Substance abuse might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of workplace health and safety, but workers, and managers in the sawmill industry say it’s one of their biggest concerns. Workplace Safety North recently held a risk assessment workshop with experts in the industry. They examined 86 health and safety concerns. A survey of workers and managers determined that substance abuse — including alcohol, recreational drugs and prescriptions drugs — was the number one safety risk. Tom Welton, industrial director at Workplace Safety North, was surprised by the results — even though he had personally encountered substance use when he worked as a logging supervisor in northern Ontario. Substance use isn’t tracked the way other workplace risks like slips and falls are Welton says.