This blog can be delivered to your staff as a Toolbox Talk. If you require a specific Toolbox Talk for your workplace, please feel free to get in touch.
Reason: Statistics show that alcohol and drug use are increasing on site. This can lead to accidents, so we need to make sure it doesn’t happen on this site.
Outline: This talk covers the effects of alcohol and drugs on your safety and that of others.
Alcohol
In a high-risk industry like ours, alcohol and work do not mix well.- Alcohol is a drug that has negative impacts on parts of the brain function, causing blurred vision, slower reaction times and impaired memory. When working on site you need to be fully focused on the task at hand.
- If you’re found to be intoxicated with drink, you won’t be allowed on site and you may end up losing your job.
- Don’t get drunk the night before and expect to work safely on site the next day. You could still be over the limit when you drive to work, as alcohol may take more time than you think to work out of your system.
- Many drivers who are killed in a road accident are over the legal alcohol in blood limit.
- A pint of 4% beer equals 2.3 units. Readily available guidance recommends not drinking more than 14 units per week (two units per day).
- It takes around one hour for your liver to process one unit of alcohol and for the alcohol to leave your body.
- Many fatal workplace accidents have been alcohol-related.
Drugs
All drugs, including those described as ‘legal highs’, can affect your ability to work safely.- Some effects of drugs are slow reaction times, clumsiness, poor decision making and distorted vision.
- Even drugs prescribed by your doctor could make you unfit for work.
- You are far more likely to have an accident on site when under the influence of drugs or so-called legal highs.
- If you know someone is under the influence of drugs, don’t think that it isn’t your problem. Tell your supervisor and help to resolve the problem before someone gets hurt.
What effect can alcohol have on you?
What could be the result of being under the influence of alcohol on site?
What effect could taking drugs have on you and your workmates?
How long does a pint of beer take to get out of your system?
What should you do if you see a person taking drugs?
Now inform your workers of the company policy regarding alcohol and drug misuse.
If you have any questions about the contents of this Toolbox Talk, do not hesitate to contact us – our team would be happy to help you with any queries. Find more Toolbox Talks here.
