not touched the stuff for longer. Im not trying to cheat anyone, I don't smoke anymore and wont do again.

I would absolutely agree with your position. I don't think it's correct that other members interpret your posts as someone that gets baked 24/7, and even then it's hardly the big crime I think others may think it is.

I used to run drug and alcohol screening, so come with some experience. It might be worth seeing if you can get a pee pot from somewhere (I know you mentioned home testing), and see if the instant result comes up with anything.

Unfortunately it's a pretty big scale anyone can sit on, you might smoke it the day before and pass, and smoke it a month ago and fail big time.

You've got two choices - either you take the test and take the outcome on the chin, or defer your application until you have had a few good months clean.

A word to the wise in this thread; marijuana is not the worlds biggest problem, and there are bigger demons out there trying to get you. Taking out your precipitating anger out on someone who's being pretty up front about his concerns is fair and you should respect that. Pious comments do nothing to help anyone.

 

[ComUtoR]

Personally I would be more concerned about the medical declaration form. Don't forget to tick the box when it asks if you have taken any recreational drugs in the last...

 

[danyurl]

Marijuana really isn't that bad for you and the fact this guy has smoked it whilst at Uni is really neither here or there. As long as he can pass his medical and stop himself from ever smoking it again should he be offered a position, then I don't see the problem? Live and let live jeez... If anything it'll give him a reason to stop!

To answer your question fella, it'll most likely be a urine test. Good luck with it all, get yourself sorted and don't let your past dictate your future.

 

[E&W Lucas]

I'm gonna be really careful and do home tests before I go for any sort of medical (If I even get that far) and if I fail home tests then just reject anything and apply again after.

If you're all certain that it's not a hair test even for a pre employment drugs screening then that increases my chances of getting into the industry sooner. Thanks for your help!

I absolutely commend you for wanting to give up drugs. However, if you're having to ask about the nature of the testing, then that is an aspiration, not where you are in practice. Come back to our world, when failing the medscreen doesn't even enter your mind. The advice above about being honest on the medical form is excellent too. Sacking offence if you are found to have falsified it.

The very best for a drug free future.

 

[Raul_Duke]

If it's been in the past month then that's still early days.

I stand to be corrected, but I seem to recall a fail for drugs when going safety crit could get you permanently blacklisted with all the F/TOC's. They'll ask for your NI no.

If you are serious then you'll probably want to wait a fair bit longer to be 100% sure. Ask yourself if you really are ready for the job if you need to ask the question to begin with?

If you're definitely going to be clean and stay clean from now on then I say good luck to you. It's not my (or other members of the forum) place to judge you.

BUT

Remember it's a serious business. You'll need your wits about you no matter what you're doing on the operational side of the railway. If you miss the tiniest thing, that's someone killed.

Just my thoughts. And as I say, best of luck to you provided you stay clean.

 

[ComUtoR]

Holy Jebus. It takes a few seconds nowadays to google anything.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_drug_testing#Urine_testing

Suffice to say, it is very doubtful you would fail a drugs test.

You will however, be required to declare it. There is along list of stuff you must declare. If you lie then you are committing fraud and at risk of losing your job in the long term and if you tell the truth then your putting your application at risk. Ether way it is not looking good unless you are less than honest on your form.

Irrespective of how anyone feels about drug usage, recreational or otherwise, it still has a consequence when you take them.

 

[tsr]

To give you an idea of how tricky and sensitive these tests are, when I got my current job I was asked if I needed to declare a number of perfectly legal substances which I might have taken in the past fortnight including, I kid you not, energy drinks and particularly sugary foods.

This was aside from being required to list a recent history of legal or illegal drugs, including day-to-day medicines ranging from painkillers to cough sweets, and an estimate of the last few times I'd drunk anything alcoholic...

This was a railway medical for a safety-critical job. (Nb. Luckily I have never had problems with drugs / alcohol, though it goes without saying that I wish good luck to all those trying to quit.)

So... I'd echo the advice above. Be honest, declare everything you're asked, and be aware that a failure will seriously impact your future railway career, for a few years at the very least.

 

[sw1ller]

Before I joined the railway (which was a urine test) I worked at G4S in the security vans (CViT). They used to do hair tests for drugs. Only company that have do it to be fair. Even the military just used urine tests.

So they do happen and I wish all companies did it if I'm honest.

 

[greatkingrat]

What would they do if you turned up to the medical with a shaved head?

 

[DarloRich]

To the Op - get clean or we don't want you. Sorry to be harsh but my life and the life of my colleagues relies on everyone in the chain being clean and reacting correctly when they see us on the track.

The rules are clear. Follow them.

What would they do if you turned up to the medical with a shaved head?

in a previous life i was involved in dealing with someone who had to be drug screened via a hair test. He shaved his head thinking he was very clever and could beat the test. The doctor was called and hair was removed from an intimate area. Painfully.

 

[NX]

Underarm hair can be used (I have a shaved head), arm or even leg hair.
Failing that imitate hair can also be used !

 

[DarloRich]

Underarm hair can be used (I have a shaved head), arm or even leg hair.
Failing that imitate hair can also be used !

this chap was not, shall we say, hirsute. He was also a notorious scrote and there certainly was some revenge in action

 

[Bromley boy]

A word to the wise in this thread; marijuana is not the worlds biggest problem, and there are bigger demons out there trying to get you. Taking out your precipitating anger out on someone who's being pretty up front about his concerns is fair and you should respect that. Pious comments do nothing to help anyone.

That's true, and I'm sure all posters on this thread are aware of that. I expect many have even dabbled themselves (myself included - I smoked the odd joint at uni, many years ago).

However it's certainly one of the "worlds biggest problems" in terms of a railway medical and I'm not sure someone who needs to query whether a hair or urine test is used for these purposes has quite reached the level of complete abstinence required.