IT was a concern that disaster might strike, rather than a singular incident, that led local importer Butterfied & Vallis to initiate its zero tolerance on drugs initiative.

According to company president Jim Butterfield, that very real possibility led him to spearhead a decision he doesn't regret to this day.

"We realised there was a lot of illness," he said. "There was one guy, who doesn't work here any more, who we thought had health problems but when we got to the bottom of it, we found his problems were self-inflicted.

"We have 35 trucks on the road. We realised if we started testing after someone died, it would be too late. And we realised that you can't just test the drivers, you have to do everyone. As far as I know, other than the Bermuda Electric Light Company, we're the only company to do it. I can't understand why more businesses aren't."

Initially, said Mr. Butterfield (pictured) , he was even met with some resistance in his own company.

"Some of our company's directors argued that after 5 or 6 o'clock in the evening, (employees) were entitled to do whatever they liked. And to a degree, that's true. But we feel that we get a better calibre of person working here (this way).

"We're able to try and resolve issues through counselling and professional help although there were a couple of people - good people - who, because they didn't want to change their lifestyle, we had to let them go."

The company didn't stop there. While many refuse to hire people who test positive for drugs and/or alcohol, Butterfield & Vallis agreed to take such people on, provided they agreed to proper counselling and therapy to end the addiction. As a result, company productivity has improved and the change the policy has made to some people's lives has been remarkable.

"We found, with drug testing, that we could find a better calibre of (employees)," he explained. "We don't put people out on the street. We try and keep them employed, although if it's necessary, we change the job that they do.

"And (when hiring) rather than finding out about their drug use three months down the road, when they come to the door, they know immediately that they will be tested before they are employed. We have had some success in changing the way people live their lives.

"I spoke with someone from one of the banks - I won't say which one - and they said they were waiting until the other one began (screening) before they went ahead. It would be great if the whole society would say, 'If we pay to keep people employed and offer them therapy, we all benefit.'

"I'm happy we did it. I have no regrets."