Drugs and Alcohol Policy

Policy objectives

DFP is committed to ensuring that a safe, healthy and productive workplace is provided for all employees - fulltime, contract or temporary. While DFP Recruitment Services does not wish to intrude into the private lives of employees, if alcohol has a direct impact on an individual’s work performance or on safety standards, it is DFP Recruitment Services’ responsibility to employees, host clients and other people on work premises to intervene.

DFP’s specific objectives are:

  • To minimise alcohol related harm to the individual
  • To reduce alcohol and drug use at work;
  • To ensure that persons who are consuming alcohol take responsibility for their own behaviour
  • Reduce costs of alcohol and drug misuse;
  • Provide access to information and education;
  • Offer appropriate forms of assistance to those individuals for whom alcohol has become a problem
  • To preserve the reputation of DFP in the community

 

DFP is committed to maintaining and enhancing job performance and job safety and, at the same time, has the responsibility for the welfare of each employee. The concern of DFP in the treatment of alcohol and drug dependence, is to restore and maintain satisfactory work performance. Assistance will end at this point unless the employee voluntarily seeks continued assistance through support services available.

Responsibilities

Management

If a Manager subsequently determines that an employee believed to be affected poses a significant immediate risk to their own safety or that of any other person, the Manager must direct that staff member to cease work immediately. If necessary the manager must assist with arrangements to ensure the staff member arrives home safely.

Consultants

Consultants are responsible for monitoring the performance and conduct of staff who work through them. If a Consultant is advised by their host client or has reasonable cause to believe that one of his or her temporary staff member’s performance or conduct is affected by alcohol and/or drugs, the Consultant should address the matter with the staff member asap.

If a Consultant does not wish to address the matter directly with the temporary, the Consultant should bring the matter to the attention of another, more senior staff member.

Colleagues

Employees working in association with, or in close proximity to, another employee whose job performance they perceive to be adversely affected by alcohol and/or drugs, are encouraged to support their colleagues in seeking appropriate assistance.

All employees – permanent, contract and temporary have a responsibility to conduct themselves in a professional manner. DFP considers it is unacceptable for employees to be adversely affected by drugs or alcohol while on assignment either during work hours or when attending after hours work functions/events.

Use of Vehicles & Machinery

Persons working with vehicles and machinery, handling hazardous substances or undertaking hazardous activities must not be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and must at all times comply with relevant laws.

Staff Training

Preventative education, through the training of all employees is a vital priority for DFP. Induction courses for both internal staff and temporary staff must contain a segment providing information appropriate to alcohol and drug dependence, and the subject is to be discussed in Consultant training, together with advice on where support may be obtained.

Serving alcohol and partaking of drinks at DFP related functions & events

DFP has a duty of care to ensure that where alcohol is served or provided at functions, it is done so in a responsible manner. All employees organising functions involving alcohol consumption should be aware of the following requirements:

  • The function must have a designated start and finish time
  • There must be food of some description served
  • Where alcohol is served non-alcoholic drinks and low alcoholic drinks must be provided for the duration of the function
  • Standard drinks should be served thereby allowing people to monitor their alcohol intake (see recommended guidelines)
  • Alternative transport arrangements must be provided for staff who are deemed unfit to drive
  • People who appear to be intoxicated will not be served and/or will be advised that they are no longer to drink alcohol on the premises.

 

Further action

If the above strategies are not effective, and the employees work performance continues to be adversely affected by misuse of drugs or alcohol, unsatisfactory performance or disciplinary provisions will be invoked.

Recommended Guidelines

As recommended by the Australian Drug Foundation

Alcohol and driving

In accordance with the Road Safety Act 1986, it is illegal to drive with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) greater than 0.05 and probationary drivers must maintain a zero BAC.
To stay below 0.05 BAC, drivers are advised by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to limit their drinking to:

  • Men – No more than two standard drinks in the first hour and no more than one standard drink every hour after that.
  • Women – No more than one standard drink in the first hour and no more than one very hour after that.

 

Standard Drinks

The use of standard drinks can help people to monitor their alcohol consumption and exercise control over the amount they drink. Different types of alcoholic drinks contain different amounts of pure alcohol. A standard drink is defined as one that contains ten grams of pure alcohol.
One standard drink is approximately equal to:-

  • Low alcohol beer (3.5%) = 1.6 pots, total volume 375ml
  • Low alcohol beer (3.5%) = 1 can, 375ml
  • Regular beer (4.9%) = 1 pot, 285ml
  • Regular beer (4.9%) = ¾ stubby, 375ml
  • Table wine (12%) = 1 small glass, 100ml
  • Alcoholic soda (5.5%) = ¾ of a 330ml bottle
  • Mixed drinks = 1 glass, 30ml of spirits (40%) plus mixer
  • Spirits or liqueurs (40%) = 1 nip, 30ml.

 

Low-risk drinking

The National Health and Medical Research council (NHMRC) of Australia defines low-risk drinking as:

  • No more than four standard drinks per day for men
  • No more than two standard drinks per day women
  • At least two alcohol free days a week (these guidelines are currently under review).

This table shows the level of risk associated with various alcohol intakes.

Standard drinks per day

Scale or risk

Low

Hazardous

Harmful

Female

Up to 2

3-4

Anything over 4

Male

Up to 4

4-6

Anything over 6

Robert van Stokrom
Chief Executive Officer