Preface

• Pages: V-VIII

V

Preface

Problems relating to alcohol and drugs may arise as a consequence of personal,

family or social factors, or from certain work situations, or from a combination of these

elements. Such problems not only have an adverse effect on the health and well-being of

workers, but may also cause many work-related problems including a deterioration in

job performance. Given that there are multiple causes of alcohol- and drug-related

problems, there are consequently multiple approaches to prevention, assistance,

treatment and rehabilitation.

While the elimination of substance abuse is a highly desirable goal, experience has

shown the difficulty of achieving this. However, workplace policies to assist individuals

with alcohol- and drug-related problems, including the use of illegal drugs, would seem

to yield the most constructive results for workers and employers alike.

It was for this reason that the Governing Body of the ILO decided at its 259th

Session (March 1994) to convene a meeting of experts in Geneva from 23 to 31 January

1995, to consider a draft code of practice on the management of alcohol- and drug-

related problems at the workplace. The meeting was composed of seven experts

appointed following consultations with governments, seven following consultations with

the Employers' group, and seven following consultations with the Workers' group of the

Governing Body.1

1 Experts appointed following consultations with governments:

Ms. Eslahe Mohamed Amin, Director-General, Department of International Workers' Relations, Ministry

of Manpower and Employment, Cairo (Egypt).

Mr. Anatoli V. Chevtchenko, Chief Specialist on Narcology, Ministry of Health and Medical

Industry of the Russian Federation, Moscow (Russian Federation).

Mr. Juarez Corréia Barros, Jr., Occupational Safety Engineer, Regional Labour Commission of

the State of São Paulo (DRT/SP), Sao Paulo (Brazil).

Ms. Dorothy Dzvova, National Coordinator, Department of Social Welfare, Ministry of Labour, Harare

(Zimbabwe).

Mr. Georg Kleinsorge, Advisor, Ministry of Labour, Bonn (Germany).

Ms. Judith Peterson, Substance Abuse Program Coordinator, US Department of Labor, Washington, DC

(United States).

Mr. Wilhelm Soriano, Executive Director, Employees Compensation Commission, Manila (the

Philippines).

Advisers: Mr. Naguib Gheita (Egypt). Mr. Herbert Ziegler (Germany).

Experts appointed following consultations with the Employers' group:

Mr. François Alric, Assistant to the Director-General, Inter Services Centre on Occupational Health and

Medicine (CISME), Paris (France).

Mr. André Beugger, Group Personnel Manager, Chamber of Mines of South Africa, Johannesburg (South

Africa).

Mr. Ramiro Castro de la Matta Caamaño, President of the Governing Council, Information and Education

Centre for the Prevention of Drug Abuse (CEDRO), Lima (Peru).

Mr. Reylito A.H. Elbo, Personnel and Administration Manager, Directories Philippines Corporation,

Manila (the Philippines).

Ms. Caroline Jenkinson, Head of Research and Information Unit, Irish Business and Employers

Confederation (IBEC), Dublin (Ireland).