Why Have a Drug and Alcohol Policy
Some effects of drug and alcohol misuse are more obvious than others. Drug and alcohol obviously causes damage to the users health and can cost the employer through poor attendance or diminished productivity. However, it also increases the risks of work-related accidents.
Under The Transport and Works Act 1992, it is a criminal offence for employees to be unfit for their occupation due to drugs and/or alcohol. As an employer, you could be responsible and thus guilty of the offence unless you prove that you have a comprehensive policy that aims to stop such offences being committed. In other words, you must implement and maintain a compliant drug and alcohol policy in your organisation to avoid being implicated in the actions of your employees.
Alcohol
For many people, alcohol is an affirmative part of life, used to celebrate and unwind. Unfortunately, alcohol can have negative effects on an employee’s workplace performance and even increases the risks of accidents at work. In order to guarantee that your employees and your reputation is safe, it’s essential to implement a fair and equitable alcohol policy. It’s important to include topics such as:
• Employee drinking limit expectations
• How chronic drinking problems will be recognized and at what point does the organisation step-in and determine if the problem is a health or discipline problem
• How the company will help the employee
• How frequently will there be drug/alcohol testing
Why Should My Company Have a Drug and Alcohol Policy?
Regardless if you have a global company or a small brick-and-mortar shop, you can take practical steps to reduce your risks of being associated with workplace substance abuse. It’s not expensive but not taking these steps can be expensive. From a legal, responsible and professional standpoint, it is important to have a drug and alcohol policy, even if you do not expect substance abuse.
Many organisations believe that the first step is to initially conduct drug and alcohol screening but it is not. The first step is to have a policy and procedures in place and make sure that all existing and potential employees understand the policy through training, education and support.
We can help you with all aspects of the policy creation and execution process. From the initial consultation to the policy writing, staff training and education and the testing services. We have a trained team and expert partners that can aid you through the Employment and Health & Safety Law in addition to helping you define your company’s stance on drug and alcohol use.