Five national construction trade associations teamed up Wednesday to form the Construction Coalition for a Drug- and Alcohol-Free Workplace (CCDAFW).
The new coalition aims to provide companies with information to implement drug- and alcohol-free policies and drug testing for workers on jobsites.
The goal is to insure that workers operating machinery, driving, digging and working around construction sites are sober and fully focused. That will go a long way to preventing accidents, organizers said.
The new nationwide effort urges construction firm owners and managers to sign a pledge that promises that they will create anti-substance abuse policies for the workplace. CCDAFW organizers said they plan to list the pledges and signatures online. The group will also use its http://www.drugfreeconstruction.org/ site to issue information, educational materials and state-by-state policies for substance abuse testing.
The CCDAFW is comprised of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT), Construction Users' Roundtable (CURT) and Women Construction Owners & Executives (WCOE).
The CCDAFW website and online pledge launch coincides with North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 6-12. It's early, but the new effort has received a positive initial response from labor unions, officials said.
