Poppy seeds - warning for workers

Val

What I was thinking was that the results of the Angela Rippon's test was minute compared to the amount needed to give a positive result that failed and would lead to dismissal. Now even allowing for the fact that some poppy seeds are much more potent than others you would still have to eat a lot of poppy seeded bread to get you over that threshold.At the end of the day if you consume enough of something to put you over that limit, regardless of how innocently you got there you are still over the limit. I suppose the guy in question would have to take his employer to court but I am not sure on what basis that would take. I suppose the equivalent of someone having their drink in a pub spiked with more alcohol which took them over the drink drive limit. Whilst it is not their action that took them above the limit they as an individual are still responsible. I suppose the guy could always sue the bread company if sufficient warnings were not put on the packaging?

David

Absolutely terrible.  Wonder how accurate these tests are.  Surely eating poppy seed bread/cake, etc, should not send you sky high, but should be reading as a trace, and working at a firm, they should know what type of person they have working for them, especially if they've been there years.  I'm so glad I took early retirement to look after my hubby.  Its getting worse

I agree, having watched the programme, it was a tragedy that the person concerned lost his job, but talking to my OH, who used to work in safety on the rail network, his employers would have taken the same stance.  There are guidelines about what results mean but some employers apparently take the stance that any positive results may lead to dismissal.

I think the warning I posted was to alert everyone to the fact that seeded bread can cause positive results, and if anyone's children, friends, or relatives are ever likely to be tested then it makes sense to alert them.  One of my sons bakes bread, and sells it, and is now labelling any bread where he uses poppy seeds with a warning!