Workplace Substance Abuse - Are You Reactive or Proactive? An Overview of Trends, Testing and Techniques.

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Workplace Substance Abuse - Are You Reactive
or Proactive? An Overview of Trends, Testing and
Techniques.

• JOHN THROCKMORTON, C-SAPA
• EMPLOYEE SCREENING SERVICES OF MISSOURI, LLC

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Everyone Bears the Impact

• Substance Abusers COST an EMPLOYER
  13,000 a year
• 2.5 X Higher Absenteeism
• 1/3 Lower Productivity
• More Loss-Time Accidents
• 3 5 X Higher Workers Compensation Claims
• 300 Increased Health Care Costs

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Why should a company test its employees? Regulat
ory compliance? Safety and loss
prevention? Productivity? Organizational culture
and values? Standard within your specific
industry? Developing a Drug Free Workplace Fear
of what happens if you dont?
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Drugs of Abuse
DOT
NON-DOT

• - Alcohol
• - Marijuana
• - Cocaine
• - Amphetamine/Meth
• - Opiates/Heroin
• - PCP

• - Club Drugs
• Inhalants
• Prescription
• Designer

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ALCOHOL
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Alcohol Prohibitions

• An employee may not perform work duties if
• the employee has an alcohol concentration in
  excess of
• company cutoff levels.
• NOTE company policy should set SPECIFIC level of
  violation
• (e.g., .02, .04).
• An employee is not to consume alcohol
• while on duty
• within the company designated timeframe after a
  reportable accident/injury

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• Effects of Alcohol
• on Function
• .01-.05 Mostly normal behavior can be considered
  moderately impaired
• .03-.12 Mild euphoria, increased self-confidence,
  lowered inhibitions, impaired judgment and
  control, talkativeness, motor impairment
• .09-.25 Impaired hearing, balance, coordination,
  memory, perception, visual acuity and emotional
  instability
• .18-.30 Staggering, slurred speech,
  disorientation, exaggerated emotions, blackouts
• .25-.40 Stupor, loss of motor functions,
  vomiting, passing out, lack of response,
  inability to walk
• .35-.50 Coma, lower body temperature, loss of
  reflexes
• .55 Death
• AT 60 m.p.h., a car travels 88/second

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Accumulation of Alcohol
AFFECTED BY - Body weight, muscle to fat
ratio, food intake, and gender - Type of
alcohol, amount consumed and rate of
consumption REMEMBER - Alcohol is a poison!
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Alcohol Accumulation One Drink
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Accumulation and Dissipation

• - Average accumulation for a 170 male
  0.01-0.02 per drink
• - Average dissipation rate 1 drink per hour.
• - How is alcohol eliminated?
• Evaporation (perspiration), excretion
  (urination), metabolism
• Time is the only proven method of eliminating
  alcohol

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Signs Symptomsof Alcohol Use

• Mental Functions
• Judgment and decision making are affected first
• Sensory Functions
• Visual, auditory, smell and taste are diminished
• Psychomotor Functions
• Over enunciation and slurred speech
• Eye-hand coordination, reflex reactions (slower)
• Gait and balance staggering

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DRUGS
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Common Drug Effects
- Fatigue - Confusion - Poor memory - Slow
reactions - Learning difficulty - Poor
coordination - Authority problems - Loss of
concentration - Depression or anxiety -
Difficulty prioritizing - Neurotic or
psychotic - Delayed decision making - Erratic
judgment quality
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Appearance Signs of Drug Use

• Appearance changes range from subtle to extreme.
• Personal Grooming
• Often deteriorates
• Extreme hairstyles, make-up or clothing
• Should be viewed in the broader context of
  overall changes in workplace performance and
  behavior

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The EYES have it
Eyes are susceptible to the physical effects of
substance use.

• Red or bloodshot
• Excessive tearing
• Unfocused

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- I dont care - Erratic performance -
Hung-over - Drug culture jargon - Secretive
behavior - Loner (avoids straight arrows) -
Forgetful, indecisive, erratic
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Marijuana
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Drug Paraphernalia
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Signs Symptoms of MARIJUANA use
- Hemp, Mary Jane, Weed, 420 - Restless,
dreamy, munchies - Loss of short-term
memory - Odor - Rolling papers or pipes -
Bent paper clips or roach clips - Sunglasses
indoors - Visine use - Cough sore throat -
Feeling of heightened insight - Apathy
fatigue
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K2

• Known as K2 ,spice, genie
• Created in 1995 to research the effects of
  cannabinoids on the brain
• Organic material is sprayed with a synthetic
  compound chemically similar to THC, the
  psychoactive ingredient in marijuana

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• Cocaine
• - White/Creamy granular powder
• - Coca plant (South America)
• - Snorted or Injected
• Average high lasts 20-90 minutes
• Crack
• - Cocaine free-base
• - Cheaper than powdered cocaine
• - Recreational use is wide-spread

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How Will Cocaine Affect Employees?

