NEWS: Sunday Telegraph - 06/08/2006 'Aussies wasted at work'

[kyon]

You can compare speed to coffee unless your impression of speed is that the only way to take it is in excess.

 

[comf0rtably numb]

I work at a large pub and I can testify that there's a fairly widespread degree of drug usage within our little community. I've been to work stoned/half baked and amped on amphetamines before but it doesnt hinder my work, rather in the case of the amphetamines it transforms me into a slick, efficient working machine when im not bouncing off the walls haha. At any rate, this isnt really surprising at all.

 

[lil angel15]

One in four taking drugs at work
By Rosemary Desmond
May 10, 2007 05:04pm

ABOUT one in four employees say fellow workers take illegal drugs at work, a survey has found.

Human resources and recruitment firm Talent2 said an internet survey of more than 1700 people in several different industry groups showed a high number of people who took illegal drugs while on the job.

Those aged between 18 and 24 were nearly five times more likely to have consumed drugs than the rest of the working population, said Talent2 director John Banks.

Between 25 and 30 per cent of sales and marketing, engineering, manufacturing, construction and government workers said they had heard of someone in their workplace taking illegal drugs at work.

"HR – human resources – was even higher on 32 per cent because in that HR function, people were reporting it to them because it would be of concern," Mr Banks said.

In contrast, a scant 1 per cent of respondents in most industries actually admitted taking illegal substances themselves.

But unlike the work culture of even a few years ago, employers were now aware that allowing employees to drink or take drugs on the job could leave them legally liable for any damage or injury they caused.

"If you saw someone who was pie-eyed or even came back drunk after lunch, there would be disciplinary action," Mr Banks said.

"Because of the legal infrastructure now, either having a peer or a boss coming back to work under the influence of either drugs or alcohol leaves you, as an organisation, open to legal issues."

In the engineering, manufacturing and construction industries, at least half believed it was an employer's responsibility to test prospective employees.

"It's a sign of the times – particularly for that younger age group, 18 to 24 year olds," Mr Banks said.

"A lot of employers now are using occupational health and safety testing prior to their employment but it's often under the guise of questions like 'Can you lift heavy weights?' and 'Are you fit and healthy' – particularly in that manufacturing environment.

"If you are driving a forklift through a factory, you can do a lot of damage."

Mr Banks said employers had a responsibility to educate their staff and ensure that all incidents of drug consumption at work were reported to management.

News.com.au

 

[Doooofus]

Title of the article: One in four taking drugs at work

First line of the article: About one in four employees say fellow workers take illegal drugs at work, a survey has found.

The maths is wrong... One in four employees saying fellow employees are on drugs does not mean that one in four workers is on drugs...

 

[Teddles]

I don't think it will be long till most big companies have Drug testing with every physical. Most places i work there is a Drug and alcohol policy, but it is never/rarely impplimented (i have never seen the process) due to the time constraints and the risk of getting it wrong and having a staff member go home on stress leave.

In my profession there isn't much dope smoking going on during the breaks but use of alcohol, benzo's and uppers after a big night is pretty high and not just in the 18-24 age range. Mostly the alcohol abuse is more likely to be in the older age range whereas the benzo use is pretty standard in all age ranges. Use of morphine and other S8 is a bit off taboo and never spoken about which i think is fine. When ever the count is wrong or out, it is more often than not blamed on a mistake not theft. Nurses are pretty quick to turn a blind eye to the benzo or morphine addicted colleage.

 

[sydkiwi]

lol I have a mate who use to work at a supermarket. He did the right thing by asking for a sunday off month in advance because he knew he had a big rave party to go to the night before and knew he'd be in no fit state to go to work the next day and his leave application was accepted. But apparently they lost the leave form or something and rostered him on that sunday. He couldn't get it off but the boss is like ok somewhere along the line someone fucked up we'll turn a blind eye but we can't get anyone in to cover your shift.

he dropped an e an hour before he had to be at work and then relised he had to be at work in an hour for an 8hr shift.

All he can say is thank goodness for speed.

 

[Chubba75]

Title of the article: One in four taking drugs at work

First line of the article: About one in four employees say fellow workers take illegal drugs at work, a survey has found.

The maths is wrong... One in four employees saying fellow employees are on drugs does not mean that one in four workers is on drugs...

It's also one in four saying SOMEONE is on drugs.

That could be a office of 160 people, 2 notorious drug addicts and 40 people can identify them.

 

[hoptis]

He couldn't get it off but the boss is like ok somewhere along the line someone fucked up we'll turn a blind eye but we can't get anyone in to cover your shift.

You mean his boss agreed to turn a blind eye to his being out all night beforehand?

I think if someone takes leave and plans to have a big night, they've done the right thing by their employer rather than turning up to work off their trolley the next day.

 

[starboy]

we have the same dramas in new zealand, generally stirred up by the labs who are commercially involved in workplace drug testing

we even had a big symposium on drugs and driving in whcih these australian university professors showed heaps of evidence of drug use amongst australian drivers tested outside nightclubbing districts in early hours, and of course heaps of people driving on meds like methadone

i got invited along to this symposium as the drug inudstry rep and offered my perspective as a drug user also

at the end of the day we came to the conclusion that evidence of ues is not evidence of impairment, that testing should be for impairment and not use, because some drugs such as appropriate use of psychostimulants such as caffeine or amphetamine will promote alertness, and somebody impaired from driving due to medicine, alcohol or other drug use should be treated no differently to somebody who is impaired due to old age

the results of the thing went to govt, then the police got hold of it and turned it into a law enforcemet thing, let's scare the public about illegal drug use behind the wheel - giant leap backwards



as workplace drug testing has kicked in we have seen things like small towns advertising a job now have nobody apply due to drug testing as opposed to the old days when half teh town would apply, unemployed people saying that they can't go to job interviews

bloody ridiculous, if nobody in society fits the criteria it means the criteria is wrong

test for impairment not use

 

[phase_dancer]

While I was in NZ recently, I was told that in response to a large dairy processing and transport company announcing their intent to randomly drug test milk tanker drivers, the workers threatened to go on strike. Apparently the drivers won and the idea of random testing was shelved!

That being said, both the tanker drivers and the farmers I spoke to said smoking was rife amongst workers. One farmer said the local milk tanker driver knew their family was cool with smoking and would often turn up to collect the milk with a joint in his mouth Only in NZ aye

 

[warpedmind]

who care's if workers use drugs at work. i'm in the construction bussness and me and my boss smoke pipes at lunch. we still get oue work done and i've even gotten a few pay rises and bonus's aswell. i the work still get's done there should be no problem with it

 

[phase_dancer]

^ Of course, aside from ability to get the work done, the more major issue with drug use in the workplace is safety. While you might not be too adversely affected, someone else might and their intoxication may directly or indirectly affect the safety of other workers.