Research into practice: WorkLife Consultancy

February 2016
Staff: 

NCETA: Dr Ken Pidd, Professor Ann Roche, Ms Victoria Kostadinov

Project description: 

NCETA has been contracted by a major Australian petroleum company to develop and implement a tailored workplace alcohol and drug (AOD) risk/harm management package. 

Based on the cultural model of workplace AOD use developed by NCETA, this work involves a gap analysis and risk assessment to inform the development of tailored and evidence based employee awareness and supervisor training programs and associated implementation strategies. The intervention will be evaluated over a 12 month period. 

The project aims to minimise alcohol- and drug-related risk to safety in the workplace by:

  • Raising employee awareness of the company’s alcohol and drug policies and procedures and the health and safety risks associated with alcohol and drug use
  • Building the capacity of team leaders, supervisors, and managers to recognise alcohol and drug risk in the workplace and factors that may contribute to risk
  • Improving supervisors and managers confidence in responding to identified risks and dealing with affected employees
  • Improving referral pathways by increasing employees’ knowledge of treatment/counselling and employee assistance options. 

The project will not only contribute to the company’s overall safety culture by minimising AOD related risk, but will also contribute to the evidence base concerning the workplace as a harm reduction setting.