Alcohol & other drugs at Work

ByPeter McWhinnie

Learn more about the risks of alcohol and other drugs at work

Are you concerned about the potential impact of drugs and alcohol in your workplace? Visit our Alcohol and Other Drugs page for tips about risk factors and responsibilities. The new page also has a template to help businesses create their own drug and alcohol policy.

The health and safety risks of alcohol and other drugs

Employees impaired by alcohol or other drugs, whether used on or off the job, pose serious health and safety risks at work. Impairment can affect coordination, motor skills, alertness, and judgment, with these effects especially dangerous in roles involving machinery, vehicles, heavy equipment, or tasks that require constant focus. Consequences may include:

  • workplace accidents, injuries or equipment damage
  • higher absenteeism and lower productivity
  • breakdown in teamwork or strained workplace relationships
  • disciplinary or conduct issues.

In safety‑sensitive sectors such as road and rail transport, maritime, Commonwealth (federal) funded construction, aviation and mining, legislation mandates a maximum blood alcohol concentration and often requires alcohol and drug testing. Many industries also enforce strict ‘zero-tolerance’ policies for both legal and illegal substances.

Risk factors

Certain workplace conditions can increase the likelihood of alcohol or drug use and related safety risks. These include:

  • having easy access to alcohol or drugs in or around the workplace
  • having a workplace culture that normalises drinking or drug use (e.g. team bonding over alcohol, celebrations involving heavy drinking)
  • permissive attitudes and a lack of clear policies to manage alcohol and drug risks
  • demanding working conditions, such as:
    • long hours or irregular shifts
    • high-pressure performance environments (e.g., tight deadlines, productivity targets)
    • fatigue and mental health challenges, which can lead to self-medication
    • job insecurity
    • remote or isolated work
    • low-level supervision
    • poor health and safety practices
    • limited access to support services
  • poor workplace relationships, including conflict or lack of support
  • low job satisfaction and high stress
  • lack of education or awareness about impairment and its consequences
  • discrimination, bullying and harassment.

Worker responsibilities

Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012, you have a duty to take care of your own health and safety and not put others at risk.

What You Should Do

  • Do not use alcohol or drugs at work.
  • The only exception is prescription medication for legitimate medical reasons.
  • Check with your doctor about how any medication might affect your ability to work safely.
  • Tell your manager if your medication could make you unsafe at work; they may adjust your duties.

Your Legal Duties

  • Make sure any alcohol or drug use outside work hours does not affect your fitness for work
  • Be fit for duty, and do not come to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Follow your workplace’s drug and alcohol policy
  • Speak up and talk to your manager or health and safety representatives if you think one of your co-workers is impaired,

Employer responsibilities

Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012, as a PCBU, you have the primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of everyone at your workplace.

You must:

  • determine if alcohol or drug use is occurring at work or if workers are arriving impaired.
  • put controls in place to eliminate or reduce risks from alcohol and drug use.

Mining

Controlling the Hazards

If you identify an alcohol or drug-related hazard, you must eliminate or reduce the risk of harm, as far as is reasonably practicable.

Steps You Can Take

  • Create a clear alcohol and other drugs policy
    • Include procedures for managing impairment and testing (where required)
  • Prohibit the alcohol consumption in the workplace during work hours and clarify expectations for work-related events.
  • Manage work functions responsibly
    • Provide water and non-alcoholic options
    • Limit free alcoholic drinks and encourage moderation.
  • Address workplace factors that contribute to substance use, such as:
    • long shifts, unreasonable workloads, or poor rosters
    • bullying, harassment, or high stress or high stress levels.
    • lack of supervision support
    • consult with workers when making changes to rosters, workloads, or conflict resolution.
  • Provide education and training which explains the risks of impairment and how to seek help
  • Promote health choices

Why This Matters

Workplaces are ideal for promoting safe and healthy attitudes towards alcohol and drug use. By supporting workers to make better decisions, you create:

  • a safer work environment
  • a healthier and more productive workforce
  • a stronger workplace culture

Creating a Drug and Alcohol policy

A strong policy sets clear expectations and helps keep your workplace safe. When developing your policy, consider:

  • whether your workplace will have zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol, or allow limited consumption in certain circumstances (e.g. social events)
  • how you will prevent or remove alcohol and drugs from the workplace
  • what steps will you take if a worker is found impaired using substances at work
  • engaging workers health and safety representatives (HSRs) when drafting the policy.

Guidance on the content and structure of a drug and alcohol policy can be found here.(PDF)(external site)(PDF)

Once your policy is in place, ensure that you are enforcing it fairly and consistently.

Testing

There is no mandate for businesses to conduct illicit drug and alcohol testing, however, you may consider enforcing this, depending on your worksite.

If you decide to use testing, ensure it is:

  • clearly addressed in your policy, and including information regarding:
    • the purpose of the testing
    • the type of tests used, and the testing procedures
    • when the testing will be conducted
    • who will conduct the testing
    • how and where test samples and results are to be stored, handled or destroyed
    • legal rights of those tested
    • the grievance and complaints process
    • how the results of the tests will be reviewed and conveyed to management.
    • and the procedures for the action you will take for a positive test result.
  • part of a broader program of safe work procedures, support, and training and information about the effects of drugs and alcohol on personal and work health and safety
  • related to the requirements of the job/tasks (for example, it may be necessary for workers doing high risk tasks)
  • agreed to by your workers
  • done confidentially, respecting people’s privacy and considering all legal issues.

Refusing a Drug or Alcohol Test: What It Means

Workers can refuse drug or alcohol testing unless it is required by legislation, their employment contract, or workplace policy. A refusal does not automatically mean the worker is impaired, but if testing is a condition of employment or policy, refusal may be treated as a breach and could lead to disciplinary action. Managers should handle refusals according to policy, not assume impairment.

Supporting Workers with a  Problem

If you discover that a worker has an illicit drug or alcohol problem, you can refer them a support service such as:

Talk with the worker about ways to reduce any work-related stress that may be contributing to the issue. This could include adjusting job demands, offering flexible work arrangements, or allowing time off for treatment. Where possible, consider assigning the worker to a role with lower safety risks.

Resources

WorkLife – Alcohol & drugs and the workplace website(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)

WorkLife(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site) (external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site) has been designed to help workplaces respond to alcohol and drug issues and to develop alcohol and drug policies – the central component of any response to workplace alcohol and drug issues.

The resources available on WorkLife (external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site) explain the who, how and why of workplace alcohol and drug use. The website contains downloadable fact sheets, how-to guides, toolbox talks, posters, handouts and videos.

WorkLife (external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site) is a collaboration between the National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction (Flinders University) and the State Government of South Australia.

Alcohol and Other Drugs Fitness for Work Policy(PDF)

Alcohol and other drugs don’t mix with work(PDF)

(external site)(PDF)(external site)(PDF)(external site)(PDF)(external site)(PDF)(PDF)

Simple Steps to Safety guide

Our Simple Steps to Safety guide(external site), with useful templates and checklists, will help you to include work health and safety as part of your business planning. Following these simple steps can help you create a positive work health, safety and wellbeing culture that contributes to the success of your business.

You can also seek information, advice and support from our free workplace advisory service(external site).

Further Links

Additional resources can be accessed from our Library catalogue (external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site).

The South Australian Alcohol and Other Drug Strategy 2025-2030

  • Prevention and health education
  • Reducing supply and access
  • Early intervention and support
  • Targeted treatment and ongoing care
  • Community engagement and stigma reduction

(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)(external site)

Further links: Drug and alcohol policy template

Similar Posts