Dealing with Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Substance abuse is a huge, worldwide problem. In the United States alone there are over 50 million binge drinkers, 17 million illegal drug users and almost 15 million people who abuse prescription drugs. Most substance abusers have jobs. In fact, it is estimated that one out of every ten workers has a substance abuse problem. An employee with an alcohol or drug problem can decrease productivity, create a hostile work environment and damage a company's good name. Worst of all the actions of a worker who is "under the influence" can completely undermine a company's efforts to keep people safe. So employees need to know what they can do to help keep their job sites drug and alcohol-free.

The first in a two-part series on drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace, Dealing with Drug and Alcohol Abuse for Employees in Construction Environments discusses the various types of substance abuse that are found in the workplace, and shows how they can affect an employee's work situation and what employees themselves can do to help keep their workplace drug and alcohol free.

Topics covered in Dealing with Drug and Alcohol Abuse for Employees in Construction Environments include:

• What substances are commonly abused?
• Alcohol and other depressants.
• Stimulants, narcotics and hallucinogens
• How people get "hooked".
• Drug dependency.
• Who can become a substance abuser?
• Drug and alcohol policies.
• Helping employees overcome substance abuse

Discuss the various types of substance abuse that are found in the workplace, how they can affect an employee's work situation and what employees themselves can do to help keep their workplace drug and alcohol free.