Drug and alcohol testing as vital as ever
Should you be concerned about drugs and alcohol in your Tasmanian workplace?
While it might be easy to set aside questions like this in the face of COVID-19, it’s important to remember that at all times, as a business owner or manager, you have an obligation to protect your employees and others in your workplace. Workplace health and safety laws require business to, as much as is reasonably practicable, provide and maintain a workplace without risk to health and safety.
So, to answer the question in the opening paragraph, if your workplace is one where there are health and safety risks, yes, you should be concerned and you should do something about it.
Other reasons you should manage alcohol and other drugs in your Tasmanian workplace
- Alcohol and drugs can negatively impact safety, productivity and employee health in any workplace.
- Around 9% of employees in Australia have admitted drinking alcohol while at work.
- Excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs has been linked to a wide variety of issues in the workplace, including accidents, injuries, violence, social isolation and health problems.
- Possession and use of illicit drugs is illegal, and the use of these drugs in the workplace is simply unacceptable and can’t be condoned.
Worksafe Tasmania has some excellent resources on their website that look at the issues of drug and alcohol use in the workplace and lays out some actions you should consider to protect your business. These can include:
- Developing a drug and alcohol policy for your workplace.
- Identifying and addressing factors in your business that could be contributing to the inappropriate use of alcohol or drugs.
- Educating your employees of the risks involved with drugs and alcohol, in general and in the work environment.
- Providing support for employees needing help with drugs or alcohol.
- Conducting drug and alcohol testing in your workplace in Tasmania. This can include pre-employment drug and alcohol testing, random testing and testing following accidents or near miss incidents.
Apart from Worksafe Tasmania, there is another organisation you can turn to in Tasmania for help with drug and alcohol management. Integrity Sampling can help you develop a workplace drug and alcohol policy, help educate your workforce, including management and employees, and conduct drug and alcohol testing in your workplace.
Integrity Sampling has three branches across Tasmania, including Hobart, Devonport and Launceston. Phone us on 1300 SALIVA or go to our contact page to submit a form to find out more information on our services.
IMAGE CAPTION:
If your workplace in Tasmania is safety-focussed, you do have an obligation to manage drugs and alcohol, which can include drug and alcohol testing. Credit Martin Brochhaus https://www.flickr.com/photos/mbrochh/4381171577/
