Feedback open: NZ workplace drug & alcohol practice guide

Safetree wants your help as it prepares the first update to its Drugs and Alcohol Good Practice Guide and Policy for Fitness to Work in over a decade. And we need your feedback by Friday, 13 February, 2026.

The current guidance was originally written in 2008 and revised in 2015. Since then, much has changed:

• New drug testing standards: AS/NZS 4308:2023, AS/NZS 4760:2019, and AS 3547:2019 are now in place.
• Updated Case Law: Recent New Zealand legal decisions have shaped workplace drug and alcohol policies.
• Advances in testing: New products and methodologies have emerged, and NZ Police plans to introduce oral fluid roadside drug driving testing in 2025/26 – highlighting how quickly the landscape is evolving.

Safetree chief executive Joe Akari is encouraging anyone in the sector to provide their thoughts on the draft document. “Providing feedback is quick and easy, and we will value the input. People affected by alcohol or drugs pose a serious risk to health, safety, and performance, so getting this right is vital for our sector,” he says.

The updated guidelines are designed to help forest owners and industry employees develop their own company policies. They include a policy template covering three key areas:

1. Education – For those affected by the policy and those administering it.
2. Process – Incorporating current good practice aligned with NZ/Australian technical standards.
3. Follow-up actions  – Guidance on return-to-work, medication, and rehabilitation options.

Have your say
Safetree is keen for feedback from contractors, forest owners, forestry workers and anyone else involved in the industry. Tell us what works, what doesn’t, and what you need.

Feedback closes Friday, 13 February 2026.