Employers

Workplace Health and Safety

You are required (by the Health & Safety at Work Act 2015), to take all reasonably practicable steps to identify and manage hazards and risks to others.

Substance impairment

A Court recently held that;

“Employers are not only entitled but bound to monitor employees to see whether they come to work in an impaired condition. One form of impairment can be caused by the ingestion of alcohol or drugs” (Emphasis added)

Employers must have processes in place to monitor and manage employees who may come to work impaired. One form of impairment can be caused by alcohol or other drugs – do you have a policy and programme in force to screen your employees for impairment?

Behavioural risks

Could you have an employee accessing pornography on a workplace computer. They are actually self-harming at work; and you’ve the added risk of infection of your platform!

Consider bullying and angry outbursts; imagine for a moment the potential psychological injury to an employee who is experiencing domestic violence at home and then comes to work and has a work colleague or other person displaying power & control behaviours at work!

Having identified that one or more of these may be occurring in your place of business you then have a statutory responsibility to take reasonable, practicable steps to manage such hazards or risks.

For more information check out this site: Employment New Zealand

What does EMA say?

The EMA says that in fact Counselling and Rehabilitation are seen as a best practise first steps in the management of these hazards and risks.

I offer:

• Programmes to support employees to build their hauora (wellness and wellbeing) and make positive lifestyle choices
• Programmes to support employees who have returned positive screens for alcohol and other drugs.
• Formal Alcohol and Other Drug Assessments (including treatment recommendations)