Intoxication in the Workplace – Key Considerations for Organisations

Organisations have a statutory obligation to take all reasonable steps to eliminate or reduce risks of unsafe work environments, which includes risks created by Employee Intoxicant abuse.

Employees have a responsibility under the 2005 Act to ensure that they are not intoxicated to the extent that they are in such a state as to endanger their own or another person’s safety, health, or welfare at work.

Being under the influence of an Intoxicant in the workplace can lead to accidents, poor performance and/or behavioural difficulties, and may be dealt with by Organisations as a disciplinary issue.

Furthermore, Intoxicant dependencies may be regarded as a disability for the purposes of the Employment Equality Legislation, and Organisations should be cognisant of this when dealing with such issues in the workplace, to ensure they comply with their obligations in terms of equal treatment and reasonable accommodation for Employees.

Given these complexities, it is critical that Organisations clearly understand their obligations should an Employee attend for work under the influence of an Intoxicant.

This Complimentary e-book sets out the key considerations for Organisations when managing Intoxication in the Workplace.

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