labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Although businesses aren’t required to establish drug-free workplaces, the Connecticut Drug Free Workplace Alliance hopes that they will. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA, has formed an alliance to work with unions and contractor associations. The focus of this alliance is to protect workers by encouraging businesses to create drug-free workplaces. 

Alcohol and drug abuse problems in the workplaces can really cost employers. For instance, employees with abuse problems may miss more work. They also may make more mistakes and have more accidents. In fact, OSHA maintains that the majority of fatal workplace auto accidents involved abuse or either alcohol or drugs. 

To help keep both their employees and their businesses safe, employers can start by educating employees on the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. They also can help employees who have problems by encouraging them to take advantage of available help. Many companies also use both pre-employment drug testing and random testing to help create a drug-free workplace. 

Employers need to take five steps if they want to use a comprehensive approach when creating a drug-free workforce. The first step is to formulate a policy. After that, supervisors need to be trained on the policy. Next, employees need to be educated on the policy and the dangers of abuse. Following that, employers need to establish some form of assistance for employees with alcohol or drug problems. Finally, although they need to consider the privacy of employees, employers should establish an approach toward drug testing.

OSHA feels that abuse problems in the workplace are avoidable. When employers create drug-free workplaces, they not only improve their own businesses, they also help strengthen the nation. Maintaining a drug-free workforce is very important, especially in businesses where dangerous machinery is involved. Employers need to make certain that employees aren’t impaired by alcohol or drugs when operating such machinery.

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