Fighting substance abuse on the job.

• Author: Gerhart, Clifford
• Position: Includes related articles on the costs of drug and alcohol abuse and company procedures for drug testing

Substance abuse can create havoc on the job. Federal regulations now mandate a drug-free workplace, and new regulations require drug policies for all businesses in the transportation industry.

Drug and alcohol abuse has been called Alaska's greatest health problem. A 1994 report estimates the cost of providing state government services attributable to substance abuse at $300 million annually. The report also estimates that the economic impact of substance abuse on the private sector and individuals equals or exceeds state government expenditures, even excluding costs such as increased insurance rates for which there are no estimates.

Everybody suffers when drugs and alcohol are abused on the job. Accidents multiply. Drug users have nearly four times the risk of a fall, fire, vehicle accident and other injuries.

Performance drops as motivation and cooperation plunge and absenteeism and unpredictability soar. Lowered production (and losses from theft) may mean less money for raises and benefits for all employees. Morale declines as short tempers, poor communication and low-quality work lead to resentment and frustration in the workforce.

Joe Federici, clinical manager for Human Affairs Alaska, a subsidiary of Aetna Health Plans, says substance abuse crosses all boundaries of society.

Federici says Alaska ranks fourth among the states in substance abuse, and some of the contributing factors to this problem are particularly prevalent in the state's working environment. These factors include isolation, lack of peer group support, a history of family substance abuse, winter-time Seasonal Affective Disorder, and economic or personal stress.

B.W. Mac Armstrong, prevention and training adviser for Alaska's Department of Health and Social Services Office of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, says abused substances need not be illegal to be dangerous. "I get a lot more complaints about marijuana than alcohol," he says. "People tend to exaggerate the dangers of illegal drugs and discount the dangers of legal drugs," such as alcohol.

Eric Olsen, manager of marine operations for Kenai Fjords Tours of Seward, says the best way to keep drugs out of the workplace is to create an atmosphere of teamwork.

Federal Regulations

In response to this nationwide problem, the federal government has passed laws to give employers both an incentive and the tools to battle alcohol and drug abuse in the workplace.

Drug-Free Workplace Act

The first of these laws, the 1988 Drug-Free...