Alcohol and other drugs cost Australian workplaces an estimated $6 billion per year in lost productivity.
An employer has a legal obligation to address alcohol and other drug issues through the ‘duty of care’ provisions in the Occupational Health & Safety Act.
Employers should have alcohol and drugs policies in place, inform employees of these policies and act appropriately when such policies are breached.
Workplaces should aim to create a culture that minimises risk of alcohol and drug related harm to self and others.