1. Attention Construction workers: Dangers of Drug and
Alcohol Use on the job
It is no coincidence that research shows a link between drugs and alcohol use and stress.
Alcohol and drugs are used as relaxants so it would make sense that workers with highly
pressurised or stressful jobs would indulge in drinking and some even drug taking. However
drinking on the job is completely different to having a drink after work to unwind. Workers who
engage in drinking and drug taking while on duty, seriously endanger the safety of everyone on
site and undermine a business’s operational ability.
Drinking and drug taking alters a worker’s mental and physical capabilities which means they
are not able to perform at their peak. Workers who believe that they can have a drink or two and
it won’t affect them are mistaken, especially in an industry as dangerous as construction.
Activities such as welding, operating heavy machinery, working with power tools are all risky
when undertaken by a sober individual, however when combined with drugs and alcohol are a
deadly combination. Workers who are intoxicated do not operate on the same mental capacity
as those who are sober and so jeopardise the health and safety of everyone on site.
Other than slowing the productivity of the site and endangering the lives of workers, drinking
and drug taking also increases absenteeism and sick leave. Workers are also more likely to get
injured and so increase their compensation claims and cost to the company.
Workers should also keep in mind that alcohol and drugs remain in the system even the next
morning, so while you may not think you are still intoxicated, the chemicals could still be in your
body the next day from a heavy night of binge drinking. This may affect the way you do your job
and may even cause injury, especially if you are still hung-over.
The main effects on your ability to work are: decreased alertness,impaired judgement and
lowered productivity. A recent national survey which was conducted in Melbourne showed that
construction workers showed some of the highest rates of drinking and drug taking. The survey
included approximately 500 labourers, managers and office staff, more than half of which
showed a drinking and drug taking level that put their safety at risk.
Particularly concerning is the amount of construction workers who admitted to using ecstasy or
amphetamine substances in the past year and the 16 per cent that had used marijuana,
showing figures higher than the rest of the population. Sadly the majority of workers involved in
the research did not have sufficient knowledge of how drugs and alcohol could affect their
physical performance on the job. This suggests that employers need to do more to educate
workers and create awareness of the issue. Employers and government should undertake to do
more to remove the culture of drinking and drug taking in the construction industry.
This post by MICHELLE Henderson, AAP National Medical Writer, explains what the results
mean for construction workers:
“Operating machinery and mobile equipment, the proximity to road traffic, using
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2. electrical equipment and operating at heights conspire to accentuate the potential
adverse impact of drugs and alcohol in these workplaces,” Prof Biggs said.
“What we need is educational preventative programs, rather than simply dealing with
alcohol and other drug use after the fact through testing and dealing with positive
results,” he said.
Prof Biggs said a national education program would be developed to combat alcohol
and drug use in the construction industry.
The 494 workers surveyed over the two-year project also included engineers and plant
operators.
The Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre at Queensland University
of Technology conducted the study.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/alcohol-use-putting-workers-at-safety
-risk/story-e6frf7kf-1226459910908
http://www.whitecardonline.com.au/blog/my-category/attention-construction-workers-dangers-of-
drug-and-alcohol-use-on-the-job/
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