Drug Free Workplace

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Drug Free Workplace
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The Facts About Drugs

• 1. 6 of the population over 12 years old has
  used drugs in the past 30 days.
• 2. 73 of all current drug users aged 18 and
  older are employed.
• 3. 14 of Americans employed full or part-time
  report heavy drinking. The heaviest drinking
  occurred between the ages of 18 and 25.

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The Facts About Drugs

• 4. Construction workers, sales personnel, and
  restaurant employees reported the highest rate of
  illegal drug usage.
• 5. The occupations with the heaviest alcohol use
  included general laborers, machine operators,
  transportation employees, and restaurant
  employees.

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The Facts About Drugs

• 6. In 1990 , drug and alcohol use cost American
  businesses 81.6 million.
• 7. Employees who report illicit drug use
  indicated that they averaged 3 or more employers
  in 1 year.
• 8. A survey of callers on the national cocaine
  help line indicated that 75 had used drugs on
  the job.

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Symptoms of Drug Abuse

• 1. Inconsistent Work Quality.
• 2. Poor concentration.
• 3. Lowered Productivity.
• 4. Increased Absenteeism.
• 5. Mistakes.
• 6. Errors in Judgment.
• 7. Needless Risk Taking.
• 8. Extended Lunch Breaks or Early Departures
  from work.

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Symptoms of Drug Abuse

• 9. Frequent personal financial problems.
• 10. Avoidance of colleagues.
• 11. Blaming Others for Problems.
• 12. Complaints about problems at home.
• 13. Deterioration of appearance.
• 14. Constant illnesses.

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Drug Free Workplace-Why?

• Rule 36 Act 1552 of 1999 promotes voluntary
  drub free workplaces in Arkansas businesses.
• Approved Drug Free Workplaces will receive a
  premium credit on their Workers Compensation
  Insurance of at least 5.
• Workers will become more productive, show up on
  time, make good decisions, and employee turnover
  should decrease.

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How Do You Establish a Drug Free Workplace?

• 1. Write a substance abuse policy.
• 2. Train Supervisors.
• 3. Educate your employees.
• 4. Provide Employee Assistance.
• 5. Drug and Alcohol Testing.

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How Do You Establish a Drug Free Workplace?

• Step 1- Writing a Substance Abuse Policy
  Statement.

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Substance Abuse Policy

• 1. It should include an explanation of why you
  are implementing the program. An important
  consideration may be the safety of your
  employees, customers, and the general public.
  Other reasons may include health of employees,
  productivity, public liability, and legal
  requirements.

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Substance Abuse Policy

• 2. The policy should have a clear description of
  substance abuse related behaviors that are
  prohibited. At a minimum this should include the
  use, possession, and transfer or sale of illegal
  drugs. Unacceptable behavior also may include
  employees under the influence of alcohol or other
  drugs while at work.

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Substance Abuse Policy

• 3. Finally, the policy should include a thorough
  explanation of the consequences for violations of
  the policy.
• 4. Your policy should include and identify all
  of the elements of your program including
  employee assistance programs and drug testing
  programs.
• 5. Essentially your policy should include
  everything that will affect them and their
  options should a substance abuse problem occur.

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Step 2

• Training Supervisors

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Effective Supervisor Training Program

• 1. Supervisors are educated on the companys
  policy and understand their role in its
  implementation and maintenance.
• 2. Supervisors are educated on observe and
  documenting unsatisfactory job performance.
• 3. Supervisors are educated on the effects of
  substance abuse in the workplace.
• 4. Supervisors are educated on how to refer an
  employee suspected of having a drug or alcohol
  problem to those qualified to make a diagnosis
  and offer assistance.

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Step 3

• Educating Your Employees

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Employee Education Program

• 1. Provide them with information about the
  dangers of alcohol and drugs and how they can
  affect individuals and families.
• 2. Describe the impact drugs and alcohol can
  have on safety at work, company productivity,
  product quality, absenteeism, health care costs,
  accident rates, and the companies bottom line.

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Employee Education Program

• 3. Explain in detail how your Drug Free
  Workplace Policy applies to every employee of the
  company and the consequences for violation of the
  policy.
• 4. Describe the basic components of your Drug
  Free Workplace program including Employee
  assistance plan.
• 5. Explain how employees and their dependents if
  included can get help for their substance abuse
  problems.

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Step 4

• Providing Employee Assistance

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Employee Assistance

• 1. Contact companies in your area that provide
  employee drug assistance programs and learn about
  their programs what they offer, how the service
  is provided, the costs, and more importantly the
  results.
• 2. Find out if there are groups or organizations
  that can assist you with your EAP.

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Step 5

• Drug and Alcohol Testing

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Drug and Alcohol Testing

• 1. Who will you test? applicants, all
  employees, select employees, etc.
• 2. When will you test? after accidents or on a
  periodic basis.
• 3. For what substances will you test?-Rule 36
  requires that you test for the following
  Amphetamines, marijuana, Cocaine, Opiates, PCP,
  and Alcohol.

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Drug and Alcohol Testing

• 4. What consequences will employees and
  applicants face if they test positive?
• 5. Who will administer your testing program?

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Drug Free Program Approval Process

• 1. An employer wanting to acknowledge compliance
  with a drug free workplace can submit an
  application to the Arkansas Workers Compensation
  Commission.- The division will notify the
  employer of their acceptance.
• 2. The division will review the application and
  notify the employer of any deficiencies that must
  be corrected.

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Drug Free Program Approval Process

• 3. Substantial compliance in completing and
  filing the form shall create the fact that the
  employer has establish a Drug Free Work Place.
• 4. Employer will provide the commission
  acceptance form to their insurer to receive
  premium credit.

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Drug Free Program Approval Process

• 5. The employer needs to maintain the drug free
  workplace program or they will lose their premium
  credit on Workers' Comp insurance.
• 6. All employers qualifying for the premium
  credit under Rule 36 must be reported annually by
  the insurer to the director of the Arkansas
  workers Comp Commission.

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Results of a Drug Free Workplace

• A small plumbing company in Washington DC saved
  385,000 in one year by establishing a drug free
  work place through decreased accidents, lower
  workers comp premiums, and lower vehicle
  insurance premiums.
• A mechanical contractor in Florida is saving
  100,000 a year on their workers Comp insurance
  by implementing a drug free work place.
• A landscaping company in Arizona saved 50,000
  due to increased productivity, fewer accidents,
  less absenteeism, and lower employee turnover.

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Results of a Drug Free Workplace

• A restaurant in Florida reported decreasing
  employee turnover from 1.6 to 1 to .75 to 1 by
  implementing a drug free workplace.
• Ohio which has had drug free workplace programs
  for a few years report that the program has
  reduced absenteeism by 89, tardiness by 92, and
  on-the-job injuries by 57.