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Corporate Alcohol and Drug Standard for Employees The purpose of this standard is to outline the expectations associated with alcohol and drug use, and confirm TransAlta's commitment to manage risk associated with our operations.
TransAlta reserves the right to enforce, change or amend the requirements within this standard, at any time.
Application
The following provisions apply to all employees while they are engaged in company business, working on company premises, or operating company vehicles or equipment. Violations of these provisions will result in disciplinary action. Because of the greater risk involved in performing certain functions, some positions have been designated as “safety-sensitive” and some work locations have been designated as “safety-sensitive”. In addition, certain operating locations are considered safety-sensitive work locations. Individuals holding these positions or working at these locations, will be informed and expected to meet more stringent requirements as outlined in the standard. A separate Alcohol and Drug Standard for contractors has been prepared which contains the applicable provisions of this standard and is designed to clearly convey requirements to contractors. Contractors will be expected to enforce these requirements with their employees, sub-contractors and agents.
Details on responsibilities, expectations, prevention, rehabilitation, investigative procedures and consequences are found in the following sections of the standard. The standard is subject to ongoing review and evaluation, and modifications will be made as deemed necessary to respond to changing circumstances and evolving needs. Standard
TransAlta is committed to the protection of the health and safety of workers, environment, and the public as set out in our Environment, Health and Safety Policy 403. We recognize that the This document is the property of TransAlta for authorized use only This is an Uncontrolled Copy printed on 2011/09/22, at 04:39:26 PM and is valid for one week from the printed date or for the duration of the project.
use of illicit drugs and the inappropriate use of alcohol, medications, and other substances can adversely affect job performance, productivity, the work environment and the well being of employees as set out in our Alcohol and Drug Policy 326. It can also place the integrity and safety of company property and operations at risk.
In light of these risks, this standard is intended to outline the expectations associated with alcohol and drug use, and confirm the company’s commitment to manage risk associated with our operations.
All employees are expected to perform their jobs in a safe manner and in all ways consistent with established company practices. In addition, it is expected that employees will: read and understand the standard and their responsibilities under it; report fit for work for any and all scheduled work and remain fit for work throughout their work day or shift; seek advice and follow appropriate treatment if they have a current or emerging alcohol or drug problem, and follow recommended monitoring programs after attending treatment; co-operate with any work modification related to safety concerns; as appropriate, encourage a co-worker to access assistance before an alcohol or drug problem impacts performance or safety; report unsafe acts or conditions to a leader (supervisors and above), Disability Management or the A&D Program Administrator as applicable; and co-operate with investigations into potential violations of this standard, including any request to participate in the testing program when required to do so under this standard .
ongoing performance management to ensure safe operations and effectiveness of the program; contacting TransAlta's Disability Management to obtain assistance for employees who come forward with an alcohol or drug problem while maintaining confidentiality under the circumstances; taking appropriate steps to investigate any potential violation of the standard with assistance from Health and Human Resources as required; making referrals for an alcohol and drug test in a post incident or reasonable cause situation when required to do so under this standard; and ensuring compliance of contractors to the Contractor A&D Standard.
The Health and Disability department will be responsible for the overall administration of the standard. This includes: consistent administration of the standard; resolution of any questions of interpretation; This document is the property of TransAlta for authorized use only This is an Uncontrolled Copy printed on 2011/09/22, at 04:39:26 PM and is valid for one week from the printed date or for the duration of the project.
supporting supervisors in meeting their responsibilities; coordinating development and delivery of employee education and supervisor training programs; facilitating fitness for work assessments, guidance on medication use, advice on modified duties, supporting and assisting any employee who seeks assistance for a problem; and overseeing implementation of modified work, recommendations for return to work agreements, or similar accommodation situations; and assigning Site Administrators to assist in the administration of the standard as directed .
The A&D Program Administrator manages the testing program on an ongoing basis, including maintaining contracts with, and providing direction to, third party administrators; tracking testing and receipt of Medical Review Officer’s reports; primary contact point for local site A&D administrators; maintaining all program/testing records in a confidential manner.
Human Resources (which may include Labour Relations) will be responsible for: assisting management in the development of performance improvement plans and in the determination and administration of any disciplinary action; supporting supervisors in meeting their responsibilities.
