Drug and alcohol policy template
Copy the text below and replace everything in square brackets with your company details.
1. Purpose
This policy protects the safety of employees, customers and the public by making sure that everyone at [Company Name] is fit for duty and free from the effects of alcohol and drugs while working.
2. Scope
It applies to all employees, trainees and contract workers on Company premises, in Company vehicles, at client sites and at Company events. Stricter rules apply to safety-critical roles: [drivers, forklift and crane operators, electricians, security guards, machine operators].
3. Definitions
- Impaired: unable to work safely because of alcohol, drugs or medicine, shown by signs such as the smell of alcohol, slurred speech, unsteady walking or confusion.
- Drugs: illegal substances, and prescription or over-the-counter medicines used other than as directed.
- Fitness for duty: being able to perform the job safely at the start of and throughout a shift.
4. Policy
- No employee may report for work, stay at work, drive a Company vehicle or operate machinery while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Possessing, using, selling or sharing illegal drugs on Company premises or in Company vehicles is prohibited.
- Alcohol is not consumed during working hours or on Company premises, except at events where management has approved it in advance.
- At approved events, non-alcoholic drinks are always available, nobody is pressed to drink, and the Company arranges safe transport home.
- An employee taking medicine that may cause drowsiness tells the supervisor or company doctor, without revealing the diagnosis, so duties can be adjusted.
- Employees in safety-critical roles must be fit for duty at the start of every shift, including the morning after an evening of drinking.
5. Procedure
- A supervisor who notices signs of impairment removes the employee from duty at once and calls HR or the safety officer. A second person witnesses and records the observations.
- With consent given in the appointment letter or at the time, testing may be done by breath analyser or through a certified laboratory: after an accident or near miss, on reasonable suspicion, and at random for safety-critical roles. Tests are done in private and results are kept confidential.
- The employee is sent home safely and is never allowed to drive. The shift is treated as per the Attendance Policy pending review.
- Before any action, the employee is given a chance to explain, including any medical reason. Confirmed breaches are handled under the Disciplinary Action Policy.
6. Support for employees
An employee who asks for help with alcohol or drug dependence before a breach is detected will receive confidential support, [paid or unpaid] leave for treatment and a return-to-work plan. Asking for help does not, by itself, lead to disciplinary action.
7. Responsibilities
- Employees: arrive fit for duty and declare medicines that may affect safety.
- Supervisors: act on signs of impairment privately, promptly and with a witness.
- HR and safety officer: arrange testing, keep results confidential and coordinate support.
- Event organisers: follow the rules on alcohol and transport at Company events.
8. Exceptions
Medicines taken as prescribed and declared are not a breach, although duties may be adjusted. Moderate drinking at an approved Company event is not a breach, provided the employee does not drive or return to work afterwards.
9. Review
[HR Head Designation] and the safety officer review this policy every [24] months and after any incident in which alcohol or drugs played a part.
What to include
Fitness for duty, not lifestyle
Frame the policy around being fit to work safely, not around private habits. This keeps the focus on safety and makes the rules easier to defend.
Safety-critical roles named
List the roles where stricter rules and random testing apply, such as drivers, forklift operators and electricians, so the extra checks are clearly tied to risk.
Testing with consent and dignity
Take written consent in advance, test in private with calibrated equipment, record who witnessed what, and keep results confidential.
Company events
Set rules for parties and celebrations: approval in advance, non-alcoholic options, no pressure to drink and safe transport home. Many alcohol problems at work start at company events.
Prescribed medicines
Ask employees to declare medicines that may cause drowsiness without revealing their illness. This protects both safety and medical privacy.
Help before punishment
Offer confidential help to employees who come forward before a breach. A policy that only punishes teaches people to hide dependence until something goes wrong.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Letting a visibly drunk driver take a vehicle out because the trip is urgent.
- Confronting a suspected employee in front of the team instead of in private with a witness.
- Serving alcohol at company events without arranging safe transport home.
- Testing without written consent or with equipment that has never been calibrated.
- Dismissing an employee who asked for help with dependence, which teaches others to hide it.
Run it in ZeniaHR
Keep test results confidential with HR, outside ZeniaHR. When a supervisor removes someone from duty, HR records the punch-out with a reason, so the day log shows exactly when the person left. Treatment leave is applied for under the leave type your policy names and approved by the reporting manager and then HR. The return-to-work plan and any medical fitness certificate go into Employee Documents, with an expiry date for the next review.
See it on your own data
A 30-minute demo on a video call. We set up your departments, shifts and leave rules and show attendance, leave and payroll running for your team. Free for your first 50 employees.
Book a free demoSee pricingFrequently asked questions
When should a company test employees for alcohol?
Testing makes sense for safety-critical roles such as drivers and machine operators: after an accident or near miss, when a supervisor has reasonable suspicion, and at random if the policy provides for it. Take written consent in advance, test in private with a calibrated breath analyser and keep results confidential. Take legal advice before introducing random testing.
What should a supervisor do if an employee seems drunk at work?
Remove the employee from duty straight away, especially from machines or driving, and call HR or the safety officer. Speak in private with a second person present, record what was observed, and arrange a safe way home. Decide on any action only after the employee has had a chance to explain, since some symptoms have medical causes.
Can alcohol be served at company parties?
Yes, if management approves it in advance and the event follows clear rules: moderate serving, non-alcoholic drinks always available, no pressure on anyone to drink, and safe transport home. Nobody should drive or return to a shift after drinking. Remind employees of these rules before year-end and festival events.
Should employees tell the company about prescribed medicines?
Only when a medicine may affect alertness or coordination, such as some painkillers, antihistamines or sleep aids, and only as far as needed. The employee tells the supervisor or company doctor that they are on medicine that may cause drowsiness, without revealing the illness, so duties can be adjusted for safety.