Impairment

Impairment at work, whether from alcohol, marijuana or opioid use, is “a major roadblock to workplace safety, and the effects are more common than you think,” the National Safety Council says. The risks are numerous:

• Prescription drugs can impair your ability to work and drive, so ask your doctor about any potential side effects before starting a new medication.
• Impairment begins with the first drink, so don’t try to convince yourself that you’ll be fine to work or drive after “just one.”
• Don’t take chances. “Nothing – not a doctor’s prescription or past experience with an impairing substance – is an excuse to work unsafely,” NSC states.

Concerns about marijuana

The decriminalization and legalization of recreational and medicinal marijuana raises safety concerns in the workplace.

For example, for workers who drive or operate heavy machinery, there’s no “safe” level of THC (the chemical component responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects).

Also, there are many unknowns about marijuana use, NSC says. “Do not assume that consuming it one way is less impairing or safer than another way; there is no way to know.”

Find out what your company’s policies are regarding marijuana use. Even if recreational use is legal in your state, your company may still prohibit its use.