Would YOU pass this binge-drinking test? Bosses should test their employees to check whether alcohol is affecting their work, campaigners warn

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Employees should be tested to see if they have alcohol problems which could be affecting their work, campaigners have warned.
A quarter of Britain's workforce is drinking at a dangerous level  - putting their health at risk, costing the economy £7.3billion a year, and leading to 17 million lost work days, they say.
Don Shenker, founder of the Alcohol Health Network, said that workers should take a 'self-awareness test' to show if they have a potential drink problem  - and warned that many would be surprised by the results.
How do you score? Take this quiz to ascertain if you have a drinking problem - noting the number score given to your answer from 0-4.  An overall score of 0-7 indicates a lower risk of dependency, 8-15 is classed as an increased risk, 16-19 indicates a higher risk and 20+ indicates possible dependence. (Source: World Health Organisation)

The programme called AUDIT –  Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - asks people questions such as how often they drink, how many units they consume and about the feelings they experienced after, such as guilt or remorse. 
The score is then collated and ranked in four brackets - from 'lower risk' of harm to 'possible dependence' on alcohol.

Writing on the British Medical Journal’s website, bmj.com, Mr Shenker said if test takers find themselves in the highest bracket, they should then be given advice and help to control the problem. 
Mr Shenker told MailOnline: 'People often don't realise how much they are drinking - and when they take the test, it can be a bit of a shock.
'Around a quarter of people who take the test find they are drinking at an increasingly risky level.'
He added: 'Offering staff confidential use of AUDIT – and brief advice as a self-awareness initiative at work, whether through face to face interactions or leaflets – may well help prevent problems with alcohol at an earlier stage.

Employees should be tested to see if they have alcohol problems which could be affecting their work, campaigners have warned

This NHS poster shows the amount of units alcoholic drinks contain

'In this way, staff who may be concerned about their drinking or whose level of drinking is not yet apparent to them, can assess the risks their drinking poses to their health and take appropriate action.
'Reducing hazardous drinking also reduces the risk of dependent drinking occurring.'
He said: 'Employers need also to be convinced of the business case for prevention rather than cure... that it is ultimately more cost effective to prevent and reduce harmful drinking in the general working population, compared with the costs of managing dependent drinking among a minority of staff.'
He said that there had long been a 'workplace culture of mixing alcohol with off duty relaxation and stress management' and that it remains as strong as ever in the UK’s private and public sectors.
But he warned heavy drinkers risked the sack if it got out of hand.
He added: 'Employers can help staff get the ­balance right while also contributing to a general reduction in alcohol related harms and costs to society.'

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