The number of firms testing workers for drugs has doubled in a decade, claims a report by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

One in eight companies tests staff for drugs and four out of five bosses would be prepared to test their employees if they felt productivity was at stake, the TUC found.

But the TUC believes companies are being over-zealous in their drug testing. The report criticised employer attitudes to drug testing as haphazard and called for all firms to draw up a policy on drug and alcohol use. At present, drug testing in the workplace is unregulated.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “No one is suggesting that it is acceptable to be high or drunk at work but staff who may have drink or related problems need help, not disciplinary action. A policy for identifying symptoms and a programme for dealing with employees’ drug and drink problems is far more effective than random testing.”