If you’re an employee, what risk do you face by coming to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
The most obvious risk is that you’ll be caught and potentially lose your job, but that’s certainly not the only risk you face. Here are some more risks that you might not have considered:
- Employers obviously have legal obligations under the OHS Act’s duty of care provisions, but what’s less known is that employees do as well. The Act imposes a duty of care on all workers not to recklessly endanger other people within a workplace.
- Your workplace may have more specific rights and responsibilities that relate to drugs or alcohol, and consequences if you are caught under the influence.
- Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs puts your own safety at risk and the safety of others.
- Imagine if you were responsible for the death or serious injury of a co-worker, because you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol? First there are the legal consequences to consider, then there are the emotional. How will you cope knowing you were responsible for someone’s death or serious injury?
- It’s not just your safety at risk. Consider your health, particularly if your job is demanding. Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol puts you more at risk of dehydration, heat stress and other health concerns.
When you think about all the consequences of working under the influence of drug or alcohol, it’s really not worth it!
