Interesting Facts and Figures

  1. Studies prove that employees under the influence of drugs or alcohol are four times more likely to have an accident at work than their colleagues.
  2. The use of excess alcohol or illicit drugs can seriously affect an individual's performance at work, causing reduced reaction times, impaired perception and poor decision-making.
  3. It is the duty of a responsible employer to ensure the safety of their staff at all times - including protecting staff from the mistakes of co-workers under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This is implicit in the Health and Safety at Work Act and other workplace legislation.
  4. Recreational abuse of both alcohol and illicit substances has no social, economic or age boundaries whatsoever.
  5. Research shows that the rate of drug abuse is increasing among both the unemployed and employment sectors.
  6. Most drug users are employed. Of the illicit drug users aged 18 or older in 2002, 74.6 percent were employed either full or part time.
  7. All employers and managers should be aware of the problem of drugs and alcohol in the workplace - the effect on individual employees and the potential costs for employers, associated with absenteeism, poor performance and company image.
  8. Employers need to be aware of the employment law implications of employees taking drugs and their responsibilities when trying to determine if there is a drugs related problem.
  9. Scotland Against Drugs, a government-funded campaign, carried out a survey that revealed that more than half of 16 year olds had experimented with illegal substances. This age group is the workforce of tomorrow.
  10. US National Institute for Drug Abuse research has shown employees on drugs are
    • only two-thirds as productive;
    • 2-3 times more likely to be absent for 8 days or more;
    • nearly 4 times more likely to be involved in an accident in the workplace;
    • more likely to make claims against their employers and insurers.
  11. A survey by Alcohol Concern and the TUC suggests that one in four accidents are caused and around 40 million working hours lost through alcohol misuse.
  12. The IPD's recent findings indicate that up to 21% of the workforce may be using drugs.
  13. Government figures have indicated that 12% of UK drivers killed in road accidents have traces of cannabis in their bloodstream.
  14. The RAC have quoted that those who smoke cannabis, then drive, represent a greater danger than drunk drivers.
  15. A research document published by the Health Education Authority showed that 90% of the 123 Personnel Directors of large UK organisations surveyed considered that alcohol consumption was a problem for their organisation.
  16. Alcohol and illicit drugs through their effects on health, safety, work performance and absenteeism can jeopardise productivity, deny businesses the leading edge and curtail competitiveness.
  17. Effectively implemented drugs and alcohol policies will help employers in their legal duty to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of their employees and may, in some instances, influence the scale of insurance premiums and the availability of cover.
  18. Effectively implemented drugs and alcohol policies also have a role in reducing health and safety risks to the public. Many employers already recognise the benefits of effectively implemented drug and alcohol policies. A sense of duty to help their fellow man, the legal imperative and the potential for enhanced competitiveness and productivity are the key motivators.
  19. Alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream within a few minutes of being drunk and carried to all parts of your body including the brain.
  20. The concentration of alcohol in the body, known as the 'blood alcohol concentration', depends on many factors, but principally, how much you have drunk, how long you have been drinking, whether you have eaten, and your size and weight. It is difficult to know exactly how much alcohol is in your bloodstream or what effect it may have.
  21. It takes a healthy liver about 1 hour to break down and remove 1 unit of alcohol. A unit is equivalent to 8gm or 10ml (1cl) of pure alcohol.
  22. If someone drinks 2 pints of ordinary strength beer at lunchtime or half a bottle of wine (e.g. 4 units), they will still have alcohol in their bloodstream 3 hours later. Similarly, if someone drinks heavily in the evening they may still be over the legal drink drive limit the following morning.
  23. Black coffee, cold showers and fresh air will not sober someone up. Only time can remove alcohol from the bloodstream.