The priority is to minimize the risk of unsafe and unsatisfactory performance due to the use or after-effects of illicit drugs, alcohol, medications, or other substances. Employees are expected to report fit for work and remain fit for work throughout their work day or shift, and to comply with the following requirements. Illicit Drugs
The following are prohibited while on company business or premises, including at any time
during the work day or shift:
the use, possession, distribution, offering, or sale of illicit drugs, or illicit drug paraphernalia; reporting for work under the influence of illicit drugs; and a positive test for illicit drugs as determined through the testing program.
Alcohol
The use, possession, distribution, offering, or sale of alcohol is prohibited when on company
premises (with the exceptions noted below), including at company residential facilities. In
addition, employees are expected to use alcohol responsibly in those situations where it is
permitted under the standard, and to report and remain fit for work in compliance with this
standard.
have an alcohol test result of 0.04 Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) or greater; or use alcohol within the first eight (8) hours after an incident until tested or advised by the This document is the property of TransAlta for authorized use only This is an Uncontrolled Copy printed on 2011/09/22, at 04:39:26 PM and is valid for one week from the printed date or for the duration of the project.
company that a test is not required.
In addition, employees holding a safety-sensitive position, or working at a safety-sensitive work location, cannot: report for work under the influence of alcohol from any source; consume any alcoholic beverage during the work day or shift, including during meals or other breaks; or consume alcohol at a company social event and return to or report for work after the event; or have an alcohol test result of 0.02 Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) or greater. Exceptions: The use, possession and offering or sale of alcohol is prohibited when on company premises with the following exceptions: Alcohol may be used in social situations on company premises with prior approval of an individual at the vice president level or above. In those cases, the conditions and precautions for use of alcohol in social situations contained in this standard will be followed.
Factory sealed containers may be stored in vehicles parked on company premises or in vehicles provided, assigned or subsidized by the company when not being used for company business, provided the alcohol is locked in the trunk of the vehicle or otherwise appropriately secured.
Alcohol received as a gift may be temporarily stored on company premises, including in a vehicle, but must remain sealed and be removed at the earliest opportunity.
Employees holding safety-sensitive positions may use alcohol after the work day or shift, for example when on travel status, at a training event or seminar or in any other similar business-related situation provided the formal business is completed, alcohol is used responsibly and they are not reporting for or returning to work. Social Situations
In the case of any company social event, appropriate regard will be taken for the safety and
well-being of the individuals present and the community. Responsible alcohol use is permitted
at company sponsored social functions provided the event has the prior approval of a director or
above for off-site functions, and vice president or above for on-site functions. Alcohol
consumption should be controlled so there is no inappropriate behavior at the function and
alternative transportation arrangements must be made available. Refer to Hosting of Social
Events in the supporting materials to this standard.
Consistent with the above, if alcohol is made available to TransAlta guests in the course of conducting business (e.g., restaurant meetings), employees are expected to use judgment and be responsible in hosting others and to comply with the standard regarding alcohol use set out for their position if returning to work.
Medications
Employees are expected to responsibly use prescribed and over-the-counter medications.
Medications of concern are those that inhibit or may inhibit an employee's ability to perform their
job safely and productively. Refer to “Guideline on Medications” in the supporting materials to
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this standard and Reporting & Managing Medication Use (TA-123). The following are prohibited when on company business and premises: the intentional misuse of medications (e.g. using the medication not as it has been prescribed or directed by a prescribing health professional or pharmacy, using someone else’s prescription medication, combining medication and alcohol use against direction); or the unauthorized possession of prescribed medications without a legally obtained prescription, and unauthorized distribution, offering or sale of prescription medications.
investigate (through their physician, pharmacist, Occupational Health or Disability Management) whether a medication can affect safe operation; and act responsibly and use a safe alternative medication choice when available (e.g. non-drowsy); if the medication they are using will affect their ability to work safely, they are expected to advise their supervisor of any need for modified duties and follow any recommended course of action, which could include temporary reassignment if possible or leave as appropriate to the situation.
TransAlta reserves the right through the Health & Disability department to confirm the nature and duration of any required work modification with the treating physician, without any breach of medical confidentiality or privacy laws.
Scheduled Standby
All employees who are on standby must remain in compliance with the standard.
Unscheduled/Emergency Call
If unexpected circumstances arise where an employee is requested to perform unscheduled
services while under the influence of alcohol or medications that could impact safe operations , it
is the responsibility of that individual to decline the call. Under these circumstances, the
employee will not be subject to disciplinary action for declining the call.
