Alcohol & Drug Policy 2026/2027 – Work Environment, Safety Procedures & Excel | Word/PDF

Alcohol and Drug Policy 2026/2027 – template for Swedish employers

Create a clear alcohol and drug policy for the workplace with occupational health and safety responsibilities, secure routines, and documented follow-up. The package contains five in-depth Swedish working documents, one Swedish and one English user guide, and an Excel register with nine tabs. The documents complement a staff handbook and are particularly practical for employers with high-risk work tasks, machinery, vehicles, or other safety-critical work moments.

Important: The material is intended to prevent occupational health and safety risks and to guide objective handling. It does not grant the employer a general right to require drug testing, store medical test results, or decide on disciplinary measures without a separate legal assessment.

What should an alcohol and drug policy contain?

A well-functioning policy describes why risks are managed, which safety rules apply, the responsibilities of managers and employees, the path to support, and how the policy is kept updated. It must take into account operational risks, collaboration with employees and safety representatives, collective agreements, and the integrity of those needing support or assessment.

Preventive occupational health and safety work and risk assessment

AFS 2023:1 covers systematic occupational health and safety work. The package's risk assessment includes fields for probability, consequence, responsibility, and checks for preventive measures. Risks are classified at the operational level, not through automatic assessment of individuals. AFS 2023:2 provides relevant support for routines and the organization of work adaptation.

Manager's routine for concrete safety risks

The manager's checklist describes how risky work can be interrupted when necessary for safety, how objectively observed circumstances are documented, and how support or occupational health services can be involved. It does not instruct the manager to make a diagnosis. In the event of acute danger or a medical emergency, appropriate protective measures must be taken and 112 should be called if necessary.

Interviews, support, and work adaptation

The interview documentation template emphasizes objectivity, the employee's opportunity to give their version of events, and need-based documentation. The contact and action plan contains occupational health measures and follow-up, not medical charting or a general right to demand testing. A potential comprehensive return-to-work plan for sick leave is assessed separately according to applicable rules.

Excel – nine tabs for policy and follow-up

Overview · Policy versions · Risks · Preventive measures · Training · Actions · Follow-up · Sources · Read me. The dashboard displays registered operational risks, open actions, and planned training. In the risk tab, risk score = probability × consequence can be calculated from two manually entered values on a four-point scale. This is an internal prioritization aid, not a medical or legal conclusion.

Privacy protection: The Excel register is intentionally separated from individual cases. Do not enter employee names in suspected cases, diagnoses, alcohol and drug test results, personal identity numbers, or medical notes. If personal data must be processed in an individual case, a legal basis is required, potentially including a specific exception for sensitive data, access control, and a separate retention assessment.

How to implement an alcohol and drug policy

1. Inventory the business's work moments and risks, especially vehicles, machinery, lone work, and safety-critical work tasks.
2. Adapt the main policy according to your actual safety needs, roles, and applicable collective agreements.
3. Collaborate with those involved and communicate the policy in an understandable format.
4. Document operational risks and preventive measures, with responsible functions and follow-up dates.
5. Train managers on what can be documented and how acute safety is handled.
6. Investigate potential testing routines separately with legal and data protection expertise before any sampling occurs.
7. Revise the policy, follow up on the effect of measures, and keep versions current.

Legal limitations

The Work Environment Act (1977:1160) and the Swedish Work Environment Authority's AFS 2023:1 provide key starting points for preventing ill health and accidents. AFS 2023:2 regulates, among other things, the organization of work adaptation. GDPR and Swedish supplementary law set high requirements for the handling of health data. A written workplace policy is not a general legal approval of alcohol or drug tests. The legal permissibility, proportionality, labor law conditions, and processing of personal data for testing must be assessed with regard to the circumstances and any collective agreements.

Related document templates

Complement with Staff handbook and HR policy, SAM – Systematic occupational health and safety work, and Work adaptation and rehabilitation. These are separate products with different purposes and are not replaced by the alcohol and drug policy.

Frequently asked questions

Must an employer have a specific alcohol and drug policy?

The employer must follow applicable occupational health and safety rules and assess their actual risks. Whether a separate policy is appropriate depends, among other things, on the business and risk profile; the product does not claim that everyone must purchase a specific policy.

Does the policy provide the right to drug test all employees?

No. Legal support, proportionality, collective agreements, and personal data management must be investigated separately. A downloaded template or signature is not automatically sufficient.

Can Excel register personal drug test results?

No, it should not be used that way. Excel is an operational register for policy versions, risks, training, and actions – not a register of individuals' medical information.

What to do if a work task cannot be performed safely?

Conduct an objective risk assessment, secure the work, and assess the need for acute support and work adaptation. The manager's routine provides control questions but does not automatically make labor law decisions.

Can the documents be used for termination or dismissal?

No, these documents are not notice of termination. Such issues require individual labor law assessment, facts, and applicable collective agreement rules.

Are the templates included in English?

The five main templates are in Swedish. An English User Guide explains the Swedish workflow for English-speaking users.

Sources and version

Legal review October 16, 2026: The Work Environment Act, AFS 2023:1, AFS 2023:2, IMY's guidance on sensitive personal data, and The Swedish Social Insurance Agency's guidance.

Version 1.0 · 2027 edition. The edition year is not a forecast of future legislation. A review has been conducted against the sources stated above; no external legal review is claimed. All templates are customizable working documents and do not replace individual advice.