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Some basics for providing
education, training and communication to your workforce about your
company’s drug and alcohol prevention policy include:
• Communicating your
policy to employees through:
- briefings;
- notices in company newsletters;
- notices in paycheck envelopes;
- notices on company bulletin
boards; and
- letters from the company
president or plant manager.
• Informing employees of
the reasons for the policy, recognizing the success of the program
is dependent upon its acceptance by the employees and job applicants
themselves.
• Making being drug
and alcohol free a condition of employment and informing job applicants
and employees of that through statements on job applications and
in employee handbooks.
• Applying, to the extent
permissible and appropriate, company policies to temporary or subcontractor
employees when they are on company premises. This includes temporary
secretarial, security, delivery, and janitorial personnel. Provide
notice to both the employees and their employers.
• Educate employees
about the dangers of drug abuse through:
- lectures for employees
and family members by experts in the community;
- films;
- brochures; and
- fact sheets to stress
prevention of drug and alcohol abuse through education and awareness.
• Inform employees of
any available EAP or other resources within the organization or
in the community for getting help with a substance abuse problem.
• Designate a contact
person with whom employees can discuss drug and alcohol abuse concerns
regarding themselves or their fellow workers. Inform employees of
how, where, and when this person can be reached, and make this contact
person regularly and readily available. Keep the lines of communication
open, and recognize the importance of employee suggestions and feedback
to the program.
• Require employees
in jobs involving safety or security, who legally are using prescription
drugs for medical conditions that could impair their performance,
to ensure through their prescribing physicians that they are “fit
for duty” and capable of performing in a safe manner.
• Inform employees that
supervisors will be trained how to:
- detect the symptoms of
drug and alcohol abuse;
- identify patterns of
performance frequently related to drug and/or alcohol abuse;
- identify illegal drugs
and drug paraphernalia;
- respond to crisis situations,
such as receiving reports of illegal drugs in plain view or being
confronted by an employee who is obviously under the influence
of drugs or alcohol and may need to be restrained or medically
assisted;
- document performance
and behavior indicators that may be linked to substance abuse;
- intervene on behalf of
troubled employees; and
- refer employees to resources
for help.
• Cooperate with local
police regarding criminal investigations.
• Support community
drug abuse prevention programs to:
- demonstrate to employees
and the public your company’s commitment to combatting drug
and alco- hol abuse; and
- assume a positive civic
responsibility, including involve- ment in, support of, and contributions
to drug educa- tion and awareness programs at local schools and
colleges.
• Consider extending
the education to employees’ family mem- bers, including providing
parenting programs.
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