The binge drinking employee

You may have a binge drinking employee in your workplace and they may not present like the “typical” heavy or alcoholic drinker. Binge drinking is somewhat different from solid, heavy or longstanding drinking behaviours. And for this reason, it may be difficult to spot or identify in the workplace. However, the impact on other employees, and the binge-drinker’s inability to remain consistent with responsibilities and workplace duties and attendance, may lead to team problems and organisational difficulties for management who have to repeatedly address and deal with the associated behaviours.

Definition

Binge drinking or episodic drinking is defined as “drinking heavily on a single occasion, or drinking continuously over a number of days or weeks. It is also commonly referred to in Australia as drinking to get drunk, or getting wasted, getting wiped or getting smashed.”

In Australia, binge drinking has even been viewed as socially acceptable by male teens and young adult men, and traditionally has been tied in with male social bonding and enculturation.

But when this crosses over into the workplace or occurs sporadically yet repeatedly in an episodic manner over time by an employee, the impact to your organisation can be real and frustrating.

Some of the short term effects of binge drinking include

•                   Hangovers
•                   Nausea
•                   Shakiness
•                   Committing and memory loss
•                   Injury to yourself
•                   Alcohol poisoning
•                   Absenteeism
•                   Disorganisation
•                   Irresponsibility
•                   Violence
•                   Workplace problems

The Australian Drug Foundation states that the National Drug Strategy Survey found that over 10% of Australians 14 years and over drink dangerously. Translated to the workplace, this may correlate to nearly 10% of the employee workforce, and because binge drinking is largely socially acceptable, the issue may well be far more severe than we realise. Alcohol abuse is so severe in Australia it costs us $36 billion per year.

In March 2008, the government of Australia launched a new campaign focusing on binge drinking, titled the “National Binge Drinking Strategy,” which supplied over $53 million to address the problem among the younger section of the population. The program was largely aimed to alcohol test at developing community resources and advertising campaigns to address the problem.

You too can develop workplace strategies to fight the effects of binge drinking. Some approached that may be of use include:

•                   Onsite breathalyser testing for employees
•                   Employee Assistance Programs that assist problem drinkers in your workplace
•                   Information about responsible drinking habits
•                   Clearly outlined AOD procedures and policies
•                   A non-punitive approach that seeks to help rather than hinder a binge-drinking employee

You can help to protect your workplace from the effects of binge-drinking employees. Develop a comprehensive Employee Drug Testing program and you can reap the rewards, knowing your workplace is safer and more secure and less severely impacted by AOD issues. 

Sleeping with the Enemy

CMM Technology offers you reliable, cost effective and advanced pre screening technologies for all types of industries and businesses. Your business needs to stay abreast of current information on drug and alcohol use and workplace testing. It also needs to be aware of other drugs that may be legal but also have the capacity to disrupt your workplace and cause hazard, risk or even injury to your employees.

Sedatives, commonly known as sleeping pills are one such drug group to be aware of. CMM Technology offers you this profile on sleeping pills to help you continue to wage the war in favor of workplace drug testing.

Hypnotics (Sleeping Pills)

These are soporific drugs – a class of psychoactive substances with a primary function to induce sleep. They treat restlessness, sleeplessness, insomnia and also stress and anxiety. Because doctors prescribe them they are viewed as legal drugs.

These drugs may be habit forming and addictive, and are not safe in the workplace, particularly in heavy industries such as mining, aviation, transport, engineering and maritime and defence. Examples of sleeping pills include benzodiazepines and nonbenzodiazapenes.

Benzodiazepines are the most common and often prescribed sleeping pill group in Australia and include such brand names as serepax, valium and rohypnol.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has listed guidelines for these drugs. If you are an employer, make sure you are aware of this advice and educate your employees as part of your AOD policies and procedures.

The guidelines include:

·                  Education on risk of dependence with long-term use

·                  When prescribed benzodiazepines the lowest dose should be used.

Other hypnotic/soporific groups include:

·                  Barbiturates

·                  Opioids

·                  Antihistamines

·                  Melatonin agonists

Make sure your employees are well versed about the effects of these particular groups of drugs and also make sure the effects of these drugs on work tasks is publicised at your site or workplace. When you effectively disseminate information about drugs and their risks, you can also safeguard your business against the possibility of litigation, should accident or injury occur.

One of the main problems associated with sleeping pills is the resistance that occurs after a few weeks of continual use. This may also mean your employee who is prescribed sleeping pills may increase his/or her dose to gain the same effect as initially occurred when first prescribed.

The Australian Sleep Association suggests a number of “alternative top sleeping tips” that can replace the need for sleeping pills. Be sure to incorporate these into any EAP where an employee is struggling with sleeping, stress, insomnia and sleeping pill use which has also impacted his work tasks and work safety.

The suggestions are:

·                  Ensure regular sleep patterns – go to bed at the same time and aim for 8 hours

·                  Limit your caffeine intake

·                  Limit your alcohol intake (its diuretic effect can have you getting up to go to the toilet throughout the night

·                  Resist daytime naps

·                  Manage your stress

·                  Avoid sleeping pills – they do not deal with cause of insomnia

·                  Make sleep area dark and comfortable

·                  Seek professional help.

CMM Technology supports organisations and businesses to develop sound drug and alcohol testing procedures and policies as part of their OHS and Employee Assistance Programmes. CMM Technology understands the need to safeguard against drugs and alcohol in the workplace. For more information on their quality drug testing devices.