Free resources available to address substance abuse in the trades

A new suite of free resources have been made available to help employers and workers address the issue of substance abuse among the trades.

In response to the recent research report Understanding Substance Use Among Apprentices in the Skilled Trades commissioned by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF), the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), in partnership with CAF, has launched a series of three brief (15-minute) online courses along with three two-page info sheets to educate and assist employers, managers and workers in Canada on the topics of how to handle substance use and reducing stigma in the workplace.

The online courses: Being Aware, Harm Reduction and Supporting Your Well-being, aim to help raise awareness about the impacts of stigma, and the importance of a safe and supportive workplace.

The courses explore how workplaces can take a harm reduction approach to substance use, what to do if there are concerns about substance use at work, and strategies to improve everyone’s overall well-being.

The info sheets provide an overview of substance use in the trades, from addressing stigma, to the responsibilities of employers in challenging stigma and reducing impairment, to strategies for supporting tradespeople.

The CCOHS website also includes additional resources on these topics including more focused information sheets and workplace posters:

• Substance Use and the Trades Infographic
• Substance Use in the Workplace Fact Sheet
• Impairment at Work Fact Sheet
• Cannabis and Impairment in the Workplace Infographic
• Opioids in the Workplace Fact Sheet

CCOHS

CAF-FCA