Ensuring OSH Through Drug-Free Workplaces

PAPER PRESENTATION BY LEE LAM THYE
AT APOSHO 24 CONFERENCE held at
COEX Convention Centre, Seoul, Korea

ENSURING OSH THROUGH DRUG-FREE WORKPLACES

The escalating abuse of drug and other psychoactive substances has become a major global concern necessitating a comprehensive response and a collaborative and participatory partnership approach from all segments of society.

Business and community collaboration is at the heart of such a participatory and partnership approach. The individual workplace mirrors these problems as a result of the deteriorating health of workers, absenteeism, work accidents and other increased safety risks.

Today the economic and human costs of substance abuse in the workplace is costing businesses billions of dollars annually in lost productivity and health care costs. Drug addiction is no longer a rich nation’s problem or a poor man’s affliction.

It transcends national, ethnic, religious, class and gender lines. Addicts range from the rich to the poor, the homeless to blue and white-collar workers, students, rural farmers, urban employees and street children.

In addition to wreaking havoc on the lives of addicts and their families, drug addiction is creating a myriad of new problems for communities such as increased crime and violence, the emergence of various social ills and the deterioration of the social fabric, as well as the spread of drug-related diseases such as AIDS and Hepatitis.

Drug abuse is a threat and poses devastating effects on workplaces. Many work-related accidents, injuries, illness, absenteeism, non-productivity and poor quality of production are linked to drug abuse.

The need to ensure that workplaces are free from drug abuse is obvious. Drug use has been found to contribute to workplace accidents, absenteeism, medical claims and compensation claims. Poor productivity, high staff turnover and criminal involvement have been found arising from the use of alcohol and drug abuse.

For many years, Malaysia has relentlessly combated to eradicate this menace. The Malaysian Government is committed to combat drug problems and in 1998 endorsed a strategic plan to create a drug-free Malaysia by the year 2015.

In Malaysia, our National Anti-Drugs Agency, has statistics to indicate that 80% of arrested drug addicts are in employment. Investing in strategies to prevent and respond to drug problems in the workplace is consistent with the Government’s anti-drug strategy and will result in a more productive workplace.

The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) in Malaysia has introduced Guidelines on Preventing and Responding to Drug Problems in the Workplace.

Every employer and every self-employed person is required to ensure as far as practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of his employees. Drug use can pose major risks to employees’ safety, health and welfare; and employers have a legal duty to take measures to eliminate or minimize the risk.

Similarly, employees too, are required to take reasonable care in terms of the safety of himself / herself and other persons who may be affected by his actions or omissions at work. Employees should not indulge in hazardous or harmful drug or alcohol use and should cooperate with employers in removing such risk factors from the workplace.

While, employers have a general duty to provide a safe and healthy workplace, free from hazards employees must take reasonable care of their own safety and health and not endanger the safety and health of others at the workplace.

We need to adopt a strategy to ensure workplace hazards and risks associated with the use of drugs and alcohol are eliminated or reduced as far as practicable. If a policy is adopted as part of this strategy, it should reflect the safety needs of that workplace. Education and information about the ways in which drugs and alcohol can affect safety and be part of that strategy should be disseminated among the workforce.

Studies have shown that most drug users are people with low self-esteem and self-worth and they lack the social competence skills such as the ability to say NO to drugs.

They are also poor in decision-making skills, managing stress and lack assertive and communication skills.

The adult employed population usually spends a third of their time and half of their waking hours in their workplaces.

As such employers and employees should collaborate to reduce drug abuse at the workplace and the community. Drug abuse is a threat to the well-being of millions of the world’s working population.

Drug use trends around the world reveal that the global drug problem is large and growing. Abuse of these drugs results in poor job performers and a higher risk of accidents at the workplace.

In Malaysia, although the negative effects of drug abuse and addiction on business and productivity have been recognised there is much to be done to introduce programmes to assists employees with drug problems.

Collaborative efforts between the government, the private sector and NGOs are needed to overcome drug abuse problem at the workplace and keep the workforce productive and healthy for economic development and improved quality of life.

The effects of drug abuse in the workplace have far reaching repercussions on the individual worker, and the employer.

Some of the effects on the individual worker resulting from drug abuse are absenteeism, arriving late for work and early departure from work, nervousness, reduced morale, shoddy workmanship, decline in productivity, contribute to workplace accidents and may result in injury, disability or even death.

Other effects include committing criminal activities to sustain their drug addiction habit and not responding well to training programmes at the workplace.

As far as the employers are concerned, drug abuse at the workplace leads to reduction of output as a result of staff absenteeism, decline in the quality of products and services, damage to property due to accidents, theft and pilferage, decline in worker discipline and loss of public trust because of poor quality products and services.

Drug abuse at the workplace poses a major business problem because it affects the bottom line and costs money to the employers.

There is a need to develop a drug-free workplace policy to benefit both employers and employees such as to provide for job security in respect of employees and productivity and profitability for the employers.

All companies should have a health and safety policy and every effort should be made to ensure workplace drug abuse prevention programmes be made an integral part of activities for occupational safety and health.

I believe the best way to address the drug abuse problem at the workplace is through the following SEVEN-POINT programme:-

i. MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT AND LEADERSHIP
A drug-free workplace must of necessity involve the top management. There must also be commitment from all concerned to work towards a drug-free workplace and create a win-win situation for both employers and employees;

ii. DRUG FREE WORKPLACE POLICY AND COMMITTEE
There must be a written policy to reflect the strong commitment of the employer to a drug-free workplace. In addition, Workplace Anti-Drug Committees must be set up, either utilizing the existing occupational safety and health committees or specific sub-committees to operationalise the activities of a drug-free workplace programme.

iii. EMPLOYEE EDUCATION AND AWARENESS PROGRAMME
In all workplaces there must be programme of employees’ education and awareness which focuses on the specific dangers of drug abuse and why the workforce should be free from drugs.

iv. SUPERVISOR TRAINING PROGRAMME
Supervisors can play a key role to the successful implementation of any drug-free workplace policy and programee. They can be trained not only to detect drug abuse at the workplace out also to deal and cope with employees using drugs.

v. DRUG SCREENING PROGRAMME
As part of an effort to strive for a drug-free work environment, employees should be subjected to random urine test to ensure they are free from drugs. There is growing consensus that drug testing in the workplace is an important component of drug abuse prevention programme, particularly when the health and safety of others may be at risk.

vi. TREATMENT REFERRAL
As employees are valuable resources in any organization, it is imperative for employers to assist employees who are drug users to seek help, counseling, treatment and rehabilitation instead of dismissing them and making them a threat to the community. After these drug users have been rehabilitated, they should be allowed to remain in the workforce while putting them under supervision.

vii. SUPPORT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND RESPOND TO DRUG ABUSE
The corporate sector can help the community to respond to the challenges of drug abuse by volunteering financial contributions, or assistance in-kind, to help credible NGOs in carrying out sustained anti-drug campaigns at the community level.

To summarise, drug abuse prevention activities can be carried out through education and information dissemination activities aimed at providing knowledge, awareness and skills such as interpersonal skills, counseling skills at all workplaces.

At workplaces too, recreational activities which develop healthy lifestyles such as Open Day, Family Day, Sports and Games including Outward Bound type programmes should be an integral part of the company’s contribution to a healthy workforce.

Workplace anti-drug programmes must also be supported by community service activities in which the corporate sector can play a role.