Drug use in the workplace

Staying drug-safe at work

By Staff Writers - Government News

Continued recreational drug use in Australia presents an urgent challenge for local governments to show leadership to ensure all their staff have a safe workplace, according to testing expert Michael White.
A recent United Nations report on worldwide drug use showed that, per capita, Australia has the highest rates of dangerous and illicit drug use in the world. In effect, Australians are the world’s highest users of Ecstasy, Ice and Cannabis, and many of those drug-using Australians work in local government jobs.
The variety of potentially dangerous roles carried out by local government employees is of significant concern to Michael White, who says that local governments need to get serious about drugs in the workplace, and develop procedures and protocols to ensure local government worksites are drug-safe.
“Council workers are driving trucks, operating heavy machinery, in charge of roadside mowers, bulldozers or forklifts and who are impaired by drugs are not only putting themselves at risk, but are also seriously endangering their co-workers and communities around them,” said Michael.
Many local governments and councils are now working towards creating a drug-safe workplace based upon education and workplace screening. So why is this important to government and council workers, what are the benefits of a drug-safe workplace, and what does being drug-safe actually mean?

Firstly let’s look at some key facts about alcohol and other drugs in the workplace:

• 25 per cent of workplace accidents are drug related;
• 10 per cent of workplace deaths are drug related;
• Almost 70 per cent of drug users are in full time employment; and
• 80 per cent of workplace drug-related injuries involve co-workers or bystanders not drug users.

The laws

Under Occupational Health and Safety laws all government employers have a duty of care to their employees. The legislation varies from state to state but the principles remain the same: an employer must provide and maintain a working environment that is safe without risks to health and safety, as well as monitor the health and safety of all employees.
Under the same legislation employees must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others.  In effect, that means both employers and employees should not be affected by drugs or alcohol in a way that puts others at risk.

Drugs in the workplace

A working environment can be viewed as a snapshot of the wider community. Drugs that are consumed recreationally, often at weekends or after work, are more often than not transported to the workplace, not always knowingly. Many people think that consuming alcohol or using drugs out of work hours is private business.  Not true, said Michael, when the effects can have profound ramifications on workplace safety.
“Many illicit drugs have effects that can last for many hours, even days and although workers can be using alcohol or drugs in private, many are still turning up to work many hours later impaired by hangovers or with drugs in their system,” said Michael.
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MediNat Australia comment:

This is very serious picture of the Australian Workplace.
If you have employees, no matter what industry you have a duty of care!
If you don't have drug testing in place, you are placing your employees and your organisation at risk.

Contact a drug testing company or an onsite testing company to assist you with your drug and alcohol testing requirements.

MediNat Australia