Policy document number: 616183 Version: 4 Last updated: 16 January 2026
1. Overview
1.1 At a glance
Sydney Water is committed to preventing fatalities and minimising injury and illness associated with the impairment from alcohol and other drugs in the workplace.
At Sydney Water workers will not be impaired by alcohol and or other drugs while at work and will be fit to carry out their duties.
Sydney Water recognises that alcohol and other drugs use by workers can have serious adverse effects on their own health and the health, safety and wellbeing of others.
1.2 Scope
This policy applies to all Sydney Water workers, including managers, contractors, visitors and anyone carrying out work on behalf of Sydney Water. It covers all Sydney Water activities, workplaces, and sites.
This policy does not apply to minors.
1.3 Objective
To ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our workers, contractors, visitors and customers, by minimising the risks associated with the impairment from alcohol and other drugs at work.
Sydney Water aims to achieve this by:
- ensuring that workers are fit to carry out their duties
- ensuring that workers and visitors are not impaired by alcohol and other drugs while carrying out their duties
- providing reasonable support to workers that contravene this policy.
All Sydney Water workers, contractors and partner agencies must comply with this policy by participating in alcohol and other drug testing when requested and reporting anyone onsite that they suspect may be impaired by alcohol or other drugs in the workplace.
2. Definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Wellbeing | An individual's perception of their state of health, happiness and contentment. |
Workplace | Any place that a worker carries out work for or on behalf of Sydney Water. |
Partner agencies | A company or organisation that is involved in a working relationship or collaboration of work with Sydney Water. |
Worker | Any employee, contractor, sub-contractor, employee of a contractor or sub-contractor, employee of a labour hire company, apprentice or trainee, student gaining work experience, outworker or volunteer who carries out work for or on behalf of Sydney Water. |
Impairment | Any abnormality of, partial or complete loss of the function of, a body part, organ or system. |
Drugs | Any substance, article, preparation or mixture (with the exception of alcohol) whether gaseous, liquid, solid or in any form which, when consumed or used by any person, deprives or alters the person either temporarily or permanently of any of their normal mental or physical faculties. |
Visitor | Anyone other than a Sydney Water employee, contractor, or partner agency (worker) that is on a Sydney Water site. |