Transcript SESSION 32 Workplace Substance Abuse

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
it’s employees?
Regulatory 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 don’t?
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Drugs of Abuse
DOT
- Alcohol
- Marijuana
- Cocaine
- Amphetamine/Meth
- Opiates/Heroin
- PCP
NON-DOT
- 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
.03-.12
.09-.25
.18-.30
.25-.40
.35-.50
.55+
Mostly normal behavior; can be considered moderately impaired*
Mild euphoria, increased self-confidence, lowered inhibitions,
impaired judgment and control, talkativeness, motor impairment
Impaired hearing, balance, coordination, memory, perception, visual
acuity and emotional instability
Staggering, slurred speech, disorientation, exaggerated emotions,
blackouts
Stupor, loss of motor functions, vomiting, passing out, lack of
response, inability to walk
Coma, lower body temperature, loss of reflexes
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!
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
Signs & Symptoms
of 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
Common Drug Effects
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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
Behavioral Signs of Drug Users
- “I don’t 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
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Hemp, Mary Jane, Weed, 4:20
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
Cocaine
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White/Creamy granular powder
Coca plant (South America)
Snorted or Injected
Average high lasts 20-90 minutes
Crack
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Cocaine free-base
Cheaper than powdered cocaine
Recreational use is wide-spread
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How Will Cocaine Affect
Employees?
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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
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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
BATH SALTS
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Ivory Snow, Red Dove, Vanilla
Sky, Cloud Nine, Ivory Wave,
White Lightning, Hurricane
Charlie and others.
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Taken orally, snorted, smoked,
rectally and IV
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Produce powerful psychotic
effects leading to violence
JEWELRY CLEANER
• Sold as “Cosmic Blast”
• Can raise core body
temperature to 106-108
• Synthetic Cocaine,
similar to bath salts
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 produced……5 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
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Corners of baggies
& paper clips
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Circular burns or scars
on the tip of the fingers
(crack pipe use)
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When Meth is wearing off,
users will often grind
their teeth.
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Tennis balls
“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?
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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)
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Deliriant or dissociative drug
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Blocks pain
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NO LAWFUL USE
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Scrambles the brain
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High doses produce delusions
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Aggressive behavior
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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
employee’s 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….don’t 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.
Developing a Drug Free Workplace:
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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 company’s Reasonable Suspicion check-list.
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Review:
The ABC’s of Reasonable Suspicion
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Appearance – Current observations
of the employee
Behavior – Cumulative patterns of change in the
employee’s behavior or appearance
Conduct – Reports from others
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A Supervisor’s 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 Supervisor’s 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 company’s
substance abuse program:
CONTACT JOHN THROCKMORTON
Email: [email protected]
Cell:417-849-0277
Office: 417-887-7697 X1004