Concerned about how legalized pot impacts your company?

Decriminalized pot, federal target, Oct. 17. PHOTO: FOTOLIA

Recreational use of cannabis will be legal as of Oct. 17, which is heightening the focus on impairment in the workplace. This raises questions for smaller manufacturers who may be short on legal and human resources to deal with this issue.

Business owners are asking:

• Can cannabis be consumed on their premises?

• What responsibility to they bear if an impaired employee or customer has an accident onsite?

• Can they ask employees to submit to a drug test if they have safety concerns?

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has developed a series of educational and workplace tools to help employers manage the change, while on the safety side, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) offers easily deployable aids that will help navigate the workplace issues.

CFIB has created a suite of tools, including a free webinar, a workplace drug and alcohol policy template and an online course for employers and employees on workplace impairment. Click here for the CFIB resources, excluding the online course.

CCOHS, the independent federal agency for the advancement of safe and healthy workplaces, has produced a helpful infographic for distribution via social networks or e-mail that can also be printed as an 11- x 17-in. handout, or you can down load a poster.

It covers causes and the impact of impairment in the workplace, tips for employers, workers’ responsibilities and legal considerations.

CCOHS has also produced a white paper (Workplace Strategies: Risk of Impairment from Cannabis) that discusses the implications associated with the use of cannabis for both therapeutic and recreational purposes and includes information and guidance for employers, workers and others interested in workplace health and safety.