Prevention, Assessment, Rehabilitation, Aftercare Prevention
This standard stresses the importance of prevention and early identification of potential problem
situations. The company will make information available on recognizing related performance
problems and the process to access assistance.
Employees are encouraged to access the company Employee Assistance Program (EAP), their personal physician, or appropriate community services for help with an alcohol or drug problem, or any other problem that may be affecting work performance.
Assessment/Rehabilitation
TransAlta recognizes that alcohol and drug dependency are treatable illnesses and that early
intervention greatly improves the probability of a lasting recovery. Individuals who suspect they
have a substance dependency or emerging alcohol or drug problem are expected to seek
advice and to follow appropriate treatment promptly before job performance is affected or
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Responsibilities
Employees should understand that accessing assistance or declaring a problem does not
eliminate the requirement for maintenance of satisfactory performance levels. Corrective action
or testing cannot be avoided by a request for assistance with a problem or by disclosure that the
employee is already involved in a treatmenet program.
Where a medical professional, substance abuse professional, or other counseling professional advises that there may be a risk that would prevent an employee from doing their job safely, a medical work modification may be issued, and the individual may be assigned to alternate duties, if available, and at the discretion of the company.
Aftercare
All employees who complete primary treatment (e.g., residential or out-patient treatment) for
alcohol or drug problems as a result of a referral will be required to participate in an aftercare
program, as recommended by a substance abuse professional, or appropriate addictions
professional, when returning to work in order to help them maintain recovery. They will be
expected to enter into a written agreement with TransAlta which will outline the conditions
governing their return to work and the consequences for failing to meet those conditions .
Confidentiality
Confidentiality will be maintained except where limited disclosure is necessary for related
health, safety and performance concerns (e.g., there is deemed to be a potential for risk to self,
others or the company). That is, only the information strictly limited to the level of functionality
of a worker (e.g., fitness for work and any restrictions that may apply, and performance
concerns) may be shared with management for purposes of determining fitness for work,
appropriate work accommodation, dealing with performance issues and/or work re-entry
initiatives.
The normal process of job performance management will continue to be emphasized. Through this process, individuals with apparent performance problems will be reminded that they should access assistance should a personal problem be affecting their job performance .
Employees who come forward voluntarily for help with an alcohol or drug problem will be referred for assessment with a substance abuse professional/addictions specialist and supported through a treatment and aftercare program consistent with the substance abuse professional’s recommendations as per Disability Management Policy. Unfit for Work Situations
In all situations where there are grounds to believe an employee is unfit to be at work,
responsible escort procedures will be followed. The individual will be escorted to a safe place
and given an opportunity to explain why they appear to be in a condition unfit for work. The
supervisor will take action appropriate to the situation. Based on the employee's explanation, if
the supervisor conducting the interview still believes the employee is in a condition unfit for
normal work, they may take either of the following actions:
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referral for medical attention if there are immediate medical concerns (health center, local hospital or clinic); and/or referral for an alcohol and drug test, after appropriate consultation, if there are grounds to believe alcohol or drug use may be a factor in the situation. (Refer to Reasonable Cause procedures.) The employee may be temporarily held out of service or reassigned pending completion of any investigation. Transportation will be provided to the sample collection site, or hospital/clinic depending on the circumstances, and then to their place of residence or the care of another person.
Possession of Alcohol or Drugs
TransAlta reserves the right to investigate any situation when there are reasonable grounds to
believe that alcohol or illicit drugs are present on company premises in violation of this standard .
Supervisors are responsible for identifying situations where a search is justified based on a
combination of indicators which could include behavior, odor, or presence of paraphernalia.
They will be responsible for advising their manager of the situation, who, after appropriate
consultation, will make the decision as to whether to initiate a search.
Loss/Suspension of License
All employees who operate a motor vehicle on behalf of TransAlta are required to maintain a
valid driver’s license. Any loss or suspension of license must be reported to the employee’s
supervisor, and the employee will no longer be qualified to drive on behalf of the company.
Impaired Driving Charge
Employees must inform their supervisor immediately if they have been charged with an impaired
driving offense or had their license suspended when operating a company vehicle or driving on
behalf of TransAlta. Impaired driving would include but not be restricted to testing over the legal
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) in that jurisdiction, driving while impaired, or refusal to
provide a sample for testing. Receipt of a charge or suspension will result in a full investigation,
and disciplinary action appropriate to the outcome of the investigation.
