Alcohol & Drug Misuse ...

Alcohol and drug misuse among employees and their family members can be an expensive problem for businesses and industry as a whole, with issues ranging from lost productivity, absenteeism, injuries, fatalities, theft and low employee morale, to an increase in health care; legal liabilities and workers' compensation costs. The impact in the workplace of alcohol misuse and drug dependence often focuses on four major issues: • Premature death/fatal accidents • Injuries/accident rates • Absenteeism/extra sick leave • Loss of Production Additional problem areas can include: • Tardiness/sleeping on the job • After-effects of substance use (hangover, withdrawal) affects job performance • Poor decision making • Loss of efficiency • Theft • Lower morale of co-workers • Increased likelihood of having trouble with co-workers/supervisors or tasks • Preoccupation with obtaining & using substances • Illegal activities at work including selling illicit drugs to other employees • Higher turnover of staff leading to cost of new employees • Disciplinary procedures In addition, family members living with someone’s alcohol misuse or drug use may also suffer significant job performance related problems - including absenteeism, lack of focus, increased health-related problems What can the workplace do? Difficulties closely associated with problem drinking and drug use, quite often spill over into the workplace. By encouraging and supporting treatment, employers can dramatically assist in reducing the negative impact of alcohol and drug misuse may have. Workplaces are encouraged to establish a procedure or policy, so that help can be provided in a professional and consistent manner. Employers and employees can collaborate to design policies, which outline what is an acceptable code of behaviour, and what is not. By establishing or promoting programs such as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), employers can help troubled employees more directly, or provide referrals to community services. It is important for supervisors and managers to have a resource, or procedure that they can rely on if the need arises. Employees need to know that everyone will be treated the same way. Pre-planning, as for many other occupational health and safety issues, is the best way to avoid confusion and frustration in times that are already difficult. In addition to employees, managers and supervisors should be educated in how to recognize and deal with substance abuse issues and employees should be offered educational programs. It is always good practice to enrol not only new but existing employees on a Drug and Alcohol Awareness Course, designed to raise the issues and problems associated with drug and alcohol misuse within the workplace. At only£20.00* per candidate the course is broken down into three modules with a test at the end of the course, on this course employees will learn: 1. Overview 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Course Objectives 1.3 Responsibilities 1.4 What is substance misuse? 1.5 Examples of substance misuse 1.6 When does alcohol or drugs become a problem? 1.7 Effects of alcohol and drugs in the workplace 1.8 Scope of policy 1.9 Drug and Alcohol Testing 1.10 Summary 2. Alcohol Policy 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Lesson objectives 2.3 Blood alcohol concentration 2.4 Units of alcohol 2.5 Alcohol in the bloodstream 2.6 Alcohol benchmarks 2.7 Effects of alcohol 2.8 Inappropriate use of alcohol 2.9 Signs of problem drinking 2.10 Reduce alcohol consumption 2.11 Monitoring 2.12 Confidentiality 2.13 Professional advice 2.14 Disciplinary action 2.15 Help and information 2.16 Summary 3. Drugs Policy 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Lesson objectives 3.3 Definition of drug abuse 3.4 Effects of drug abuse 3.5 Drug classification 3.6 Drug use 3.7 Types of drugs 3.8 Legal highs 3.9 Individual reaction to drugs 3.10 Effect of drugs 3.11 Signs of drug abuse 3.12 Monitoring 3.13 Confidentiality 3.14 Legal issues 3.15 Professional advice 3.16 Disciplinary action 3.17 Prescribed medication 3.18 Help and information 3.19 Summary 4. Test

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