Alcohol in the workplace - Get ready for the festive season - alcohol in the workplace is a serious, yet hidden problem

MEDIA RELEASE 25 November 2009

Get ready for the festive season - alcohol in the workplace is a serious, yet hidden problem
According to workplace drug and alcohol screening experts Frontline Diagnostics, employers need to be mindful of the effects of alcohol on safety and productivity particularly during the festive season.

A recent report commissioned by the federal Department of Health & Ageing detailed that one in ten workers said that they usually drank alcohol in the workplace and 6.6 per cent said they had turned up for work drunk in a 12-month period.

The report also said that the bill for lost productivity through hangovers and sick days, staff turnover and early retirement due to alcohol use is calculated at $5.6 billion a year.

Frontline Diagnostics' General Manager Richard Varnish is a strong advocate of education programs for businesses as well as testing for alcohol use.

"Testing is particularly important where there are safety issues like in the mining, construction, transport and manufacturing sectors. These industries are often already testing for drugs and alcohol testing becomes part of their regular screening," Mr Varnish said.

"Alcohol is not just a safety issue. During the festive season, there are more employer-organised events that involve alcohol and often staff feel pressured into consuming alcohol within a work peer group. The consequences of this can be far-reaching.

"We have education programs that help both employers and staff understand the consequences of the use of alcohol in the workplace and also assist companies to put policies in place," said Mr Varnish.

Frontline Diagnostics recently became the first drug and alcohol screening service to be accredited to sections of the Australian Standard AS4308:2008 for collection and on-site screening by the National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia (NATA).

"This accreditation means that our customers will be assured of the quality of service they receive from us, in addition to having greater legal defensibility. If an organisation is following old standards, it has not taken every reasonable step to ensure that procedures and results are accurate and comprehensive and therefore leave themselves open to legal dispute," he explained.

"Incorporating this new Standard into an organisation's alcohol and other drugs policy will ensure that this organisation follows the latest standards and receives the best legal protection against potential disputes," added Mr Varnish.

NATA is the authority in Australia for the assurance of technical standards. It is the most experienced accreditation body in the world, and is highly regarded both nationally and internationally for its expertise in technical accreditation.

For more information about Frontline Diagnostics, call 1800 888 852 or visit www.frontlinediagnostics.com.au.

Released for Frontline Diagnostics by Dennis Rutzou Public Relations (www.drpr.com.au)
For further information please call Kim Larochelle or Nicola Rutzou on (02) 9413 4244.

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