General duties, rights and responsibilities

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2. General duties, rights and responsibilities

2.1. General duties of competent authorities

2.1.1. Legislation and national policy with respect to the prevention, reduction

and management of alcohol- and drug-related problems in the workplace should be

determined after consultation with the most representative employers' and workers'

organizations and other experts.

2.1.2. The competent authority should collect, maintain and publish statistics on

accidents where use of alcohol or drugs has been determined to have been a factor.

2.1.3. Based on the conclusions of investigations and statistical data on accidents

associated with the use of alcohol or drugs, the competent authority should take the

following actions to prevent, reduce and manage such problems more effectively in the

future:

(a) make appropriate recommendations for changes in the regulatory framework;

(b) offer technical information and advice to individual enterprises on ways to deal with

such problems;

(c) issue monographs or other publications on ways to prevent accidents due to alcohol,

legal and illegal drug use in the various industries, branches, production processes

and occupational categories particularly at risk.

2.1.4. In regulations and legislation developed by the competent authority,

alcohol- and drug-related problems should be considered as health problems, and

therefore dealt with, without any discrimination, as any other health problem at work

and covered by the health care systems (public or private) as appropriate and

practicable. Counselling, treatment and rehabilitation are important elements in this

context.

2.1.5. The competent authority should monitor the implementation of legislation

and regulations applicable to alcohol and drugs in the workplace by, for example,

carrying out inspections of the workplace, and take appropriate measures to ensure that

such legislation and regulations are enforced.

2.1.6. The competent authority should supply technical information and advice to

employers and workers concerning the most effective means of complying with

legislation and regulations applicable to alcohol and drugs in the workplace.

2.2. General duties and rights of employers

2.2.1. Employers should provide and maintain a safe and healthy workplace in

accordance with the applicable law and regulations, and take appropriate actions,