Alcohol and Substance Use

Substance use can affect on-the-job performance in many ways. Co-ordination becomes difficult, motor skills are impaired and psychosocial skills differ from the norm. Use this guide to help develop your workplace drug and alcohol policy in order to protect the health and safety of your employees and minimize employer/employee liability.

Did you know?

• One in 10 Alberta workers (PDF 912KB, page 47) - 11% reported using alcohol at work and 4% reported using alcohol four hours prior to coming to work during the previous 12 months.
• Aspects of the work environment such as stress, organizational and co-worker norms will influence levels of alcohol and drug use on the job.
• A 2002 study (PDF 912KB, pages 28, 30 and 31) on substance use in the Alberta workplace indicates that:
  
  
  • 11% of workers have consumed alcohol while at work
  • 10% of the workface are identified as problem drinkers
  • 10% of workers reported using illicit drugs
    
    
• Annual productivity losses in Canada due to substance abuse have been estimated at:
  
  
  • $7.1 billion for alcohol
  • $4.7 billion for illegal drugs
    
    
• The use of drugs and alcohol account for $24.1 million in direct costs to the workplace.

Benefits

• Improve workplace health and safety.
• Decrease WSIB costs.
• Reduce legal liability (PDF 913KB, pages 14 and 17)
• Reduce absenteeism and production error.
• Demonstrate a supportive and healthy environment where both employees and management will have a clear understanding of how the organization deals with substance use in the workplace.

[ Sample Policies and Procedures ]