For people above legal drinking age only
Don’t drink and drive
Don’t drink while pregnant

Operating machinery

Helping people make informed choices about alcohol.

Operating machinery

Don't operate machinery if you've been drinking

summary

You need to be alert and in control
Don't use machinery or dangerous tools if you've been drinking
Alcohol affects vision, judgement, concentration, coordination and reaction time

Alcohol affects your vision, judgement, concentration, coordination and reaction time. That's why you shouldn't operate dangerous machinery or tools if you’ve been drinking.

Things can and do go wrong. You need to be alert and in control to make sure that you're not putting yourself or others at risk.

Particularly hazardous machinery and tools include:

Wood processing machinery
Ladders (anything that means you're working at heights)
Cutting tools
Motorised machinery
Electrical equipment
Machinery with guards
Farm machinery
Machinery with exposed moving parts
Heating or burning tools (such as blow torches)

The answer is to think ahead and plan ahead. Don’t drink if you know you are about to use dangerous machinery or tools. And always finish the job before having a drink!

Think ahead and plan accordingly to protect your safety. Do not drink alcohol if you are about to use dangerous machinery or tools.