 Substance abuse can cost everyone - not just the person who consumes alcohol or drugs but also those around them, especially if that person is involved in safety sensitive operations. An impaired worker puts not just himself but also those around at a great safety risk. Employers need to be doubly careful in assigning workers when they designate a job 'safety sensitive'.
It is essentially for these safety reasons that the DOT (Department of Transportation), through its rules and regulations, has laid strong emphasis on ensuring a drug & alcohol free working environment to reduce the number of accidents and crashes directly related to substance abuse.
To seriously deter substance abuse among employees in safety sensitive positions, employers need to have strong drug and alcohol testing programs. Employees who have violated the drug and alcohol testing rules must be removed from safety-sensitive duties immediately. These employees cannot return to safety-sensitive duty until they are referred for evaluation and have successfully complied with treatment recommendations.
Employers must educate staff members properly on the personal and professional consequences of drug use and alcohol misuse. Employers need to ensure that Supervisors are appropriately trained to identify signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol use.
Some professions where workers can cause injury to themselves or other while performing duties under the influence of drugs or alcohol include
- Bus drivers
- Cargo handlers
- Construction workers
- Foremen
- Police officers
- Firefighters
- Armed private security officers
- Heavy machinery operators
|
