Dear Reader,

I often get questions from employers about the right steps to take when they suspect an employee is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
It’s such a sensitive topic; you want to handle it correctly. Heaven forbid you notice an employee with blood shot eyes and accuse him of alcoholism, only to find he suffers from severe sinusitis!

But, substance abuse is serious, and you need to know what to do if you suspect anyone in your company of hitting the Jack Daniels with obscene regularity.

Read this checklist of dos and don’ts for drug testing to ensure you continue to treat your employees fairly…

Checklist: Dos and don’ts of drug testing

• Do have a drug abuse and prevention policy in the workplace.

• Don’t have drugs and alcohol available at the workplace.

• Do spot checks and searches in accordance with protocol to make sure employees aren’t carrying drugs or under the influence of drugs on site.

• Don’t supply prescription or over-the-counter drugs in your first aid boxes. Your first aiders may not dispense medication anyway.

• Do provide ongoing training to all employees around substance abuse and the recognition of symptoms of drug abuse.

• Don’t ignore an employee’s problem with substance abuse.

• Do include Supervisors, Health and Safety Reps and union members in awareness training to monitor employees for signs of drug abuse and to report this in the correct manner.

• Do have medical surveillance in place, in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act. This surveillance must be relevant to the risk requirements of the job.

• Do appoint relevant people to deal with a drug abuser and consider implementing an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) on site.

• Do have clear guidelines in place to deal with a drug abuser and don’t discriminate.
Bonus tip:

You can prevent most incidents by following the safety measures you’ve set out in your risk assessment!

In the name of safety,

Christel Fouché

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