Alcohol and Drug Testing
All employees will be subject to testing in the following circumstances.
a. Reasonable Cause
Testing will take place whenever the company has reasonable grounds to believe that the actions, appearance or conduct of an individual while on duty are indicative of the use of alcohol or drugs in violation of this standard. The decision to test shall be made by the supervisor, with concurrence of a second person (e.g., a manager, another supervisor, the A&D Site Administrator or Human Resources). The basis for the decision will be documented as soon as possible after action has taken place. The referral for a test will be based on specific, personal observations resulting from, but not limited to such indicators as: observed use or evidence of use of a substance (e.g., smell of alcohol); erratic or atypical, or changes in behavior; changes in the physical appearance or speech patterns; or other observations that suggest alcohol or drug use may be a factor.
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Individuals tested in this circumstance will be removed from duty or may be reassigned, until the investigation is complete. Depending on the test result, a fitness for work assessment may also be required before allowing the employee to return to work.
b. Post Incident
Alcohol and drug testing shall be required after a significant health and safety work -related incident (Class 2 or higher and any significant incident with a Risk Ranking > 18) as part of a full investigation into the circumstances. A test will be necessary unless there is no reason to believe that the incident may have been caused in whole or in part of the employee. This will be determined based on the nature and significance of the incident and the explanation given by the employee for the incident. In the event that a test is not required the need for the exception not to test must be documented as part of the preliminary investigation as soon as practical (within 2 hours) after the triggering event. A second opinion should be sought wherever practical. The following conditions apply for testing: the decision to test will be made as soon as possible after the triggering event ; arrangements for testing will be made as soon as possible unless this is impossible because medical attention is required; the need for a test must be documented as part of the preliminary investigation as soon as practical after the triggering event; a test will not be necessary if there is clear evidence that the acts or omissions of employees could not have been a contributing factor (e.g., structural or mechanical failure); employees referred for a test will only be those who are identified, with reasonable grounds, as having been directly involved in the chain of acts or omissions leading up to the event; and employees to be tested must not use alcohol within the first eight (8) hours after an incident or until after the test has been completed, or they are advised a test is not required.
Since all employees may be subject to testing after a significant health and safety incident , they are to report the incident to their immediate supervisor as soon as possible and participate fully in any subsequent investigation. A significant incident which would trigger testing would normally be rated as Class 2 or higher in the Incident Classification Standard (refer to Corporate Incident Management Standard TA-57). However, at their discretion, management may require a post-incident test after any other work-related incident or near miss as part of a complete investigation. c. Return to Work – Post Violation
In those situations where employment is continued after a violation of the standard, individuals will be subject to a return to work test and unannounced testing for a minimum of two years as a condition of continued employment and set out in an Individual Work Plan.
d. Return to Work – Post Treatment
Testing may be used as a monitoring tool as determined on a case by case basis to support the recovery of any individual assuming duties after primary treatment for an alcohol or drug problem. This document is the property of TransAlta for authorized use only This is an Uncontrolled Copy printed on 2011/09/22, at 04:39:26 PM and is valid for one week from the printed date or for the duration of the project.
e. Safety-Sensitive Positions/Work Locations
As a final condition of certification into a safety-sensitive position or qualification to work at a safety-sensitive work location, all external applicants are required to undergo an alcohol and drug test. Failure to pass the test or refusal to participate means the individual is not eligible for the position. Current employees who do not hold a safety-sensitive position must pass an alcohol and drug test as a final condition of transfer or access to a safety -sensitive work location. Current employees who refuse to be tested, or who have a positive test result will not be eligible for the position, and will be referred for an assessment to determine the need for a structured treatment program. This will not prevent them from reapplying at a later date. In addition to the listed testing circumstances, the company reserves the right to initiate a program of random testing for specific job categories when it is deemed necessary to meet the objectives of this standard. In this situation, the testing will take place on an unannounced basis spread evenly throughout the year, with selection handled by an independent, qualified Third Party Administrator (TPA). Employees in safety-sensitive positions subject to such random testing will be advised well in advance of initiation of the program.
