Influence of Impaired Employees Affecting the Work Place or Environment

Out of millions who hold a full time employment in the United States close to fifteen million of them are heavy drinkers of alcohol. Such employees pose a serious threat to the health and productivity of themselves and people around them.


Out of all who drink most of them belong to either

• Food service
• Construction
• Mining and Drilling
• Excavation
• Installation, maintenance and repair

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration(SAMHSA ) has conducted a study on illicit drug users. The study reveals that illicit drug user’s account for 16.4% of those engaged in full time jobs and close to fifteen million of them satisfied the criteria for alcohol dependence.

Characteristics of Employee who suffers from Alcoholic Impairment

• Employees who drink a lot are absent from work very often
• They suffer from a lot of health problems
• They are at a greater risk of harming themselves and others.
• Job change and absenteeism are the traits of heavy alcohol users.
• Heavy drug users are likely to miss close to 3 working days in a month due to illness or injury in comparison with other workers who refrain from alcohol.
• A number of illicit drug users who absent themselves from school are twice as much as workers who abstain from drinking.
• Close to1/3rd of workers who consume illicit drugs where most likely not ready to work for employers who conducted random drug tests.

Statistics on Drunken or Impaired Employees

• Food service workers and construction workers were among the highest users of illicit drugs, each accounting for 17.4 and 15.1% respectively.
• They have a higher job turnover of 12.3% when compared to 5.1%of employees who do not consume alcohol. Such impaired employees work for more than 3 employees in a given year.

Remedial Action by Employers

National Drug Control Policy Director, John Walter is confident that taking into account the reports and hazards of impaired employees, every employer will consider implementing drug testing policies which not only helps in identifying employees who consume drugs and need drug treatment services but also prevent drug use before it starts. It will also help them in reducing employer’s liability in drug related accidents in workplace.

SAMHSA as an organization is actively engaged in helping both employees and other business organizations with any issue related to drug abuse. It has a helpline for both employees and employers through which it offers advice that bring dramatic difference in the lives of people and a better workplace atmosphere. Various programs such as drug tests, assistance to employees, supervisor and education for employee substance abuse and substance abuse policy development are used to treat alcohol abuse related problems.

According to the Department of Labor (DOL), Drug policy coordinator, Elena Carr, High rates of alcohol use in hazardous industries is definitely a cause for concern. DOL works with both employers and employees in preventing safety hazards considering the ill afford risk of workers in operating meat slicers, backhoes and other equipments under the influence of alcohol and other illicit drugs.

Is Your Workplace Environment Safe?