Alcohol and Drug Policy Development

Drugs (illicit, prescription, or over-the-counter) and alcohol can affect a worker's ability to safely perform their work. In addition to a ‘duty of care’ on the part of both the worker and the organization, there may be specific industry regulations relating to drug and alcohol.

It is best for organizations to have a proactive drug and alcohol policy in place, rather than addressing drug and alcohol incidents after the event. The policy should be designed with input from employee representatives, human resources, and legal counsel, and should be clearly communicated to all workers. The policy should be reasonable and fair to all employees, must consider human rights and privacy laws, and must withstand legal challenges.

Key challenges in the design and implantation of an effective drug and alcohol policy are to:

• Characterize workers’ operational risk (e.g. safety-sensitive positions), including senior management (e.g. decision-critical positions)
• Promptly assess and manage operational risk from prescription drug use
• Clearly describe protocols for drug and alcohol testing and the interpretation of results
• Educate workers and managers about their policy expectations and responsibilities
• Specify actions to be taken for positive test results and consequences of a policy violation
• Access substance use assessment and recovery programs and support a worker’s safe and successful return to work