How to ensure you have a compliant Drug and Alcohol Policy in place

It would be accurate to say that most business’s do not have a compliant Drug and Alcohol policy and procedure in place. Many have a paragraph or two in their employment packs stating that Drug and Alcohol are not permitted in the workplace, which is common sense, but if you want to act upon a suspicion and or test your employees then a few paragraphs simply does not cut it and or protect you as the employer from an unfair dismissal.

A policy statement re Drug and Alcohol is exactly that, a statement. Employers are expected to have a procedure setting out to how it will manage the risks of Drugs and Alcohol in their workplace, addressing some of the examples below:  

• How and when the employees can be tested.
• What you are testing for.
• How are you going to test employees?
• Who is going to test employees?
• What happens if they test positive?
• What happens if employees refuse a test? And the list goes on.

We often come across companies that don’t want to advertise they are having their workers tested, they feel that this is a negative reflection and a stigma rather than seeing this a benefit and something to be proud of. Being a Drug Safe Workplace is very appealing to potential employees and potential business partners to name just a couple. Another intangible aspect is that is you advertise this fact when recruiting and ask the potential employee to have a pre-employment drug test prior to joining, you can potentially avoid a problem employee from joining your business, potentially saving thousands of dollars in training and replacement costs if they leave due to a drug habit.

Drug-Safe Workplaces provide a certified Drug-Safe Workplace program. By having the certified program on your website telegraphs to everyone that you meet the criteria in having a robust and dynamic drug and alcohol policy.  It also sets out that your business have a policy ‘roll-out’ and education program and a regular testing program in place conducted by an accredited Drug-Safe Workplaces employee. We always ensure that you are up to date with changes in legislation and or new standards and provide annual audit compliance review. If your organisation is tendering for a contract, advertising for new staff, or just want everyone to know you are meeting a high-quality standard framework, this certification program will work for you!

Drug-Safe Workplaces will work with you and your business to create a Drug-Safe Workplace. We will not only work for you we will work and partner with you, taking away the extra task of managing the risks associated in managing the risks of Drug and Alcohol in your workplace.

If you would like to find out more about how Drug Safe Workplaces can assist you and your business in this complicated area give us a call on 1300 546 105 or email us using the link below.

Andy Truscott, Director Drug-Safe Workplaces (DSW) Gold Coast and Tweed Heads