With the availability of drugs and alcohol increasing worldwide, the issue of alcohol and drugs found in the workplace has been on the rise. Companies and business owners can prevent substance abuse in the workplace by providing strict alcohol and drug policies. This policy includes frequent alcohol and drug testing to help mediate employee substance abuse before, during and after working hours. Moreover, an individual under the influence of drugs or alcohol would most likely affect their behaviour and awareness. It drastically affects their performance and the safety of everyone within the work environment. This reason alone is why companies try their best to prevent employees from having drug and alcohol abuse issues, as it directly reflects their efficiency. Furthermore, accurate devices like the workplace breathalysers from Breathalysers Australia, can help companies with more frequent and reliable alcohol testing in the workplace.
Alcohol and Drugs Found in the Workplace: How Can it Affect the Work Environment?
Companies would often view alcohol and drugs found in the workplace as viable threats to their business. This threat can easily disrupt the efficiency and safety of all their employees. It could mean that there may be an employee or a set of employees under the influence of drugs or alcohol that are working undetected. Thus, it drastically affects the company’s productivity resulting in increased costs and fewer profits. An employee with impaired judgment can disrupt the workflow and endanger all of their colleagues in the workplace. Hence, it is no longer safe for anybody to work in. In addition, companies with alcohol and drugs found in the workplace could be dealing with employees that have issues with:
- Increased absenteeism and tardiness
- High turnovers
- Poor work performance due to hangovers, withdrawal or sleepiness
- Poor decision making due to impaired brain functions
- Loss of efficiency due to impaired motor functions
- Lower morale due to the increased likelihood of inter-personnel and employer conflicts
- Illegal activities such as selling illicit substances to other co-workers
Alcohol and Drugs Found in the Workplace: Drug and Alcohol Testing
Upon having problems with alcohol and drugs found in the workplace, a company should immediately start a companywide drug and alcohol test. Fixing the issue as soon as possible makes it more likely for a company to resume a safer and more productive working day. Take a construction company, for example, one that operates in heavy machinery and tools. It cannot risk continuing its current line of work, especially when there is a chance that an employee might dose off at any moment during working hours. Safety-critical industries like that should always have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to substance abuse. Still, it is a good practice for any company or business that wants to maintain a safe and healthy working environment. Furthermore, there are many kinds of drug and alcohol testing that may prove to be helpful for any company to implement.
Kinds of Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing
- Random testing – Unannounced drug and alcohol testing. This testing can identify any current employees that have substance abuse.
- Blanket testing – drug and alcohol testing where all employees within the company are tested in a single group event.
- ‘For cause’ or targeted testing – drug and alcohol testing when an employer has reasonable suspicion that an employee has substance abuse problems.
- Pre-employment testing – drug and alcohol testing wherein employers test applicants during the hiring process. This testing would ensure that would-be employees would not have this issue before getting hired.
- Post-accident/ incident testing – drug and alcohol testing workers after an accident or incident has occurred in the workplace.
- Post-positive result testing – drug and alcohol testing wherein an employee who has previously tested positive must test negative for substance abuse before being allowed to return to work.
- Rehabilitation testing – drug and alcohol testing employees who are currently undergoing, or have recently completed, rehabilitation treatment for substance abuse.
- Voluntary testing – drug and alcohol testing wherein employees voluntarily elect to be tested for substance abuse on their own accord.
Alcohol and Drugs Found in the Workplace: Importance of a Workplace Drug and Alcohol Policy
The best way to tackle issues revolving around alcohol and drugs found in the workplace will always be prevention. Frequent drug and alcohol testing on employees may help discourage use in most cases. However, just conducting drug and alcohol testing is not enough. Employers and business owners must implement a comprehensive workplace drug and alcohol policy. A workplace drug and alcohol policy includes all procedures regarding the company’s rules and regulations regarding drug and alcohol use and abuse in the workplace. Consequently, drug and alcohol testing in the workplace should be under this policy. Moreover, it is also helpful to outline the company’s goals with regard to substance abuse in the workplace. It helps employers and employees see eye-to-eye on the company’s workplace drug and alcohol policy. After all, the primary goal of the policy should always be workplace health and safety.
Advantages of a Workplace Drug and Alcohol Policy
- Employees have clear and concise guidance on what they can and can’t do.
- Employees know what company support is available and which disciplinary procedures apply.
- Employers have clear goals regarding how to conduct procedures that they can follow.
- A workplace drug and alcohol policy can raise awareness. It can encourage employees to take action to correct any problems they have themselves. This can include investing in a BACtrack personal breathalyser at Breathalysers Australia to check themselves for alcohol consumption.
- Preventing substance abuse in the workplace can lead to reduced illness and employee turnover. Thus, increasing productivity.
- It reduces the risk of your employees driving or operating dangerous equipment while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
- The policy helps employers meet legal responsibilities for health, safety and employee welfare.
Furthermore, the law legally requires companies to provide all employees with a safe and healthy working environment, especially if they are dealing with alcohol and drugs found in the workplace.
BACtrack Workplace Breathalysers at Breathalysers Australia
When dealing with alcohol and drugs found in the workplace, frequent testing as part of a workplace policy is the best solution. Therefore, investing in cost-effective, accurate and efficient equipment to conduct tests is a must. The BACtrack workplace breathalysers at Breathalysers Australia are high-quality breath testing devices suited especially for workplace use. These devices have advanced fuel cell sensors that are police-grade accurate. Moreover, the sensors only detect ethyl alcohol in breath samples. This makes alcohol testing using BACtrack devices less likely to give ‘false-positive’ results. Furthermore, these devices have the ‘one-button’ operation feature, making it easy for anyone to perform. Lastly, BACtrack devices only take about 10 to 15 seconds to process results. Thus, making it an ideal device for frequent and reliable alcohol breath testing in the workplace.
