Drug and alcohol issues a ect work places everywhere. Accredited to AS/NZS 4308:2008 and compliant to AS/NZS 4760:2019 Industry Standard. That’s why we go anywhere! Whether you need workplace drug testing, pre-employment testing, drug education and training classes, or substance policy design services, TDDA goes where you need us, when you need us. Visit tdda.com or call 0508 3784 8378 to learn more. Workplace drug testing is a crucial tool for promoting health and reducing harm in safety-sensitive industries such as forestry, transport, construction and manufacturing. At TDDA we understand the real risks you and your employees face daily, and we know that managing those risks is a priority for you. While people may have di ering opinions in relation to the theories behind dealing with substance use; some advocate the issue is a health and social issue, others, see a punitive and criminal approach as the only way to ensure change. We believe that a balanced approach is necessary to improve health and reduce harm in workplaces. It is di cult to motivate change without strong policies and education as well as a clear understanding of what is and is not acceptable. We encourage businesses to combine health and social support solutions like rehabilitation, with disciplinary consequences for repeated or more serious o ending. Attracting and retaining good employees is key for any business. We believe that supporting team members who breach substance policies by providing rehabilitation options is better than moving straight to dismissal. Good people, with certi cations, institutional knowledge and established relationships are an asset. Dismissing employees is expensive and it takes time and resources to hire and train a replacement. By o ering rehabilitation, businesses can build trust, loyalty and improve worker health. Our primary goal at TDDA is to help employers and employees stay safe. We do this by assisting companies in designing comprehensive and e ective substance use policies. We work with teams to get them to buy into policies through training and education, exploring individuals rights as well as the risks and consequences of being impaired in the workplace. We help businesses maintain and enforce their policies by providing mobile, reasonable cause, post-incident, random and preemployment drug testing. While we believe in a health and prevention approach, we are also a science-based company. Evidence shows that substance users are a serious risk to themselves and their colleagues. Every worker has the right to safety, and when it comes to substances in the workplace, a line must be drawn. For example, THC the psychoactive substance in cannabis, has a hangover e ect that can last even after a moderate social dose. A 1985 study found that a low strength dose of cannabis had cognitive carryover e ects 24 hours afterward, and THC concentrations are much stronger now. Cannabis a ects psychomotor performance, cognition and reaction time, making it particularly dangerous for safety sensitive industries. While a user may not appear to be presently high, they can be inattentive, clumsy or have slow reaction times. Would you want that person operating your harvester, wielding a chainsaw, or driving your truck? Make sure your workplace risk reduction strategies acknowledge the complexity of substance use and abuse issues. Improving health and reducing harm in workplaces By Glenn Dobson, CEO, The Drug Detection Agency
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