Workplace drug testing and alcohol policy in Italy; there is still a long way to go

The effectiveness of workplace drug testing (WDT) in Italy has recently been questioned, while very little is known about the real consumption of alcoholic beverages among workers performing hazardous jobs, such as professional drivers (PDs). The aim of this study is to investigate the modality and frequency of WDT execution and of alcohol consumption in the above category. Anonymous questionnaires were used to collect information. Four hundred and ninety-seven questionnaires were collected; 50.1% declared that they know well in advance when they will be subjected to screening tests for drugs, while 19.5% claimed they have never been subjected to such a test. The greater the number of employees in a company, the greater the likelihood that the tests are performed with a genuinely surprise effect [odds ratio (OR) 2.41, 5.39 and 9.07, respectively, for businesses with 5-14 employees, 15-50 and more than 50, compared with companies with less than 5 employees, p < 0.01]. Twenty-one point four percent declared they drink alcoholic beverages during working hours or work breaks. This attitude is positively correlated with driver seniority [OR 1.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.11 p < 0.01] and is more common in those who operate on mainly international routes (OR 3.34 CI 1.30-8.59 p < 0.01) and only occasionally consume meals in restaurants (OR 4.27, CI 1.19-15.42 p < 0.05). Fifteen percent of the participants have an AUDIT C score ≥ 5. In conclusion WDT is largely ineffective, particularly in small businesses. The high percentage of PDs who claim to drink during working hours and who are hazardous drinkers requires a further strengthening of prevention strategies in this area.