ABSTRACT
Safety and health professionals encountering difficulties with alcohol or controlled substances can often acquire the necessary assistance through employee assistance programs. To err is human; however, safety and health professionals should be aware that he/she is often held to a higher standard as a member of the management team, as well as having a high level of trust of employees and staff. Conversely, a safety and health professional should also be aware that he/she is also an “at-will employee” of the company or organization and is subject to all human resource policies and procedures and subsequent disciplinary actions, up to and including termination for any violations. Safety and health professionals are human and, as with all professions, can acquire a substance use disorder. Safety and health professionals often possess the means as well as the access to alcohol and illegal controlled substances as well as legal pharmaceuticals.
