Managing drug and alcohol risks in the workplace

Drug and alcohol risk should be assessed under the organisation's WHS framework, with controls calibrated to the actual risk profile of the work.

Generic programs designed for high-risk environments are not always appropriate for lower-risk work; equally, programs designed for office environments may not be sufficient for safety-critical work. The starting point is a risk assessment specific to the organisation's actual operations.

A clear policy supported by a WHS rationale is the foundation. Testing programs, where used, should be designed against the policy rather than imposed on top of it.

Testing programs work best when they are explained in advance, applied consistently, supported by a clear consequence framework, and connected to support pathways. Testing without those supporting elements is rarely effective.

Procedural fairness — notice, response and consistent treatment — applies whether the concern arises from observation, testing or report.

The response should distinguish between concerns about fitness for work in the moment and concerns about ongoing patterns. Each requires a different process, and conflating them tends to produce decisions that do not stand up to later review.

Support pathways and confidentiality controls should be designed into the program from the start. They are part of the control environment, not an add-on.

Employees who know that disclosure carries support rather than only consequence are more likely to engage early. That early engagement is one of the most effective controls available — and depends on the support and confidentiality framework being credible.

Policies, training, decisions and outcomes should be documented in a way that allows the program to be assured periodically.

Assurance should test whether the program is operating as designed — consistency of application, completion of training, handling of individual matters — rather than only whether documentation exists.