• - Hallucinations
• - Mood Swings
• - Paranoia
• - Compulsive Behavior
• - Aggressive Behavior
• - Talkativeness
• - Insomnia
• - Fast Breathing Hyperventilation
• - Loss of Appetite Weight Loss

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Signs of Use

• - White crystals on lower nose/upper lip
• - Nose red and very sensitive to touch
• - Scabs and sore on under side of nose
• - Erratic work performance
• - Excessive sweating
• - Long pinky fingernail
• - Tightly rolled up currency

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BATH SALTS

• Ivory Snow, Red Dove, Vanilla Sky, Cloud Nine,
  Ivory Wave, White Lightning, Hurricane Charlie
  and others.
• Taken orally, snorted, smoked, rectally and IV
• Produce powerful psychotic effects leading to
  violence

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JEWELRY CLEANER

• Sold as Cosmic Blast
• Can raise core body temperature to 106-108
• Synthetic Cocaine, similar to bath salts

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Amphetamine/Methamphetamine/MDMA
Amphetamine (speed, uppers, black beauties,
bennies, dexies) Methamphetamines (ice, crank,
crystal meth) MDMA (ecstasy, molly, XTC, X)
Amphetamine Prescription drug Methamphetamine
Street chemically altered amphetamine, highly
addictive.
For every pound of meth produced5 to 7 lbs of
toxic waste are left behind
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Health Issues of Amphetamines

• Rapid weight loss
• Irritability
• Hyperactivity
• Excessive sweating
• Dilated pupils
• Mood swings
• - Excessive tooth decay

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Signs/Symptoms

• - Corners of baggies
• paper clips
• - Circular burns or scars
• on the tip of the fingers
• (crack pipe use)
• - When Meth is wearing off,
• users will often grind
• their teeth.
• - Tennis balls

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Crank Bugs

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Opiates (codeine, morphine, heroin) Used to
alleviate pain, opiates depress body functions
and reactions. In large doses, can cause a
strong euphoric feeling. Cheese, a mix of
Heroin and Tylenol PM, 1/10 gram, a bump is
2.00.
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Heroin is known by many names

• SMACK, HORSE, BIG H, SKAG, MUD, BROWN SUGAR,
  JUNK, BLACK TAR, DOPE, CHEESE
• Finding new popularity in pill form
• About 1.4 percent of people 12 and older have
  used Heroin and the average age is dropping!

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How Will Opiates Affect Employees?

• Drowsiness followed by sleep
• Decreased physical activity
• Drug craving
• Depression and apathy
• Critical thinking skills decreased

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Opiate Use What a Supervisor Should Look For

• Drugs Paraphernalia
• Reduced productivity
• Pinpoint pupils
• Slow reactions
• Lost of sense of time/space
• Poppy Seeds?

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• Phencyclidine (PCP)
• (angel dust, rocket fuel, killer weed)

• Deliriant or dissociative drug
• Blocks pain
• NO LAWFUL USE
• Scrambles the brain
• High doses produce delusions
• Aggressive behavior
• Users have incredible strength

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How Will PCP Affect Employees?

• Severe disorientation
• Routine activities very difficult
• Potential for accidents is high due to extreme
  mental effects combined with the anesthetic
  effect on the body

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Prescription Drugs/Non-DOT

• Make yourself aware of RX drugs of abuse
• - Have a RX company reporting policy (i.e., a
  fitness for duty statement from the employees
  doctor).

DRUGS
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Club Drugs/Non-DOT

• - MDMA Ecstasy
• - GHB Date rape drug
• - Ketamine Date rape drug (Special K)
• - Rohypnol Date rape drug
• - Inhalants
• - LSD (Temporary tattoo's)
• Can cause brain damage and death.

When you are out for an evening.dont drink
from a glass or opened bottle you left unattended.
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Drug Testing Trend Oral Fluids

• Oral fluid drug testing provides a convenient,
  accurate alternative to urine.
• Oral fluid drug testing has become common in
  workplace programs.
• Oral fluid drug testing is conducted following
  the same procedures as laboratory urine drug
  testing with an initial screen followed by
  confirmation.

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Developing a Drug Free Workplace

• Drug and Alcohol Testing is no longer
• a simple transaction
• Quality in the custody and control procedures
• Drug testing urine vs. oral fluid vs. hair
• What drugs are included? DOT vs. DFWP testing
• State and Federal laws governing drug testing
• Under what circumstances should I test?
• Location of testing onsite vs. clinic

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It starts with company-wide commitment and
policy

• Employer AND employees share responsibility for
  maintaining a drug free environment
• Compliance with federal and state law
• Who is eligible for testing?
• Circumstances for testing must be outlined
• Pre, Ran, P/A, R/S, F/U, RTD
• Violations and consequences must be well-defined
  and consistently applied
• Employee Assistance Program will you offer one?

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Reasonable Suspicion Step-by-Step

• Observe..1
• Confront...2
• Document......3
• Test...4
• Refer.......5

Refer to your companys Reasonable Suspicion
check-list.
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Review

• The ABCs of Reasonable Suspicion
• Appearance Current observations of the
  employee
• Behavior Cumulative patterns of change in the
  employees behavior or appearance
• Conduct Reports from others

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A Supervisors Role IS To

• Know Your DOT /or Company Policy
• Reasonable Suspicion Procedures
• Identify the specific observations of employee
  behavior and appearance
• Confront the employee concerning the requirements
  to undergo the test
• Document your observations

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A Supervisors Role is NOT To

• Be a skilled drug recognition expert.
• Consider a Reasonable Suspicion test an
  accusation of illegal drug use.
• Identify the specific drug associated with
  behavior or appearance.
• Offer a diagnosis of substance abuse or
  addiction.

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Drug Testing Criteria - Direct observation of
drug use or possession - Symptom of
being under the influence of drug - Pattern of
abnormal behavior
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Alcohol Testing Criteria

• Specific
• Contemporaneous
• Articulable

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Course Wrap-Up
Drug and alcohol testing is a safety program just
like any other safety program at work!

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How To Learn More

• For a free consultation and review
• of your companys
• substance abuse program
• CONTACT JOHN THROCKMORTON
• Email john_at_yourdrugtesting.com
• Cell417-849-0277
• Office 417-887-7697 X1004