labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Creating a Rhode Island Drug Free Workplace is important to most employers who want to battle alcohol and drug abuse in the workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA, feels employers can take steps to keep their businesses safe from drug and alcohol abuse.

The Rhode Island Drug Free Workplace Alliance highlights the importance unions, contractor organizations, and the federal government place on creating a workplace void of drug and alcohol abuse. Working together, the goal of these organizations is to protect the health and safety of employees.

To create a drug-free workplace, employers need to take five steps. Step one is to create a policy concerning drug and alcohol abuse. Step two is to train supervisors on the company’s policy. Step three is to educate employees on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace. Step four is for the employers to offer help to employees who have drug and alcohol problems. Step five is to test employees for drugs. 

Naturally, each of the five steps needs to consider the privacy rights of employees. OSHA does not require employers to establish a drug-free workplace, but doing so can improve both the health and the safety of employees.

The Rhode Island Drug Free Workplace Alliance helps businesses focus on the impact drug and alcohol abuse can have on the workplace. The US Department of Labor maintains that businesses in America suffer increases in errors, accidents, and absenteeism as a result of alcohol and drug abuse. In addition, subtle problems such employees having low morale and experiencing higher rates of illness also are a result of alcohol and drug abuse.

Moreover, alcohol and drug abuse are involved in most workplace automobile accidents.  OSHA feels that drug and alcohol related impairments at work are workplace hazards that are avoidable. Establishing a program to create a drug-free workplace can aid employers in their efforts to create a safe work environment.

Last 10 posts by Amelia

• Colorado Reduces Minimum Wage in 2010 - November 20th, 2009
• New Law Expands FMLA and NDAA for Military Families - October 30th, 2009
• California Approves Exempt Salary Reduction - October 16th, 2009
• 3 New Illinois Laws - October 9th, 2009
• New Definition of Disability - September 25th, 2009
• E-Verify Regulations - September 18th, 2009
• New USERRA Regulations - September 2nd, 2009
• E-Verify News - August 26th, 2009
• New Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Law - August 19th, 2009
• Louisiana Minimum Wage - August 3rd, 2009