Up to a quarter of all occupational injuries and 20% of fatal injuries in the workplace can be linked to drug and alcohol use. According to scientist and national account manager for d:tec Australia, Andrew Leibie, this had prompted a 140% increase in the company’s workplace drug and alcohol testing across Australia over the past two years.
“Workplace drug and alcohol testing is becoming widely recognised as an effective way to create safer work environments,” he said.
“It is not about ‘catching out’ out employees but rather helping them to understand the effects various substances can have on their personal safety and productivity.
Leibie said in order for there to be long term benefits for staff and businesses, extensive employee education needed to be undertaken to ensure workers understood the “why” behind the “what”.
“Contrary to popular belief, drug and alcohol testing programs are not just designed to target illicit drugs, but also play an essential role in educating workers about the effects of prescription medication and other legal substances,” he said.
“Education is a critical part of the program because, in most cases, people aren’t aware that even a drug they’ve been taking to treat a common ailment, such as a headache, could have an impact on their work performance.”
Leibie said alcohol, cannabis, prescription medication for non-medicinal purposes and amphetamines were the most commonly found drugs in positive tests from workplace screenings.
“Workers are usually surprised to discover that a drug has remained in their system many hours after they have taken it.
“In addition, many regular users do not realise the potential long term effects of using a particular substance and how that could impact on their ability to lead a healthy life.”
Leibie identified five main drug groups that are tested for under Australian Standard 4308 that could impact on work performance: Opiates, Benzodiazepines, cannabis, amphetamines and cocaine, as well as alcohol.
“The effect of each drug on an individual depends on a number of factors,” he said.
“These include the person’s size, weight and height; mood; how the drug is taken; how much is taken; the strength of the drug and whether it is mixed with other drugs.”
Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance in the world. The short-term effects of consumption include reduced concentration and co-ordination as well as slower reflexes.
Heavier drinking can cause confusion, blurred vision and poor muscle control, while being extremely intoxicated can lead to nausea, vomiting and unconsciousness.
To remain under the legal blood alcohol limit of 0.05, a woman must only drink one standard drink in the first hour and men two standard drinks in the first hour, with one standard drink per hour after that.
It’s important to note that eating food slows down alcohol absorption, but does not speed up becoming sober.
A person may blow more than 0.05 the morning after a night of heavy drinking.
Opiates include codeine and heroin.
Codeine is contained in strong painkillers, which are only available through a pharmacy, including Panadeine, Panadeine Forte and Nurofen Plus, or in prescription medicines such as Oxycontin or Mersyndol.
Common supermarket-style painkillers such as Aspirin, Panadol, Nurofen and Paracetamol do not contain codeine.
People who self-medicate risk accidental abuse of codeine. Signs of impairment include drowsiness, reduced response times and a general lack of alertness.
Codeine takes up to two days to be cleared from the system.
Heroin is a powerfully addictive drug that depresses the central nervous system.
Breathing, blood pressure and pulse become slower, which leads to drowsiness. A “high” commonly lasts for anywhere from 15 minutes up to four hours and it can take 12 to 24 hours to be eradicated from the body.
Long term use of heroin can lead to a range of debilitating physical and mental conditions including collapsed veins, liver disease, infertility and loss of sex drive.
Benzodiazepines include sleeping tablets and anti-anxiety medication, including Valium, Rohypnol and Serepax.
The intoxicating effect decreases alertness and reaction time and leads to drowsiness, blurred vision and difficulty in decision making. Long-term use can result in memory loss, a lack of motivation and even personality change.
Some forms of the drug can still have an effect up to 20 hours after being taken and, depending on the dosage and the length of time the drug has been used, it can take between one and four days to fully clear the system.
Cannabis, also known as marijuana or hash, is the most commonly used illicit drug in Australia.
Either smoking or ingesting the drug leads to changes in sensory perception, reduced reaction times, impaired thinking, poor concentration and difficulty undertaking complex tasks.
Scientific studies show impairment effects can last for up to six hours from a single cannabis “joint”.
Clearance times vary greatly according to the individual and the potency of the dose, but it can take one to four days for casual smokers and up to six weeks for heavy users.
Amphetamines include “uppers” and designer drugs such as ecstasy and crystal meth.
Pseudoephedrine, which is a substance found in cold and flu tablets also falls into this category and, if taken in large doses, may also show up in a drug test.
Effects can include a ‘rush’ of energy, a reduction in fine motor skills and dexterity, impaired thinking and judgement, which can lead to greater risk taking. It usually takes one to two days to be eradicated from the body.
Cocaine is a powerful nervous system stimulant. Its short-term effects include hyper-stimulation, a reduction in fine motor skills and co-ordination, and impaired judgement.
Long-term use often leads to hallucinations, paranoia and unpredictable or aggressive behaviour. It usually it takes between 12 hours and three days after use to produce a negative drug test.
Leibie emphasised the need for workers to fully understand the way different drugs could affect them.
“One manufacturing worker we tested prior to beginning a 12-hour shift at 6pm admitted to taking a sleeping tablet earlier that day to help him to get some sleep before starting work,” Leibie said.
“He was not aware that the effects of the drug would not wear off for more than 24 hours, making it difficult for him to maintain alertness during his shift.
“The employee had taken the sleeping tablet with the very best intentions – he wanted to be well rested before starting work – but simply didn’t have an adequate understanding of the impact this might have.
“The vast majority of workers are not knowingly using drugs or alcohol inappropriately, but in many cases, such as this one, simply need to be made aware of how different substances can affect them.”
Leibie said a drug and alcohol education and screening program could also help identify workers who were self-medicating as a result or emotional or other problems.
“A happy and healthy workplace is a productive workplace,” he said.