Management of alcohol and drug-related issues in the workplace

Problems relating to alcohol and drug use may arise from personal, family or social factors, from certain work situations or from a combination of these elements.

Such problems may harm not only the workers' health and well-being, but also their work and job performance.

Given this multiplicity of causes, multiple approaches to prevention, assistance, treatment and rehabilitation are needed.

The elimination of substance abuse is difficult to achieve in practice, but workplace policies to assist people with drink or drug problems seem to yield the best results for workers and employers alike.

This code, prepared by an ILO panel of experts, gives practical recommendations and guidance to those responsible for addressing alcohol- and drug-related problems at the workplace.