Definition - What does Canadian Model for Providing a Safe Workplace mean?
The
Canadian Model for Providing a Safe Workplace, also called the Canadian Model, refers to a paradigm that follows the
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) model for advancing drug and alcohol testing procedures to optimize health and safety. The
Construction Owners Association of Canada (COAA) is an entity, alongside employers, legal, and medical authorities, tasked with sustaining the Canadian Model via standardized drug and alcohol testing policies in the workplace.
SureHire explains Canadian Model for Providing a Safe Workplace
For many employers, drug and alcohol testing remains deadlocked between recognizing human privacy rights laws and maintaining a drug-free workplace environment where suspected drug abuse claims warrant a safety concern issue. The Canadian Model for Providing a Safe Workplace is a benchmark for leveling the scope of legal discrepancies to support continued efforts by companies to maximize drug and alcohol testing protocol while, concurrently, protecting individual rights against discrimination. The COAA updates the Canadian Model to stay abreast with the U.S. DOT regulatory guidelines.
Although the legalization of recreational drugs (i.e. cannabis) presents a challenge to employers, the COAA and
Energy Safety Canada partnership affords the framework for interpreting legal impasses, where cases of impairment can compromise safety. Under the Canadian Model, employers can refer to a tabulated matrix detailing safety-sensitive positions related to industrial sectors (i.e. construction, oil/gas) combining practical methodologies to validate drug and alcohol testing pending job placement. For instance, point-of-collection testing (POCT) is one drug testing alternative via the provision of an express urine specimen and subsequent urine/oral fluid lab specimen to establish contingent risks following lab results for return-to-work purposes.
The Canadian Model for Providing a Safe Workplace continues to evolve with the U.S. DOT-based construct, operating as a template for employers to preserve alcohol and drug testing measures.
