How prepared are you and your leadership to manage an employee impaired in the workplace?
As an HR professional or leader, the key is to act promptly and responsibly when faced with impairment issues. Understanding the signs of impairment, implementing preventive measures, and having a clear action plan can prevent crises from escalating, ensuring a safe and productive workplace for all.
CSA Z1008:21 Standard for Management of Impairment in the Workplace is a free resource for employers to prevent and manage impairment in the workplace.
The goal is to prioritize employees’ well-being and safety while supporting those who are struggling. By taking a compassionate and proactive approach, organizations can mitigate risks, promote a positive work culture, and empower employees to thrive. HR and leaders can maintain a healthy, safe, and inclusive workplace through continued education, policy refinement, and a commitment to employee support.
Impairment in the workplace can stem from fatigue, medication, neurological issues, and substance use, resulting in:
- Distractions from substance-seeking behaviour
- Impaired judgment and motor skills affecting safety
- After-effects like hangovers impacting performance
- Illness, injury, absenteeism, or reduced productivity
- Illegal activities, such as drug sales
- Psychological effects from a close one’s substance use impacting work performance
A crisis-ready workplace does not assume. It adopts a Plan-Do-Check-Act approach to ensure preparation is not just a check-the-box compliance. Employers have a legal duty to adhere to occupational health and safety (OHS) regulations that mandate due diligence in creating a safe work environment. Beyond workplace violence policies, employers have a duty to protect workplaces from impairment risks.
An employee at risk of impaired behaviour may present as responding slowly, demonstrating poor motor coordination, using slurred speech, emanating unusual odours, showing irritability, or not making sense. The risk of harm can be greater in safety-sensitive jobs (e.g., pilot, bus driver, oil rig worker, surgeon, etc.). Regardless of the role, any employee whose functioning and fitness for duty are in question requires an intervention.
Employer OHS responsibilities
Employers’ requirement to identify potential hazards and implement measures to protect workers from harm is at the core of OHS responsibilities. For safety-sensitive workplaces, this includes developing a detailed substance use policy outlining the organization’s stance on substance use and detailing what constitutes prohibited behaviour and the repercussions of such actions, including drug testing. It should also provide guidelines to assess fitness for duty. “Fit for duty” refers to an individual’s physical, physiological, and psychological capability to perform their job safely and effectively.
Employers must train employees and leaders in the substance use policy and provide leaders, OHS, and HR professionals with the knowledge and skills to identify signs of impairment and intervene safely. This includes understanding the nuances of impairment—whether related to substance use, fatigue, medical conditions, or other factors—and how to get an impaired employee to safety and protect others.
Regardless of an employer’s readiness or industry sector, there is always an inherent risk that an employee may come to work impaired, raising questions about their fitness for duty. This situation requires risk identification and intervention to protect the worker and others from harm.
Even if an employer has not created a substance use policy, they have a legal duty to protect employees and ensure a safe work environment. Employers can adopt basic OHS and psychological health and safety (PHS) lead practices to effectively mitigate the risks associated with impairment:
- Commit to creating a caring and supportive environment, promoting the value of health and safety, and encouraging employees to feel comfortable discussing concerns and speaking up (e.g., concerns about a peer’s erratic behaviour).
- Have support systems to assist employees with mental health concerns, including addictive disorders (EFAP).
- Conduct due diligence for safety by checking and monitoring for hazards, ensuring training and policies are in place, and confirming they are functioning effectively.
- Prepare and be crisis-ready to safely, confidentially, and professionally support a worker who appears to be impaired.
When training staff to intervene with a person whose fitness for duty is in question due to perceived impairment, be mindful of the stigma often associated with substance use. Interventions should be conducted without judgment or labelling to reduce the risk of harm. The root cause of impairment may not always be recreational substance use. It could be due to fatigue, neurological issues, or medication side effects. The focus should be on safety and guiding the person to professional assistance.
Four steps for dealing with impairment in the workplace
Respond swiftly and safely when addressing a suspected impaired employee without risking escalation for yourself, the employee, or others. It’s advisable to handle the situation with at least two trained peers who understand their role is to follow your lead and directions.
The following four-step model can guide HR professionals and leaders in navigating workplace impairment situations:
Assess for risk: When an employee is reported or observed to be impaired, assess the situation by gathering information about the employee’s functioning to evaluate their fitness for duty. The assessment should include reviewing the reported facts that brought attention to the employee and observing their behaviour, focusing on physical signs, unusual odours, cognitive functioning, and emotional state. Remain calm, focus on observable facts, and determine if the field assessment suggests a need for further investigation. If there is any uncertainty about the employee’s condition, continue the assessment until you’re confident of their safety. It’s better to err on the side of caution and proceed with further evaluation when needed.
Engage: When an employee’s fitness for duty is questioned, this triggers the need for an intervention, regardless of the root cause. Based on the observations from the initial assessment, the risk level may be unknown, uncertain, or concerning. If the employee can communicate, request a private conversation with your support team. Be clear that the purpose is to check in with them and review the observed behaviours, emphasizing that their well-being and safety are the top priorities. Approach the discussion with empathy and without judgment. If the employee can communicate clearly, explain the observed behaviours and express concern for their well-being and safety, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a safe workplace. Regardless of the employee’s response, if you remain unsatisfied and concerned about their condition, they should be removed from the workplace safely and respectfully until you can gather more information.
Intervention: The primary objective when dealing with a potentially impaired employee is to ensure their safety. Intervention requires calmness to prevent embarrassment, escalation, judgment, and accidents. Once the employee and others are safe, you may need to get the employee home under the care of a loved one or arrange for medical attention and a professional evaluation. This may involve referring the employee to a treatment centre, suggesting they access the Employee and Family Assistance Program, or connecting them with local substance use professionals and their medical doctor to explore workplace accommodation and treatment options. The key intervention priorities are to ensure the employee’s safety and implement support systems. Once the employee’s immediate safety is secured, the employer’s policies regarding drug testing, workplace investigation, and potential disciplinary action can be planned if needed.
Follow-up: Once the immediate situation has been addressed, ensure a comprehensive follow-up plan is in place. This plan should focus on supporting the employee’s well-being, whether they had to take time off work or are returning to the workplace. If the employee had to leave work, the follow-up should verify that they have successfully navigated their situation and are ready to return. Get the employee’s feedback on their experience, as this can provide valuable insights to improve the organization’s processes as part of a continuous improvement plan. Ongoing follow-up and check-ins help ensure the employee feels supported. The frequency and diligence of the follow-up will depend on the severity of the initial issues. In some cases, such as in safety-sensitive workplaces, random drug testing may be required after the employee’s return from treatment. The primary goals of the follow-up are to support the employee’s well-being, facilitate a successful return to work, and gather feedback to enhance the organization’s approach to similar situations in the future.