Other Circumstances
Pre-site access testing may be required as a condition access to specific TransAlta sites
designated as safety-sensitive locations, or as a condition of contract with a customer to
perform TransAlta work. Individuals affected by these requirements will be advised in
advance.
g. Failure to Test
Failure to report directly for a test, refusal to submit to a test, refusal to agree to disclosure of a test result to the A&D Program Administrator, a confirmed attempt to tamper with a test sample, or failure to report an incident which may require testing, are violations of this standard.
Any violation of the provisions of this standard may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. In all situations, an investigation will be conducted and documented to verify that a standard violation has occurred. Therefore, management has the authority and discretion to hold out of service any individual who is believed to be involved in an incident that could lead to disciplinary action pending the results of the investigation . The appropriate disciplinary action in a particular case will be consistent with TransAlta’s Disciplinary Action Policy 5.4.6 and will depend on the nature of the standard violation and the circumstances surrounding the situation.
Should the company determine that employment will be continued following a violation of this standard, the individual would be required to enter into an agreement governing their continued employment which may require any or all of the following actions, or any other condition appropriate to the situation: assessment by a substance abuse professional or appropriate addictions specialist to determine the need for a structured treatment program; This document is the property of TransAlta for authorized use only This is an Uncontrolled Copy printed on 2011/09/22, at 04:39:26 PM and is valid for one week from the printed date or for the duration of the project.
adherence to any recommended treatment and aftercare program; maintenance of sobriety and satisfactory performance on return to work; successful completion of a return to work test; ongoing unannounced testing for the duration of their agreement; and no further violations of the standard.
Failure to meet the requirements of the agreement during the monitoring period will be grounds for termination of employment. Company Business refers to all business or work related activities undertaken by employees in
the course of the company's operations, whether conducted on or off company premises.
Company Premises includes all real property which includes but is not necessarily restricted to
all land, buildings, facilities, parking lots or garages, equipment, containers, mobile equipment
and vehicles, and water craft whether owned, leased, used or otherwise directly controlled by
TransAlta for the purpose of conducting company business, wherever it may be located.

Contractor refers to any person or entity, including their employees, which has been
contracted, sub-contracted, or otherwise engaged to provide services to the company.
Driving on behalf of TransAlta refers to any time an employee is operating a vehicle owned,
leased or otherwise directly controlled by the company, or when driving their own vehicle on
company business and use of that vehicle is in some way compensated by the company.
Drug means any substance, including alcohol, illicit drugs or medications, the use of which has
the potential to change or adversely affect the way a person thinks, feels or acts. For purposes
of this standard, drugs of concern are those that inhibit a worker’s ability to perform his or her
job safely and productively.
Alcohol means the intoxicating agent in beverage alcohol, ethyl alcohol, or other low molecular weight alcohols including methyl and isopropyl.
Beverage Alcohol refers to beer, wine and distilled spirits.
Illicit drug means any drug or substance which is not legally obtainable and whose use, sale, possession, purchase or transfer is restricted or prohibited by law (e.g., street drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and crystal methamphetamine).
Medication refers to a drug obtained legally, either over-the-counter or through a physicians prescription.
Other Substances refers to any other substance used for psychoactive purposes.
Drug paraphernalia refers to any personal property which is associated with the use of any
drug, substance, chemical or agent, the possession of which is unlawful in the jurisdiction where
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the employee is working. This would also include any product or device that may be used to attempt to tamper with a testing sample.
Employee includes all regular full time, part time, temporary, casual and contracted employees
on the TransAlta payroll.
Fitness for Work/Duty in the context of this standard means being able to safely and
acceptably perform assigned duties without any limitations due to the use or after-effects of
alcohol, illicit drugs, medications or other substances.
Scheduled Standby occurs when employees are scheduled to be available to report to work if
required on their scheduled days off and holidays as defined in their respective Collective
Bargaining Agreement, if applicable, or otherwise.
Safety-Sensitive Position (SSP) is a position in which individuals have a key and direct role in
an activity where performance impacted by alcohol or other drug use could result in:
An incident affecting the health or safety of employees, contractors, customers, the public or the environment, or which results in property damage; or An inadequate response or failure to respond to an emergency or operational situation .
This category includes any and all employees required to temporarily relieve an employee in a Safety-Sensitive Position or who may perform the same duties from time to time. Each region or facility must identify and list all Safety-Sensitive Positions within their organization by specific job position or title and advise an employee if their position is designated as safety -sensitive.
