Should I report my suspicions?

[MaryRoze]

I'll preface this by saying I don't like this guy- he's a lazy bastard. I'm trying not to let this cloud my judgement though.

We have a contractor who I suspect is coming to work under the influence. He's frequently late, sometimes looks absolutely terrible, disappears multiple times during the day. I brought this up with his boss and he agreed to give him his notice to leave. So, he's leaving end of September/beginning of October anyway.

During the course of this conversation with his boss, he made just an off-handed comment "I think he's a drinker".

I didn't think anything of it until I heard him wretching/throwing up in the bathroom on Friday. Now I'm adding 2 + 2 and coming up with 5.

We've got a zero tolerance drug and alcohol policy, and this contractor is going to be responsible for a huge high risk operation in a few days time. If something goes wrong / he hasn't planned it properly due to being under the influence, this could end in fatalities.

What do I do?

YABU - he's leaving anyway. double check his plan for the high risk activity and let him get on with it.

YANBU - this is too dangerous to ignore. report.

So based on your suspicions he’s being sacked in 3 weeks, yet he’s taking on a huge, important project which could result in deaths if he makes a mistake?
Hmmmm ok

He's not being sacked based on my suspicions. He's being sacked because he's constantly late / disappearing / a lazy bastard. I haven't raised my suspicions with anyone yet.

He has been working on the project since April. In a few days time he has to organise a high risk activity. He's more than capable of doing it (otherwise he wouldn't be here), but now I'm concerned he might be under the influence and at higher risk of making mistakes.

The project has to continue regardless of whether he has been sacked or not. He's working his notice, and his replacement starts in October.

So you have a person who is responsible for a high risk activity which, if not planned properly, can result in death and you can’t figure out if you need to report him without MN’s advice? Well, if something does go wrong you will both be responsible.

Might be any number of chronic illnesses that could be effecting his sleep, and digestion.

Well that's exactly it. I have no proof that the vomiting and being late is because he's drinking.

We can't sideline the project. It has to continue. I'll be supervising the activity. I'm asking whether I should report my suspicions or not.

This.

It’s not sensible for someone to be in charge of an important project that is being delivered during their notice period after they’ve been sacked.

OP, what difference would reporting your suspicions make? Would this contractor be replaced immediately with someone who can do the work? If so, just do that.

I'd report it in writing. This about what happens if something does go wrong and you've done nothing. Report what you know. You don't know he is drinking but XYZ are making you concerned.

We've got a zero tolerance drug and alcohol policy, and this contractor is going to be responsible for a huge high risk operation in a few days time. If something goes wrong / he hasn't planned it properly due to being under the influence, this could end in fatalities.

So he's been given notice and some donkey in your organisation is still letting him be responsible.

You obviously work for a bunch of muppets.

Is there not someone else within the project that can take the lead on this ? If someone's contract is not being renewed because of these concerns, its not usual for them to continue in a highly responsible position for their notice.

Its his manager and your responsibility to ensure he completed this safely, do practically what you need to do.

We can't sideline the project. It has to continue. I'll be supervising the activity. I'm asking whether I should report my suspicions or not.

If you are supervising, why do you need to ask a bunch of randoms what you should do?

Surely you have the ability to figure out what you need to do.

Yes you do need to report your suspicions. What if something bad happens?

I'm going to supervise the activity in a few weeks to ensure nothing goes wrong. I don't have the capacity to supervise the whole thing.

I'm leaning heavily towards report, but if I'm wrong this might potentially harm his chances of getting another job in future.

This is why gardening leave exists. Your company should have some one else involved, You’ll all be up for manslaughter charges if it goes wrong.