labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Here’s good news for employers and employees alike. Now, there is another weapon available now in the fight against drug and alcohol abuse at work. It’s the Hawaii Drug Free Workplace alliance.

Companies in the alliance use pre-hiring screening and random drug tests. OSHA – the Occupational Safety and Health Administration – does not require drug-free programs in the workplace. But such programs, according to the federal agency, enhance safety at work and protect businesses from losses.

That’s because employee drug and alcohol abuse comes with a high price tag. And it’s avoidable. Some of the obvious costs are errors, accidents, and higher absenteeism. But there are less obvious problems as well, including bad morale and greater rates of illness. Most of the deadly car accidents related to work, says OSHA, are as a result of alcohol and drug abuse.

According to OSHA, workplace programs, especially those that include drug testing, must be reasonable. They must respect employees’ privacy rights while educating them about the dangers and urging those with issues of alcohol and drug abuse to seek rehabilitation help.

The Hawaii Drug Free Workplace Alliance is a clear example of the federal government’s dedication to working in a cooperative effort with management and labor – both unions and contractor associations – to fight a problem that is a danger to workers and costly to businesses.

OSHA describes the programs as complements to the other efforts toward workplace health and safety, thus contributing to the value of businesses. It is not mandatory, however, for businesses to participate in the Hawaii Drug Free Workplace Alliance.

Drug and alcohol abuse are avoidable dangers in the workplace, according to OSHA, which stresses that programs like the Alliance can enhance the safety of workers while protecting businesses from loss. It strongly backs drug free workplace plans like the Alliance, and notes it is particularly valuable in work places, which are considered safety-sensitive – like those where machinery is being operated.

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