Canadian HR Reporter

By Nadine Wentzell w e all want and expect employees to arrive fit for work and re- main fit for duty throughout the workday. But the most recent statistics and best evidence sug- gest there is a rising problem with prescription drug use. e impact on our workplace and workforce manifests itself in countless insidious ways, both tangible and intangible. e question is: How do you know if someone is unsafe or unfit for work due to prescription and non-prescription drug use? And is this really something you need to be concerned about? Most of us put prescription drugs in a different category than illegal street drugs. We tend to stereotype prescription and over- the-counter drugs as legitimate and safe. And that is accurate — most of the time. Often the use of these medications is legitimate, or at least it starts out that way. But sometimes that use escalates and becomes abuse or out-of-control use. And the associated behav- iours can pose a significant health and safety risk — both for the in- dividual and his employer. In 2002, the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (an arm of the provincial health ser- vices in Alberta) completed the study Substance Use and Gam- bling in the Alberta Workplace. A total of 2,836 workers partici- pated in the study and provided information about the prevalence, patterns, impacts and costs of substance use and gambling (755 employers and 88 union represen- tatives were respondents). That study identified 88 per cent of respondents as having used medications within the previous 12 months — the most popular being non-prescription painkillers (74 per cent) followed by cough/cold/sinus/allergy medication (59 per cent). It is im- portant to note that both of these categories of medications can af- fect employees' abilities to safely perform their duties, even when taken at recommended dosages. Subsequent research and stud- ies have expanded on this. Of sig- nificant concern is the fact that the emerging workforce — 18 to 24 year olds — has the highest incidence of prescription drug misuse or abuse. As of 2013, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse reported Canada ranked second in the world as the largest consumer of prescription opi- oids, outpaced only by the United States. Canada's rate of use in- creased by 203 per cent between 2000 and 2010. Dire outcomes such as ad- diction, overdose and death are associated with certain prescrip- tion drugs. e drugs of greatest concern fall into three categories: opioids (narcotics derived from opium, such as morphine, codeine and oxycodone); sedatives and tranquilizers, more commonly known as anti-anxiety agents (primarily benzodiazepines such as Valium or Ativan); and stimu- lants (such as Dexedrine, Adderall and Ritalin). When these are appropriately prescribed and consumed, there are recognized therapeutic ben- efits. Misuse and abuse occurs when an overconsumption of a medication is used for the high that's induced, either from the es- calation of prescribed therapy or intentional misuse. It is also important to note that non-prescription drugs such as Gravol (dimenhydrinate) and Tylenol #1 (codeine 8 mg) can be widely abused. ese drugs, in combination with alcohol or other drugs, can have a significant effect on an employee's health and abil- ity to work safely. Substance abuse is insidious and its effects on employees will appear gradually and increase over time. e most important way a supervisor, manager or HR professional can respond is to know their people and manage any performance that deviates from the norm. How will you know there's a problem? In general, you will see an increase in absenteeism with an employee, especially on Mondays and Fri- days, which may initially manifest as an increase in sick days. Tardi- ness — after lunch or breaks — is often accompanied by changes in behaviour. Leaving early at the end of the day is common. "Pre- senteeism" is also common and more challenging to identify. It's also important to be aware there may be a legitimate expla- nation. As with any performance issue, the key is to address it early, as soon as it's noticed, and docu- ment any discussions. Allowing these types of behaviours to go on enables the employee to continue in her drug use, which will only increase the negative impacts on the workplace and the employee's health and safety. Changes in personality, behav- iour and attire will become more noticeable over time. An employ- ee who is normally an upbeat, diligent worker and appropriately dressed may become the com- plete opposite, over time. You may notice more secrecy, exaggerated expressions of work accomplish- ments, poor decision-making, increased aggressiveness, irrita- bility or belligerent behaviour, a preoccupation with matters out- side of work and an ability to ratio- nalize abnormal behaviour. Negative impacts Some of the more common con- sequences or indicators of sub- stance abuse issues will present in the workplace as lost productiv- ity, poor morale, compromised safety, increased accidents and near misses, reduced effort, di- minished quality of work, re- duced trust, increased errors and increased workplace aggression or violence. This could lead to reduced customer or client satisfaction, a negative business reputation, decreased competitiveness, high turnover, a reduced ability to at- tract talent, an increased use of sick time, higher health benefit costs, increased workers' compensation or disability claims, increased in- surance claims, increased over- time costs, replacement costs for damaged equipment or property, litigation and — in case it's not obvious — decreased financial vi- ability or a reduced bottom line. If left unaddressed, substance abuse problems can even bankrupt a company. e role of others An imp or tant and of ten missed opportunity to identify Substance abuse is insidious and its effects on employees will appear gradually and increase over time. Manage any performance that deviates from the norm. Features Credit: Lisa S./Shutterstock.com pRoaCTIVe > pg. 22 HealtH & Safety Dealing with prescription in the workplace drug abuse Misuse is on the rise and can have serious consequences

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