Cannabis at Work: Firms Must Do More to Educate & Protect Staff

Employers must do more to protect and educate their workers about cannabis use urged the National Safety Council (NSC), following the results of a survey to assess the risks of cannabis in the workplace.

The survey revealed that one-third of employees say they have observed cannabis use during work hours. Additionally, more than half of employers that have eliminated testing (THC) reported seeing an increase in incidents and other workplace concerns. Furthermore, many employees don’t feel comfortable self-identifying when they feel too impaired to work.

The latest NSC study showed significant gaps in knowledge and safety. It revealed that cannabis can have a major impact on the safety of employees; and cannabis legalisation is creating new challenges for employers. The survey also found that:

• Less than half of organisations have a written policy addressing cannabis. 
• Employees are in need of clear communication about cannabis and employer policy. 
• More than half of employers that eliminated THC testing reported seeing an increase in incidents or other workplace performance concerns. 
• Despite what employers believe, less than half of employees reported they would feel comfortable telling supervisors they were too impaired to work.

SAFETY & ACCOUNTABILITY

NSC believes it is the responsibility of the employer to develop a culture of safety, accountability and honesty amongst its employees as it pertains to cannabis, regardless of legality. “As more states legalise cannabis for recreational and medicinal use, employers must take clear, strong stances to ensure worker safety,” stated NSC President and CEO Lorraine Martin. “Research clearly shows that cannabis impacts a person’s ability to safely perform their job, and we hope employers everywhere will heed our recommendations.” 

To help employers address the risks of cannabis in the workplace, NSC developed has employer guidance that encourages business leaders to take the following key actions:

• Establish a clear, fair cannabis policy that prevents impairment in the workplace and provides support for employees. 
• Build a safety-focused, trusting culture for employees to report cannabis use in the workplace. 
• Advocate for increased access to employee assistance programs and health care benefits for those with substance use disorders. 
• Train supervisors to recognise and respond to impairment in the workplace.

UPCOMING EVENT

NSC will also share additional employer recommendations at its upcoming 2021 NSC Safety Congress & Expo event in Orlando, Florida this month. The following sessions will be held at the conference:

• Monday, 11 October, 10:30 am ET:  Workplace Impairment Recognition and Response
• Tuesday, 12 October, 11:30 am ET: Cannabis and Safety
• Wednesday, 13 October, 11:30 am ET: Workplace Impairment Recognition and Response

Click here for more information.

According to recent research, one in five employers are failing to offer proactive support to workers on issues of drugs and alcohol misuse. Click here to read more.