Safety-Sensitive Work Locations include those parts of the operations where there are
significant operating hazards such that anyone working at the location who is under the
influence of alcohol or other drugs could affect the health, safety or security of themselves,
other persons, property or the environment. A site may be designated safety-sensitive for its
ongoing operations, or only designated during the construction phase and re-designated as
non-safety-sensitive during the operation phase.
Supervisor means the individual accountable for a particular area, including managers, and
others in supervisory positions who are directly responsible for the performance of individuals .
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All employees are expected to manage potential impairment during working hours due to the legitimate use of medications. The following drug categories have been associated with performance impairment and are provided as a guideline to employees in assessing their own situation. The list is not exhaustive; there are numerous other over-the-counter and prescription drugs which when taken may impact negatively on performance. Therefore, employees are expected to consult with their physician or a pharmacist to determine if use of the medication will have any potential negative impact on job performance. If the medication they are using will affect their ability to operate safely, they are to take appropriate action to minimize safety risk by advising management of any need for modified duties and following through on any recommended course of action. TransAlta reserves the right through Occupational Health to confirm the nature and duration of any required work modification.
a. Antihistamines - are widely prescribed for hay fever and other allergies (e.g., Allegra, Dimetane). They are also found in many cold medications. These medications may cause drowsiness.
b. Motion Sickness Drugs - are used to prevent motion sickness and nausea (e.g., Gravol, Antivert). Side effects may include drowsiness.
c. Barbiturates, Sedatives, Hypnotics, Tranquilizers, Antidepressants - are used to treat sleep disorders and depression (e.g., Ativan, Imovane, Paxil). Potential side effects may include mild sedation, hypnotic state, dizziness or drowsiness d. Narcotics - (e.g., Demerol, Codeine). Codeine is often found in combination drugs such as 222s or 292s or Tylenol 1,2,3s. Drowsiness, dizziness, and light-headedness may be side effects.
e. Stimulants - Medication used for central nervous system stimulation and for appetite suppression can produce sensations of well-being which may have an adverse effect on judgment, mood and behavior (e.g., amphetamines or medications sold as "diet pills").
Anticonvulsants - are used to control epileptic seizures and can cause drowsiness in some patients (e.g., Dilantin).
g. Muscle Relaxants - are used to treat musculoskeletal pain. Most common side effects are sedation and drowsiness (e.g., Flexeril, Robaxisal).
h. Cold Tablets/Cough mixtures - in particular, night-time remedies can cause drowsiness (e.g., Sinutab, Contac, Triaminic, Tussionex and preparations containing dextromethorphan (DM) or codeine).
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The use of alcohol in conjunction with any company social event is permitted with the prior approval of a person at the vice president level for events held on company premises and director level or above for events not held on company premises. This approval shall be indicated on an "Approval for Social Event Under Alcohol and Drug Standard" attached below in the related documents. All company social events involving alcohol shall be conducted in accordance with the following practices as appropriate to the situation: Professional/trained servers will work at each event and/or will supervise the use of untrained servers.
Each event will have a designated "chief host/hostess" (with assistance from others) with responsibility for: establishing the general tone of the event; acting as the sole contact with the servers during the function regarding opening and closing times, food and beverage arrangements, etc.; ensuring alcohol is not served to individuals who appear to be intoxicated; taking steps to prevent abusive or unsafe behavior; taking steps to prevent an apparently intoxicated attendee from driving after the function; providing alternate transportation or accommodation where necessary; and contacting the police if an incident occurs or an attendee disregards advice and attempts to drive in an intoxicated state.
In all situations, events will be managed in a way that avoids the potential for incidents, including identifying and eliminating potentially harmful situations.
Responsible serving practices will include providing food and non-alcoholic drinks, including coffee and tea after the bar has closed, establishing a firm time to end the event, and stopping service of alcohol at least one hour prior to the event being over.
Any hosting situation that results in inappropriate behavior or risk to health and safety of attendees or the community will result in a review of these practices and active steps to ensure the problems do not occur again.
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Sample collection, testing and reporting of results will be conducted in accordance with standards established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and accepted in Canada, in order to ensure the accuracy and integrity of results. Rigorous sample collection, storage and chain-of-custody procedures will be followed in conjunction with independent medical review of results as required. Testing will be conducted in those circumstances outlined under the company standard to determine the presence of the following drug classes: cannabinoids, amphetamine/ methamphetamine, cocaine, opiates, phencyclidine and alcohol. If TransAlta concludes there is justification to include additional drugs in this list, employees will be advised of the change. Testing for additional drugs may also be required on an individualized basis on the advice of medical or substance abuse professionals in a post-treatment situation.
