What you need right now is a holistic view of the entire situation. You should have good reasons to invest in drug and alcohol training for your employees and educating them properly is important to ensure that you have a drug free workplace.
Truck drivers and commercial vehicle operators need to complete a drug and alcohol training course mandated by the Department of Transportation. This course includes information on prohibited substances and alcohol in the workplace. It also provides guidance on how to handle any issues that may arise.
We will discuss the importance of drug and alcohol training courses in more detail in the next section. Let’s begin:
Understanding the Effect of Alcohol and Drug Use on the Community
Your staff need to know how drugs and alcohol can impact the community. Not only safety-sensitive workers in your company will be affected, but also their families, relatives, and friends.
If you don’t have a drug and alcohol awareness training program, the addiction of some workers could affect others in your company. This also exposes them to unnecessary danger and increases their chances of getting hurt or harmed.
How It Impacts Workplace And Productivity
Drug use and abuse in addition to alcoholism in the workplace can result in serious concerns for your company. The productivity of several of your employees can be impacted negatively.
For example, if any of your safety-sensitive position holders happen to be addicted to a drug or a controlled substance, it is going to compromise their motor skills, balance, sight, and sound judgment. This could put a lot of your employees in danger.
If this happens, authorities may suspend your license and permanently shut down your organization. That’s something you definitely want to avoid.
Acquiring Empathy And Sympathy
Drug and alcohol training courses aim to teach about the mental state of individuals struggling with addiction. These courses help you understand the psychological aspects of addiction. The goal is to provide knowledge on how to support and assist those who are dealing with substance abuse issues. The focus is on educating individuals on the complexities of addiction.
You will find that you are more empathetic and sympathetic towards these people. It helps you look at the entire situation more objectively. Don’t assume someone is using drugs or alcohol if they are struggling in their personal life. Avoid making incorrect judgments or accusations without knowing the full story.
Your staff members can gain a new perspective and assist individuals in your organization who are struggling with addiction. This includes employees, managers, and supervisors. This also helps create an positive and friendly environment in your company.
Education That Prevents Harmful Situations From Arising
The Department of Transportation and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration discuss these situations practically.
For example, the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol by any employee may lead to workplace issues like erratic behaviors, unable to concentrate, decreased productivity, increased absence, and a lot of other problems including quarrels and arguments between employees, disagreements that can turn into fights, and a lot more.
Teaching your workers and drivers about avoiding drugs and alcohol at work can lower the number of accidents. This training helps them understand the importance of staying sober while on the job. By providing this education, you are promoting a safer work environment for everyone. This can ultimately lead to a decrease in the likelihood of accidents occurring.
The Untouched Angle Of Coping With Addiction
These drug and alcohol training courses and programs also educate and train your employees, workers, drivers, and supervisors on how to conduct themselves with people who are struggling with addictions.
It is a very complex issue and the person in need requires the help, support, compassion, understanding, cooperation, and empathy of his co-workers at all times.
So yes, you all have to work together to help the impacted individual come out of this addiction and enroll in a rehabilitation or correctional program without any delay.
Why Should You Choose To Have A Drug And Alcohol Policy?
This is where having a drug and alcohol use and abuse policy becomes even more critical. It keeps each one of your employees safe and away from any probable harm. That is absolutely necessary and beneficial for your business.
A drug and alcohol policy is important for establishing responsibility and accountability among employees. This policy follows guidelines from the Department of Transportation and the FMCSA and helpful in situations involving drug and alcohol use. Employees must follow rules and protocols to maintain the decorum of the organization.
These are strictly in the context of drug and alcohol use on company premises and what action it is going to invoke from the upper management if anybody is found violating these rules and putting the reputation of the business in trouble.
What Should Your Policy Consist Of?
These drug and alcohol training programs also talk about what your drug and alcohol policy should consist of. You can say that a few very important and relevant rules and regulations with regard to the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol in the workplace. A few guidelines that will help you further include:
- Define how your organization is going to manage employees who receive a positive test result on any drug or alcohol test
- Decide how you will support employees who come forward with any matters related to substance abuse or alcohol misuse before the testing begins
- Choose the drug and alcohol testing methodology and frequency of testing
- You must take measures to ensure that the results you get from laboratories are legitimate
- You are also expected to make sure that none of those tests get leaked or tampered with or get into the hands of any employees or workers who have violated these drug and alcohol rules and regulations
In the end, remember that your third-party administrator is in the best position to help you out. They know exactly how to create a drug and alcohol policy for your company. They are also aware of the various testing methodologies and how not having a drug and alcohol policy can impact your compliance with the Department of Transportation. So yes, connect with your TPA before any unexpected inspection by the DOT takes place.
