David is a former drug user who has spent time in jail. For the past three years, he has not used drugs, and he now operates a forklift at a small construction company. However, lately, he has begun having seizures, or flashbacks, as a result of his earlier use of the drug PCP. He has been carefully evaluated by EAP professionals and was found to be clean of current drug use; indeed, they say flashbacks of this nature are quite common in ex-addicts. Mishandling of a forklift can be dangerous to both David and his coworkers. However, he has already had flashbacks while at the controls, and in each case, he responded by releasing a handle that simply stopped the machine. Driving the forklift is the only work that he is qualified to do within this company, and he has pleaded to keep his job.
How would you handle this situation? What ethical and socially responsible principles guided you in making your decision?