Why develop a policy and supporting procedures?

Why develop a policy and supporting procedures?

There are a number of reasons why it may be appropriate to develop a workplace policy on alcohol
and other drugs. These include:
• meeting the general 'duty of care' obligations — an employer could be found in breach of
their 'duty of care' obligations to provide a safe workplace free from hazards if injury or harm
occurs as a result of alcohol and/or other drug use;
• preventing uncertainty when situations arise — without a clear policy and supporting
procedures in place it may be difficult to deal with certain situations when they arise, for
example dealing with a worker impaired by alcohol and/or other drugs at the workplace;
• demonstrating management commitment to a safe workplace and informing workers
and others on acceptable behaviour — having a policy also provides a means of informing
workers and other people at the workplace about acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in
relation to alcohol and other drug use; and
• facilitating peer support — the workplace is an ideal place to run effective alcohol and other
drug prevention programs because the peer support network at a workplace can be used to
shape behaviour. Policies that facilitate some peer involvement may be useful, as peers can
pick up changes in behaviour and assist in cultural changes. Workers also have a better chance
of recovery from alcohol problems if they can continue working.
It may be good practice to have a policy, even if alcohol and other drugs do not pose a current
risk at a workplace. However, all workplace safety and health policies, including those on alcohol
and other drugs, should be prioritised according to the hazards and assessed level of risk at the
workplace.


What should happen if there is no policy or procedure to deal with a worker impaired
by alcohol and/or other drugs?
Where an issue arises and there is no policy or procedures at the workplace, consideration
should be given to consulting human resources staff and/or people with appropriate expertise
and, where applicable, the relevant employer organisation and union.
To avoid confusion and uncertainty when situations arise, it is strongly recommended that
workplace alcohol and other drugs policies and procedures, developed in consultation with
workers and safety and health representatives, where they exist, are in place. The steps set
out in this section and section 2.3.2 may be helpful.