Purpose
Border Express is committed to providing a safe working environment which protects the health, safety and wellbeing of all Border Express employees, labour hire personnel, visitors, contractors and the public. The quality of any Border Express work will not be compromised by the presence of individuals under the influence of alcohol or other drugs in the workplace.
This policy is designed to eliminate the risks to every individual associated with the use or abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Border Express recognises that the use or abuse of alcohol and other drugs by an individual, can lead to major deficiencies in work performance and is a contributing factor in workplace incidents.
This policy is designed to remove these risks from workplaces and their surrounding environments in an effort to prevent and reduce injury and ensure the workplace is safe and without risk to health. This shall be achieved through training, education, pre-employment testing, random testing, fitness for work testing, targeted testing and reasonable concern testing.
This policy applies to all Border Express employees, labour hire personnel, visitors and contractors whilst engaged at any workplace that is owned and/or operated by Border Express. This also includes any off site locations from which Border Express may operate. For the purpose of this policy ‘workplace’ means undertaking any activities in the course of an individual’s employment with Border Express regardless of their environment.
Obligations
Border Express has a “zero tolerance” to alcohol and other drugs and that means every individual has an obligation to ensure that they adhere to the following mandatory requirements:
- They must always be in a fit state to carry out their duties when at work which means they are not permitted to work whilst under the influence of alcohol or other drugs;
- An individual’s breath alcohol content (BrAC) within the workplace shall not exceed a measurable zero (0.00% BrAC) percent;
- An individual’s sample taken for the purpose of screening for ‘other drugs’ will not indicate the presence of any ‘other drugs’;
- They shall not possess, manufacture, cultivate, distribute or sell any drug at any Border Express workplace or managed site;
- It is expected that all individuals taking licit drugs for genuine medical reasons under prescription from a medical practitioner or procured ‘over the counter’ shall take them in accordance with the medical practitioners or manufacturer’s instructions for use. They shall also instruct their medical practitioner or pharmacist of the role they undertake at work and actively seek guidance to ensure that they are safe to perform work whilst taking the medication. No person taking a licit drug shall contravene medical advice provided with respect to their ability to perform work; and
- It is expected that all individuals, if unsure, will disclose any relevant information to their Supervisor prior to commencing work if any of the following circumstances arise so that corrective control strategies can be implemented:
- If the individual has an alcohol and other drug consumption issue;
- If the individual, having consumed alcohol or another drug is possibly unfit to carry out their work safely;
- If it is necessary for the individuals health and wellbeing to consume a substance that contains alcohol or another drug which would or might cause the individual to be unfit to carry out their duties at work safely; and
- If the individual is concerned about working with other individuals because of a perceived safety risk due to the other individual’s alcohol and other drug use or abuse.
NB: This information will not be accepted subsequent to or immediately prior to testing for alcohol or other drugs.
Testing Program
Border Express will carry out testing for alcohol and other drugs and testing will occur in the following circumstances:
- Pre-employment/Fitness for Work Assessments;
- Following a Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) Incident;
- Random Testing;
- Reasonable Concern/Suspicion;
- Legal Requirements;
- Customers Requirements;
- Returning to the Workplace;
- Voluntary Request;
- Targeted Testing.
The alcohol and other drug testing program shall be carried out in a way that will be as least personally invasive as possible, conform with both Australian and New Zealand standards and involve a secure chain of custody process with respect to any samples taken.
Disciplinary Process
An individual found to be exhibiting the effects of alcohol or other drugs or returning an unconfirmed or non-negative drug or positive alcohol test result, or refusing to participate in testing will be required to cease work immediately, have their results reviewed and potentially leave the workplace until a laboratory report is received. In accordance with the discipline and counselling procedure an employee will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action which may result in the termination of employment when they:
- Refuse to cease work when requested to;
- Are removed from the workplace due to an unconfirmed or non-negative drug test result;
- Are found to be supplying illegal drugs in the workplace;
- Refuse to participate in an interview;
- Refuse to undertake a screening test for alcohol or other drugs;
- Have a blood alcohol level of greater than 0.00 BrAC; or
- Test positive for illegal drugs.
It is important to note that employees who return a confirmed positive result for alcohol or other drugs or refuse testing for alcohol or other drugs will not be paid for this time off work.
Commitment
Every employee is responsible, within the scope of their authority, for ensuring that this policy is integrated into their daily work practices and effective action is taken to prevent the risks associated with the use or abuse of alcohol and other drugs.
In addition when addressing issues relating to alcohol and other drug use or abuse all parties will at all times maintain confidentiality, respect privacy, disclose information on a need to know basis and operate wholly within the bounds of the law.
