Drug and alcohol policy, Corlett Civil

Drug and alcohol policy template with clear testing triggers

A drug and alcohol policy has to set a clear fitness for work standard, say exactly when and how testing happens so nobody is singled out, offer real help, and spell out the consequences. This five page Australian policy for a civil construction firm with heavy plant and live traffic does that, with six testing triggers and a zero breath alcohol standard.

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Corlett Civil Pty Ltd
1 December 2026

Drug and alcohol policy

Fitness for work on every Corlett Civil site, yard and vehicle, and the support available to anyone who needs it.

Prepared by
Health, Safety and Environment
Date
1 December 2026
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1
Why this policy exists
Corlett Civil builds roads, drainage and subdivisions with about 180 workers, heavy plant and live traffic beside the work. A worker affected by alcohol or drugs puts their own life and other people's at risk. Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 the company must manage that risk so far as is reasonably practicable, and every worker must take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others. This policy is how both duties are met.
2
Who and where it covers
It applies to all employees, apprentices, labour hire workers, subcontractors and visitors who enter a Corlett Civil site, depot or yard, or drive or operate any company vehicle or plant. It applies from the start of a shift to the end, including breaks, and to any work function where staff are on call.
3
The fitness for work standard
Everyone must arrive fit for work and stay fit for work. In practice that means:
0.00
Breath alcohol, every role
Negative
Drug results, cut off levels
Before shift
Medication declared
A breath alcohol reading above 0.00 on site is a non negative result. Corlett Civil sets zero because most of our work involves plant or traffic.
A drug test is non negative when a substance is found above the cut off levels in AS/NZS 4308:2008 for urine or AS 4760:2019 for oral fluid.
Prescription or over the counter medicine that may affect alertness, such as some pain or allergy medicine, must be declared to the supervisor before the shift, so duties can be adjusted. The details stay confidential.
Bringing alcohol or illegal drugs onto a site, or being in possession of them there, is not permitted at any time.
4
Responsibilities
Each role has a part in keeping sites fit for work:
Workers arrive fit for work, declare medication, tell a supervisor if they think a workmate is impaired, and take part in testing when asked.
Supervisors watch for signs of impairment, remove an impaired worker from plant or traffic at once, and record what they saw.
Site managers make sure random testing happens each month and that every test is run under section 6.
The health and safety team arranges collectors and laboratories, keeps results confidential and reports trends to the directors each quarter.
Workers arrive fit for work, declare medication, tell a supervisor if they think a workmate is impaired, and take part in testing when asked.
Supervisors watch for signs of impairment, remove an impaired worker from plant or traffic at once, and record what they saw.
Site managers make sure random testing happens each month and that every test is run under section 6.
The health and safety team arranges collectors and laboratories, keeps results confidential and reports trends to the directors each quarter.
Workers arrive fit for work, declare medication, tell a supervisor if they think a workmate is impaired, and take part in testing when asked.
Supervisors watch for signs of impairment, remove an impaired worker from plant or traffic at once, and record what they saw.
Site managers make sure random testing happens each month and that every test is run under section 6.
The health and safety team arranges collectors and laboratories, keeps results confidential and reports trends to the directors each quarter.
5
Testing triggers
Testing happens only for the reasons below, so nobody is singled out.
Trigger
When
Test
Pre employment
Before a first shift, for every new employee and labour hire worker
Breath and oral fluid
Random
At least 10 percent of each site's workforce each month, chosen by a computer draw
Breath and oral fluid
Post incident
Within 2 hours of an injury, plant damage or a near miss with a high potential outcome
Breath and oral fluid
Reasonable suspicion
Two supervisors record signs such as slurred speech, smell of alcohol or unsteady movement
Breath and oral fluid
Return to work
Before returning after a confirmed non negative result
Breath and urine
Follow up
Up to 6 unannounced tests in the 12 months after returning
Breath and oral fluid
6
Testing procedure
Tests are run by an independent accredited collector, in private, with the worker's dignity respected. The worker may have a support person or union delegate present if one is available without delaying the test by more than 30 minutes.
Step 1
Worker told the reason for the test
Step 2
Medication declared on the consent form
Step 3
Breath test, repeated after 15 minutes if above zero
Step 4
Oral fluid or urine screened on site
Step 5
Non negative sample sent to an accredited laboratory
Step 6
Result confirmed and given to the worker in private
Step 1
Worker told the reason for the test
Step 2
Medication declared on the consent form
Step 3
Breath test, repeated after 15 minutes if above zero
Step 4
Oral fluid or urine screened on site
Step 5
Non negative sample sent to an accredited laboratory
Step 6
Result confirmed and given to the worker in private
Step 1
Worker told the reason for the test
Step 2
Medication declared on the consent form
Step 3
Breath test, repeated after 15 minutes if above zero
Step 4
Oral fluid or urine screened on site
Step 5
Non negative sample sent to an accredited laboratory
Step 6
Result confirmed and given to the worker in private
While a result is being confirmed
A worker with a non negative screen is stood down from safety critical work for the rest of the shift, on full pay, and driven home. They are not disciplined until the laboratory confirms the result, and if it comes back negative the matter ends there with no record kept.
7
Support program
Corlett Civil would rather help than discipline. Anyone who has a problem with alcohol or drugs can ask for help before they are selected for a test, and asking is treated as a health matter, not a breach.
six free confidential sessions with the employee assistance program, extended if a counsellor recommends it
paid leave of up to 10 days to attend a treatment program, then personal leave
a return to work plan agreed with the worker, the supervisor and the health and safety team
self referral protection: a worker who asks for help before being selected is not disciplined for that disclosure, once in any 2 year period
8
Work functions and driving
Alcohol may be served at an approved company function off site, such as the end of year dinner, but never at a site or depot, and nobody who is on call may drink. Anyone who has been drinking must not drive a company vehicle, and the company pays for a taxi home from any function. Workers who drive a company vehicle home are covered by the fitness for work standard whenever they are behind the wheel.
9
Consequences
The consequence depends on the result and whether it has happened before. Every outcome follows a fair process under the disciplinary procedure.
Situation
Consequence
First confirmed non negative
Written warning, referral to the support program, return to work test and follow up testing
Second within 12 months
Final written warning, or termination where the risk cannot be managed
Refusing a test, or tampering with a sample
Treated as a confirmed non negative result
Supplying drugs or alcohol on site
Serious misconduct, which may lead to summary dismissal and a report to police
10
Privacy of results
Test results are health information. They are kept by the health and safety team, separately from the personnel file, seen only by the people who need them to act, and destroyed 3 years after the last test unless a legal matter requires them to be kept longer.
11
Consultation and review
This policy was developed with the health and safety committee and the workers' representatives, and it is reviewed with them every two years or after a serious incident involving alcohol or drugs.

