Recently a former co-worker of mine expressed a concern that her current employer did not drug test employees. Having recently moved from an organization that maintained a drug-free environment, she was surprised to discover her new employer lacked this basic policy.
While the company in question is small, in light of the equipment that is used in their particular industry the need for drug testing is greatly increased. Drugs can impair a worker’s judgment and coordination, leading to an increased risk of drug-related accidents and injuries. Employee performance indicators of drug use can be excessive absenteeism or tardiness, lower productivity, missed deadlines and / or deteriorating work quality.
To directly quote OSHA, “. . . research indicates that between 10 and 20 percent of the nation's workers who die on the job test positive for alcohol or other drugs. In fact, industries with the highest rates of drug use are the same as those at a high risk for occupational injuries, such as construction, mining, manufacturing and wholesale.”
The federal government estimates that 71 percent of illegal drug users are employed, most working for small businesses. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that drug use in the workplace costs employers $75 – 100 billion annually in lost time, accidents, health care and workers’ compensation costs. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, substance abusers are six times more likely than their co-workers to file a workers’ compensation claim. Additional surveys have revealed that drug users are involved in 2 to 3 times as many industrial accidents!
The above statistics indicate that the problem of drug abuse in the workplace is widespread and pervasive. The lack of a drug-testing program can be devastating to your bottom line and your employee safety. It can lower your productivity, increase your likelihood for workplace accidents / fatalities, and have the potential to increase your workers’ compensation costs. With this knowledge in hand, employers are taking steps to end this problem by implementing drug testing for the purposes of reducing thefts and accidents and excessive absenteeism.
As an employer, create a company culture that is drug-free and that will allow you to attract and retain quality employees by:
1. Implement a policy
2. Educate your supervisors, managers and employees
For more information on Workplace Substance Abuse please visit http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/substanceabuse/index.html.
My on-going thanks to Mrs. Emily McGowan for providing proof-reading services on this blog.
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