A chemical company is to introduce random alcohol and drugs testing for all its staff next year.

Ciba Speciality Chemicals - formally Allied Colloids at Low Moor - will be the first chemical company in West Yorkshire to introduce the policy.

A spokesman for rival chemical company AH Marks and Co Ltd, in Wyke Lane, said it had no plans to introduce a similar scheme for its employees.

Ciba staff will be asked to provide urine samples at a purpose- built centre on the site, which will be examined by London-based specialists Medscreen.

The results will be given to the company's doctor, who will discuss the situation with the employee.

Management say they do not know whether there is a problem with substance abuse in the firm that employs up to 2,000 people. But they say it is a matter of health and safety for all employees.

Human resources manager Rodney Swailes said: "The results will give us a clear indication if there is a problem. We are not looking to cut down on members of staff.

We spend a lot of time investing in our workers and anyone found to be positive will be helped to overcome a problem.

"It is not a question of being sacked just if there is a positive result. We will look at all the circumstances," he said.

From next month until December staff can volunteer to be tested. Then in January 1999, workers will have to give a urine sample if the company has "reasonable grounds," following an accident or if there is a change in a staff members behaviour, work or appearance.

In April, unannounced testing will be implemented.

Occupational health and hygiene manager Peter Bull said 10 per cent of the workforce will be tested in the first year of the enforcement.

He said the results would be monitored and assessed to determine the level, if any, of substance misuse among staff.

The idea has been developed in-house for almost two years. Staff have been widely consulted.

Thousands of employees have submitted questions on the new policy with their concerns.

Union General Municipal Boilerworkers spokesman Bill Chard said he was now more relaxed about the policy but he said it would be closely monitored.

"We just hope that there will be no heavy-handed treatment of employees, but we will not be able to assess this until it begins next year," he said.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.