Section by section

What each section is for, so you can keep the ones you need and drop the rest.

Cover
Executive cover with the company, title, purpose line and date.
1 and 2. Why and who
The duties under the WHS Act, and every person, site, vehicle and shift covered.
3. Fitness for work standard
Zero breath alcohol, negative drug results to the named standards, medicine declared.
4. Responsibilities
Workers, supervisors, site managers and the health and safety team.
5. Testing triggers
Six triggers with when and which test.
6. Testing procedure
Six steps and stand down on full pay while a result is confirmed.
7 and 8. Support and functions
Counselling, treatment leave, self referral, and alcohol at functions and driving.
9 to 11. Consequences, privacy and review
Outcomes by situation, how results are kept, and consultation.

How to adapt this document

First, set the alcohol standard to your risk: keep 0.00 for plant, driving and height work, and decide deliberately whether office staff share it. Second, size random testing to your workforce; 10 percent a month suits 180 site workers, while a crew of 15 may test fewer people more often. Third, consult before you adopt it, through your health and safety committee or worker representatives, because testing introduced without consultation is the most common reason these policies are challenged.

Which law the terms follow

The duties behind the policy come from the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the state laws based on it: section 19 requires the business to ensure health and safety so far as reasonably practicable, and section 28 requires workers to take reasonable care and follow reasonable instructions. Safe Work Australia publishes guidance on drugs and alcohol at work. Testing follows AS/NZS 4308:2008 and AS 4760:2019, and results are handled as health information under privacy law.

What makes this document work

Testing only happens for stated reasons

The triggers table lists six: pre employment, random at 10 percent of each site's workforce a month by computer draw, post incident within 2 hours, reasonable suspicion recorded by two supervisors, return to work, and up to 6 follow up tests. Workers can see testing is not a supervisor's choice.

Nobody is punished for a screen

The callout says a worker with a non negative screen is stood down for the rest of the shift on full pay and driven home, and is not disciplined until the laboratory confirms. If the result is negative the matter ends with no record kept. That one rule is what makes testing fair.

Help comes before discipline

The support program offers six free counselling sessions, up to 10 days paid leave for treatment and a return to work plan, and protects a worker who asks for help before being selected for a test, once in any 2 year period. A policy that only punishes teaches people to hide the problem.

Questions people ask

Can an Australian employer drug test employees?

Yes, where testing is a reasonable way to manage a safety risk and is set out in a policy that was consulted on and applied fairly. In safety critical work such as civil construction, random and post incident testing is common. Workplace agreements can affect how testing is done, so check any that apply.

Why set breath alcohol at zero?

Because most of this firm's work involves plant or traffic, and even low levels slow reaction time. Many safety critical employers set 0.00 for everyone on site, while some allow 0.02 for office roles. Whatever level you choose, state it as a number, as the stats strip here does, so there is no argument.

What are AS/NZS 4308 and AS 4760?

They are the Australian standards for workplace drug testing: AS/NZS 4308:2008 for urine and AS 4760:2019 for oral fluid. They set the drugs tested, the cut off levels and the collection and laboratory procedures. Naming them in the policy tells workers exactly what non negative means.

Do workers have to declare prescription medicine?

Under this policy, any medicine that may affect alertness must be declared to the supervisor before the shift, so duties can be adjusted, and the details stay confidential. Workers do not have to name their condition. A declared prescription that explains a test result is a health matter, not a breach.

What happens if a worker refuses a test?

Under this policy a refusal, or tampering with a sample, is treated as a confirmed non negative result, with the same consequences. The reason for the test is explained first, and a support person or union delegate can be present if one is available within 30 minutes, so a refusal is a choice made with full information.

How long should test results be kept?

Only as long as needed and apart from the personnel file, because results are health information under privacy law. This policy keeps them with the health and safety team, limits who sees them, and destroys them 3 years after the last test unless a legal matter needs them.

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