Alcohol tests will be administered by a calibrated breathalyzer with a printout of test results. Only in those situations when a breath analyzer is not readily available will alcohol testing be done with a saliva strip and urine collection for analysis in the laboratory. All drug tests will be administered by urinalysis or saliva analysis. In certain situations, a “point of collection” (quick test) urine drug screening test can be administered withappropriate adulterant checks and any result that is not negative is forwarded to a laboratory for confirmation analysis.
Collection of urine specimens and administration of alcohol tests will be performed by trained nurses or trained collection agents at company-designated collection sites. In post incident and reasonable cause testing situations, samples will be collected as soon as possible after the triggering incident, but collection attempts will end eight (8) hours after the incident for an alcohol test, and thirty-two (32) hours after the incident for a drug test.
All individuals who are tested are required to sign a form to acknowledge the accuracy of the employee and employer information and authenticity of the specimen(s). The collection site will complete and provide a copy of the Drug Testing Custody and Control Form and the Alcohol Testing Form for their records.
Urine samples will be analyzed by a fully qualified and accredited laboratory using a two-step process with initial screening by immunoassay and all confirmations being performed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). If a point of collection screening device is used, any non-negative result will be forwarded to a laboratory for confirmation analysis.
If the urine specimen is determined to be negative and diluted (urine specimen with a creatinine level of less than 20 g/dl and a specific gravity of 1.003 or less) the donor will be requested to retest (provide a new specimen) at TransAlta's request with minimum possible advance notice.
Confirmed positive drug test results will be reviewed by a qualified Medical Review Officer who will discuss the result with the employee in an effort to determine whether a positive test could have resulted from the legitimate use of medications or other medical explanations. The individual concerned will be given an opportunity to explain the finding This document is the property of TransAlta for authorized use only This is an Uncontrolled Copy printed on 2011/09/22, at 04:39:26 PM and is valid for one week from the printed date or for the duration of the project.
to the Medical Review Officer who will then determine whether the result will be reported to the company as a negative or a verified positive or tampered or substituted result.
For the purpose of this standard, a positive alcohol test will be one in which the blood alcohol concentration is at or above 0.04% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) for employees holding non-safety-sensitive positions and 0.02% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) for employees holding safety-sensitive positions. In those instances where an employee is subject to an unannounced testing program on return to work after a standard violation or treatment, a positive test will be one in which the blood alcohol concentration is 0.02% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) or more.
A positive drug test is one in which the amount of drug in the sample identified by the confirmation test is at or exceeds the cut-off levels established by the Medical Review Officer.
If the drug test is verified as positive, or identified as tampered or substituted, the person who has been tested may request the Medical Review Officer to direct the split sample to be tested by an accredited laboratory of that person's choice within seventy-two (72) hours of receiving their results. Where split samples are not collected, the employee may request that the sample be retested. If a second confirmed positive test is reported, the person who requested the second analysis is responsible for reimbursing the company for the associated costs.
If the test is reported as dilute and negative, or cancelled because the specimen is invalid, the employee will be required to provide an additional specimen for testing as soon as possible.
Any positive test result will be considered a violation of this standard, whether or not the drugs or alcohol were actually consumed on company business or premises. Failure to report directly for a test, refusal to submit to a test, refusal to agree to disclosure of a test result to management or an attempt to tamper with a test sample will be considered a violation of this standard.
All test results will be reported directly to the company A&D Program Administrator or designate. Except for the release of information in accordance with this or other company standards or policies, and in situations affecting the health, safety or performance of workers or the public, results of all testing will be maintained by the A&D Program Administrator and will be kept confidential.
This document is the property of TransAlta for authorized use only This is an Uncontrolled Copy printed on 2011/09/22, at 04:39:26 PM and is valid for one week from the printed date or for the duration of the project.
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SSP Testing for A&D - Process for Hiring This document is the property of TransAlta for authorized use only This is an Uncontrolled Copy printed on 2011/09/22, at 04:39:26 PM and is valid for one week from the printed date or for the duration of the project.

Source: https://teams.transalta.com/sites/ContractorPolicies/Shared%20Documents/TA%20117%20-%20Corporate%20Alcohol%20and%20Drug%20Standard.pdf