Upcoming SoNV November Chapter Meeting – Marijuana & Workplace Safety

Upcoming Dates

Marijuana & Workplace Safety: Testing Limitations, Employer Policies, and Practical Decisions

Marijuana laws, products, potency, and public attitudes have changed dramatically, but the fundamental responsibility of employers to maintain a safe workplace has not. For safety professionals, the challenge is becoming increasingly complex: marijuana may be legal under state law, a positive THC test does not establish current impairment, and federal, state, and DOT requirements do not always align.
This session examines marijuana through the lens of workplace safety and organizational risk, separating common assumptions from what safety leaders actually need to know. Attendees will explore how marijuana affects safety-sensitive work, why testing and impairment are not interchangeable concepts, and where traditional drug-free workplace policies may no longer provide sufficient guidance for supervisors or employers.
The presentation will also address emerging issues surrounding federal marijuana policy, differences between DOT and non-DOT workplaces, reasonable-suspicion and post-incident testing, workers’ compensation considerations, and the growing importance of defensible supervisor observations and
documentation.
Using real-world workplace scenarios and lessons drawn from more than two decades working with employers on drug and alcohol programs, the session will provide safety professionals with practical questions to take back to their organizations. Attendees will leave better prepared to evaluate whether their
current policies, testing practices, supervisor training, and incident-response procedures adequately address marijuana-related risk in today’s workplace.

After attending this meeting, you’ll be able to:

  1. Explain how evolving federal and state marijuana laws and regulations affect workplace safety programs, employer responsibilities, and DOT-regulated environments.
  2. Differentiate between a positive marijuana test, recent use, and actual impairment, and analyze the implications for safety-sensitive positions and workplace decision-making.
  3. Evaluate existing drug and alcohol policies to identify gaps that may increase workplace safety risks, workers’ compensation exposure, and employment-related liability.
  4. Develop practical strategies for strengthening reasonable-suspicion procedures, supervisor observation and documentation, post-incident testing, and workplace safety policies while navigating differing federal, state, and DOT requirements.

Gina Kesler is the Founder and CEO of Impact Employee Solutions, a Phoenix-based employment screening and drug and alcohol testing company serving employers nationwide. With more than 20 years of industry leadership experience, she helps employers address workplace safety, screening compliance, drug testing programs, and supervisor training.

Gina was one of five women who developed the founding vision for the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association (NDASA) in 2018. She helped establish its Board and build the association, served five years on the founding Board, and serves as NDASA’s Arizona State Affiliate. Her speaking experience includes presentations to ASSP and the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH). She has also helped develop NDASA’s Marijuana Education Symposium initiative. Her presentations connect drug testing and policy requirements with practical employer and safety decisions.

We will submit this meeting for CEUs. Stay tuned for confirmation!

Virtual Meeting Info:

As with most of our technical meetings, this meeting will be online-only. Stay tuned on our Events page for the upcoming mixers and site tours that provide in-person gathering opportunities. The meeting room opens at 1:00 and the agenda will kick off promptly at 1:10.

Technical meetings are always open to non-members as well as members.

Attendees can receive the join link for our Google Meet room by completing the free Virtual Attendance registration below (which helps us with Society-required program reporting). However, members will also receive the same link in their monthly email newsletters. Registration is not required, but is appreciated.

To save the date, download the *.ics Outlook file from the pushpin icon above, and you’ll notice the Location field contains the Google Meet link.

Tickets Price Qty
Virtual Attendanceshow details + $0.00 USD  

Venue:   Online via Google Meet

Venue Website:

Address:
meet.google.com/qtj-oofd-euz

Description:

Please refer to your registration details for the link to join the meeting. Our Google Meet account generates a unique link for our meetings!