Steps to undertake to develop a workplace alcohol and other drugs policy

Steps to undertake to develop a workplace alcohol and other drugs
policy

The following steps may assist in developing a policy at the workplace.
i) Establish a representative group to formulate and implement the policy
The group established to oversee development of the policy should include workers’
representatives, safety and health representatives, where they exist, and management
representatives. The more diverse and encompassing the range of people involved, the more
likely that the policy will be viewed as relevant and appropriate.
An existing safety and health committee could be used to develop the policy or a specific
working group could be formed. In some cases, it may be beneficial for larger companies to
establish a steering committee to oversee the development of the policy and the associated
implementation program.
The group should clarify its task to ensure clear objectives. Adequate resources should be
provided to enable the group's objective to be carried out.
ii) Develop the policy through consultation with all workers
The policy should be developed through an open, participatory process. Consideration may
also be given to consulting employee and employer organisations. Effective communication
strategies that ensure regular consultation and feedback to workers should be adopted. This
approach will give workers a sense of ownership of the policy, making it more likely to be
accepted and followed at the workplace.
Consultation may include the following steps:
• develop procedures and a timetable for implementation of the policy commencing with an
education program;
• develop a preliminary draft policy and have it reviewed by the representative group
overseeing its development;
• seek feedback on a draft policy from all at the workplace who may be affected by its
operation. Where appropriate, feedback received should be incorporated into the document;
• present a draft policy to the safety and health committee, where one exists, for its
consideration;

• present a final draft policy to management for endorsement;
• distribute the endorsed policy to all workers and people at the workplace; and
• where practicable, ensure the policy is readily available, for example on the company
noticeboard or intranet.
As there may be some disagreement about the significance of the effect of alcohol and other drugs
on safety, consultation and input from all at the workplace may assist with acceptance of a policy,
especially one that includes some element of drug testing.