Sylvia Ortiz

Texas Safety Professionals

That’s a lesson Paul Hutton learned the hard way
when he was pulled over in his hometown of
Essex, England for operating a “motor vehicle”
while intoxicated. Usually, speeding or weaving
would be a clear indicator that a driver’s had a
few too many, but seeing a slurring adult male
In the pink and white children’s jeep was a
dead giveaway for local police.
Hutton was intercepted on the way to a friend’s
house, which is only 1,500 feet away from his
home. But because the Barbie vehicle topped out

at 4 mph, law enforcement officials had more

than
Enough time to notice the erratic driving, pull
him
over and complete a field sobriety test.
 The result? Hutton blew more than twice the
legal limit. Colchester Magistrates’ Court
slapped him with a $130 fine, and he is now
banned from driving whether it’s his Barbie
jeep or any other vehicle for three years.
 How does Alcohol and Drug abuse affect us?
 Recognize the signs of alcohol and illegal drug
use.
 The importance of reporting to keep the
workplace safe.
 Design a Drug Free Workplace
 Early Intervention
The majority of alcoholics and illegal drug
users have jobs.
◦ Most of these users are professionals with good
educations and upbringing.
◦ Lawyers
◦ Doctors
◦ CPA
 World’s Largest Problem
 An estimated 1.3 million Americans suffer from
alcohol or substance abuse.
 Companies lose billions of dollars a year due to
employees with substance abuse problems.
 Not to mention the increase of bloodborne
pathogens
Drugs:
 1 in 12 full-time employees reports current
use of drugs on the job.
 70 % of abusers are employed.
Alcohol:
 1 in 10 people in this country has an
alcohol
problem.
 Do you have drugs at your mine?
 Can you tell who is using drugs?
 How many of you have ever used drugs?
 Do employees tell their employer they are on

some kind of drug?

 Bloodshot eyes or blurred vision
 Slurred speech
 Lack of balance
 Lack of concentration
 Excessive sweating
 Flushed complexion
 Poor hygiene
 Smell of alcohol or Marijuana
 Defiance
 Irritable
 Employee conflicts
 Dramatic emotions
 Low productivity
 Forgetful and lack of judgment
 Sloppy or incomplete work
 Late or absent (using sick or vacation time)
1. Marijuana
2. Cocaine
3. Opiates
4. Amphetamines
 Cocaine imbedded in a bill?
 The biggest of all with many different names,
such as speed, meth, chalk, ice, crystal,
glass, and tina.
 Smoke
 Snort
 Intravenous
Smoking
 Less production
 More likely to injure themselves or someone
else while on the job.
 Five times more likely to file on Workers
Compensation.
 Use three times as many sick days.
 9% of heavy drinkers and 10% of drug users
claim calling in sick due to a hang-over.
 20% of drug users have gone to work while
still HIGH!
 23% of upper management and 11% of first

line supervisors reported having a drink

during the work day.
 21% of employees claim that their productivity

had been disrupted due to another’s drug

abuse.
 Commitment to a Drug-Free Work
Place.
• Educate employees
• Conduct drug training (ART/Tailgate)
• Random drug testing
• Early Intervention
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
•Don’t be an enabler!
Drug Use Is Not Glamorous!
It is:
◦ expensive
◦ addictive
◦ destructive
◦ deadly
 Stepsto a comprehensive program:
Steps
Steps to
toaacomprehensive
comprehensive program:
• Drug-free
Steps to workplace policy program:
a comprehensive program:
• - Drug-free workplace policy
• Drug-free workplace policy
• • Drug-free
Supervisor workplace policy
training
Steps to a comprehensive program:
• - Supervisor
• Supervisor training
training
• Supervisor
• Employee education training
comprehensive program:
• Employee education
• - Employee
• Employee
• Employee education
education
assistance
• Drug-free workplace policy
• Employee assistance
•• Drug• Employee
- Employee
testing assistance
assistance (EAP)
• Supervisor training
• Drug testing
• Drug testing
• - Drug testing education
• Employee

• Employee assistance
Drug and alcohol abuse is a serious problem affecting
personal lives of millions of workers and costing mine
operations billions of dollars.

Keep Our Mines a Drug- Free Workplace.

Thank You!