The Little Blue Book

Some work environments pose higher risk of alcohol and drug use behaviours. People ‘on the road’, for instance, who may have regular day-to-day contact with clients or suppliers (who may have different standards and practices around alcohol) can be exposed to elevated risk. So too, FIFO, fly-in fly-out workers, can be at particular risk of alcohol and drug use to help cope with separation, loneliness, after-hours boredom (in unfamiliar or remote surroundings) and exposure to social environments where risk-taking practices around these substances can be commonplace. People working under high strain, in hot working conditions or in dysfunction organisational environments can also be at elevated risk of alcohol and drug use (and stress related disorders). All workplaces, however, have clear obligations under The Work Health and Safety Act (2011) to minimise risk and to take necessary steps to protect the health and safety of all at the workplace. This extends to drugs and alcohol and workplace policies and practices around these substances. PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE & CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS Heavy drinking can lead to physical dependence and alcoholism – the compulsive need to keep drinking. Which, in turn, because it compromises an individual’s ability to function capably, ushers in a host of new problems – at home and at work – besides the inevitable health risks. While toxic to the brain, alcohol is also toxic to body. Heavy drinking is strongly associated with a range of chronic medical conditions. There is some inevitable spill into Australian workplaces of the culture of drink (and of drug-use). Managing it and shifting behaviours and attitudes to align with work health and safety obligations has as much to do with the standards you set and the norms you accept as it is with the detail and application of the Drug and Alcohol Policy. It’s not about ‘wowserism’ – for many of us, a quiet wine or beer with friends is one of the joys of life. But, for workplaces, it is about managing risk, avoiding risky behaviours, fostering good physical and mental health, and being mindful of recommended health guidelines around alcohol consumption. High-risk alcohol & drug-use environments RECOGNISING DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND OTHER DISORDERS 90