Radio | News week in plain Finnish | Saturday 14.6.2025

Workplace alcohol testing

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Workplace alcohol testing

This week’s news topic is workplace alcohol testing.

Some workplaces have begun testing employees’ leisure alcohol consumption.

The test has come as a surprise to many employees. Testing for recreational alcohol use is a concern for employee organizations.

We will now tell you more about employee alcohol testing.

Seven v-sample tubes in a rack.

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The PEth test is performed on a blood sample. Photo: Heikki Rönty / Yle

PEth test

The PEth test has been introduced in occupational health inspections. The test is performed on a blood sample.

The PEth test tells you whether a person has consumed a lot of alcohol in the previous weeks.

Heavy and prolonged alcohol use can show up in the test up to 4 weeks later.

Tests have been conducted in the construction and transportation industries, for example. Tests have also been conducted in office work.

Employee organizations

Alcohol testing has surprised people. People have gone for a workplace health check, but they didn’t know that a blood sample is also tested for alcohol use.

That is why labor organizations are concerned about this issue.

The Finnish Confederation of Trade Unions (SAK) has been notified of dozens of cases in which employees only found out about the test afterwards.

The matter has been resolved after the employee was sanctioned due to the test result.

A person’s work has been suspended and even their wages have been stopped due to heavy alcohol consumption.

The Automotive and Transport Workers’ Association (AKT) also says that alcohol tests have led to, for example, a driving ban or unpaid leave or even dismissal.

![Beer doctrine in hand.](https://images.cdn.yle.fi/image/upload/c_crop,h_3031,w_5390,x_0,y_295/ar_1.777777777777777 7,c_fill,g_faces,h_431,w_767/dpr_1.0/q_auto:eco/f_auto/fl_lossy/v1730320240/39-128727666489a0730e2a)

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Heavy alcohol use can show up in the test up to 4 weeks later. Photo: Mikko Koski / Yle

Basics

The employers’ organization EK defends alcohol tests.

EK’s medical expert Auli Rytivaara says that alcohol testing is an important way to prevent accidents.

The test helps identify situations where an employee’s health may not be sufficient for safe work.

For example, the health of professional drivers must be checked regularly.

Rytivaara says that alcohol tests should not be performed on people randomly.

Tests should be part of regular occupational health monitoring.

Repetition

The topic of the news week was workplace alcohol tests, or PEth tests.

In Finland, occupational health inspections have begun to examine people’s alcohol consumption during leisure time.

There are tests in the construction and transportation sectors, for example. The rationale is that the tests increase occupational safety.

Employee organizations are concerned about the situation because it is new and surprising.

This was a news week in plain Finnish. See you again, let’s hear from you!