In professional work settings, the issue of substance use, particularly drugs and alcohol, has become an important topic. Naturally, you want your business to comply with evolving laws and regulations. Notably, at the moment, the landscape of workplace policies regarding substance use is facing scrutiny. This article will explain key considerations you should bear in mind when conducting drug and alcohol testing in your workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drugs and alcohol can severely impact a person\u2019s decision-making capabilities. Further, an individual\u2019s consumption of drugs and\/or alcohol can be hazardous to other people and themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You, as an employer, have health and safety obligations<\/a> towards your employees. As part of these obligations, you must take reasonable steps to provide a safe workplace. Also, you have a duty to minimise hazards in your workplace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015<\/em><\/a>, a “hazard” includes a person’s actions that could potentially harm someone. A person\u2019s actions can represent a hazard, whether it’s due to tiredness, drugs, alcohol, shock, or another temporary condition. Introducing drug and alcohol testing may be justified if your business operates in a safety-sensitive industry. Naturally, you want to ensure the safety of your employees and others connected to your organisation. For instance, your business may operate within the construction or mining industry. If safety is crucial in your workplace, you may use pre-employment testing. You may use this testing to demonstrate your commitment to managing alcohol and drug-related risks. If you include information about pre-employment testing in your job advertisements, this signals your commitment to safety. Also, this inclusion signals your commitment to risk management. Further, your potential employees are informed at the outset that they must submit to this test.
The courts have taken the following criteria into consideration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Pre-Employment Checks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you make use of pre-employment testing, it is advisable that you wait for the test results before making a job offer. This approach avoids any contention about the existence of an employment relationship. In simpler terms, a clean drug test result should precede a job offer. This is in contrast to requiring your new employee to submit to a test once they have accepted the offer.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Continue reading this article below the form\n <\/i>\n<\/a>\n