Why have a Policy

Drug, alcohol and other substance misuse (including solvents, "legal highs" and over the counter/prescription medication) is everyone's concern.

In the context of work, not only does it damage the misuser's health, but it can cost employers through absenteeism and reduced productivity. It may also increase the risk of accidents. Employers should adopt a substance misuse policy, in consultation with their staff and other stakeholders. This policy, where appropriate, should aim to support affected employees rather than punish them, although your policy must say that possession or dealing in drugs at work will be reported immediately to the Police. If an employee admits to being a drug user, your policy should seek to help them rather than lead simply to dismissing them.

While for many people, drinking alcohol is a positive part of life and does not cause any problems, the misuse of alcohol can lead to reduced productivity, taking time off work, and accidents at work. Employers should adopt a policy, in consultation with their staff. This should include matters such as:

  1. how the organisation expects employees to limit their drinking
  2. how problem drinking will be recognised and help offered; and at what point and in what circumstances you will treat an employee's drinking as a matter for discipline rather than as a health problem.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of people who have a drinking problem are in work. The good news is that people with drink problems can and do cut down, and that there are places throughout the country where people with drinking (and drug/substance use) problems can go for expert help.

Any business or organisation, however small, can take practical steps to minimise the risks associated with inappropriate drinking and substance misuse. It needn't be expensive. In fact, failure to take these steps can be very expensive running into £tens of thousands or in extreme circumstances - £hundreds of thousands.

The prospect of tackling when and how much employees drink (for instance) can be daunting, especially for businesses without a personnel specialist. But acting to prevent problems before they occur can save time in the end and is often more effective than dealing with a problem that has become too serious to ignore.

Many employers have decided to adopt drug and alcohol screening as part of their drug and alcohol policy. The first step is to get your policy and procedures right. Screening by itself will never be the complete answer to problems caused by alcohol and drug misuse and should therefore be accompanied with appropriate training, education and support.

Is it my concern?

Yes. Drug and alcohol misuse can be a serious problem, not only for the misuser but also for the business where they work and, sometimes, for their co-workers. The possession of some drugs is illegal, exposing the misuser to the risk of criminal charges as well as causing harmful effects to their health. You could be breaking the law if you knowingly allow drug-related activities in your workplace and you fail to act. It is just as important to know the implications to both your employees and business of not tackling drug misuse, particularly where safety is involved.

Successfully tackling drug and alcohol misuse can hugely benefit both your organisation/ business and your employees and customers. For example by:

  1. saving on the cost of recruiting and training new employees to replace those whose employment might be terminated because of untreated drug misuse;
  2. reducing the cost of absenteeism or impaired productivity;
  3. creating a more productive environment by offering support to those employees who declare a drug or alcohol related problem, improving employee morale;
  4. reducing the risk of accidents caused by impaired judgement;
  5. enhancing the public perception of your organisation as a responsible employer;
  6. contributing to society's efforts to combat drug misuse.

Who is at risk?

All kinds of people are involved in drug misuse - they do not conform to any stereotype. A lot of people who are involved in drug misuse are in work.

Having a robust policy in place can help protect employers, employees, sub-contractors, agency workers, visitors and other members of the public.

What can I/we do?

Often referred to as a "Drugs and Alcohol Policy" or "Substance Misuse Policy", all organisations - large and small - can benefit from an agreed policy. Applying to all staff, it must be fair and equitable. Such policies are positively encouraged by Trade Unions and the HSE.

Such a policy should form part of your organisation's overall health and safety policy. Many large organisations have policies that describe their position on drug and alcohol misuse. A written and formal robust drugs and alcohol policy has many advantages, for example leaving less room for misunderstanding than an informal 'understanding'.

Remember: it is good practice to have a policy even if you do not find any evidence of current drug or alcohol misuse. Having a robust and current policy in place will enable you to deal with any future problems that may arise in a responsible, professional and legal manner.

ScreenSafe UK can help you with all aspects of the process from initial consultation to delivering all the required elements - including Policy writing, Training and Education, Testing and Treatment services. We even maintain close links with specialist partners who can help, advise and support you on Employment and Health & Safety Law. Their services are aimed at companies who do not have their own Human Resources and/or Health and Safety department.

For more details of how your company, organisation, employees and/or customers can benefit from introducing a robust and legally defensible Drugs and Alcohol Policy, then please contact our friendly and professional customer service team on 08450 505590 or via email (enquiries@screensafeuk.co.uk).

All enquiries are managed and discussed in the strictest of confidence. We understand that in some circumstances, it may be difficult to discuss such issues in detail with other members of your staff around. We are therefore happy to call you back "out of hours" if this is preferable.

DOs and DON'Ts Leaflet