Signs a Workplace Accident May Be Drug- or Alcohol-Related

Ron W. had worked for Lewisburg Concrete & Pavement Service since 2015. Lee R., the owner of the company, hired Ron when another employee said Ron had been laid off and needed a job. Since Ron already had a CDL license, Lee hired Ron as a truck driver for the company.

Recently, Ron started showing up late for work, looking like he hadn’t slept or changed his clothes. When Lee asked him why he was late, Ron blamed it on his new baby crying all night. A couple of times, Lee thought he had smelled alcohol on Ron’s breath but decided not to bring up the subject. Lee liked Ron as a person and had no complaints about his job performance—so far.

One day, while Ron was hauling equipment to a construction site, Lee got a phone call from the state highway patrol. Ron had caused a pile-up on the interstate by slamming into the back of another car.

“He failed the sobriety test,” the trooper told Lee. “He was way over the limit. You’ve got big problems, buddy.”

Although no one died in the accident, several people sustained serious injuries. The accident victims sued Lewisburg Concrete & Pavement Service, claiming Lee had failed to properly supervise and train Ron about safely operating company vehicles while on the job.

As a consequence of ignoring the signs of Ron’s alcohol problem, Lee had to file bankruptcy and nearly lost his business. Failing to spot the signs of an alcohol problem and take action can harm more than just the drinker.

6 Signs a Co-worker Could Be Abusing Drugs or Alcohol

No doubt, Lee missed other signs that Ron had an alcohol abuse problem simply because Ron had been a good employee in the past and the two were friends. But, how many serious or fatal workplace accidents could be prevented if supervisors or co-workers took immediate action to stop drunk or high employees from harming others?

The smell of alcohol or weed on an employee is just one of many signs that they could be impaired on the job. However, since methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine do not have distinct odors, it is always worth knowing these other cues that potentially signal substance addiction:

1. Taking long or numerous bathroom breaks. It’s easy to hide drugs or airplane-size alcohol bottles in uniform pockets or baggy pants. Unless someone is ill or has a medical condition that causes them to need extra bathroom breaks, that employee who is running in and out of the bathroom could be swigging alcohol, snorting cocaine, or shooting heroin.

2. Getting caught sleeping on the job. It’s normal for shift workers to inadvertently doze off for a few minutes while on break or lunch. However, day workers who are frequently found sleeping in areas where the boss isn’t likely to find them may be high on weed, heroin, or opioids.

3. Asking co-workers for loans “just until payday.” Many people with substance abuse problems learn how to be manipulative early in the course of an addiction. Co-workers with drug or alcohol abuse disorders may seem friendly and genuinely likable to others. They’ll “buddy up” to co-workers in order to ask them for loans. When soliciting money, an addict may claim their water is being shut off or that they have no gas to get to work, when they really are just buying drugs.

4. Offering strange excuses for physical signs of substance abuse. A supervisor might ask an employee they suspect of being high on the job why their eyes are so bloodshot. The answers given will often be more wild and implausible than they should be: “I was taking a shower and a whole bottle of shampoo fell off the shelf and into my eyes,” or “My girlfriend put on perfume this morning and it caused an allergic reaction.”

5. Not coming back from lunch on time/acting differently after lunch. When co-workers return from lunch late and appear to be in a different mood, they could be using drugs while at lunch. For example, if a co-worker frequently seems depressed and moody every morning but typically returns late from lunch in a euphoric, hyperactive mood, they might be using stimulants such as meth or cocaine.

6. An increase in workplace thefts. Anything that can be sold for money and in turn drugs is fair game for someone with a substance addiction. If your workplace suddenly develops a theft problem after the hiring of a new employee, it could be that the new person is stealing to fund an addiction. (This especially applies if they show other signs of drug or alcohol abuse.)

In addition to chronically bloodshot eyes, other physical signs of substance abuse may include rapid weight loss, neglect of personal hygiene (especially if the employee in question once practiced good hygiene), increased clumsiness, and visible shakiness of their hands and/or body that cannot be attributed to a medical problem.

How to Report Suspected Drug Abuse in the Workplace

Employees who are high or drunk on the job represent a direct safety threat to other employees and, in the retail and service industries, to customers. They can also compromise the future of the company (as in Lee’s situation) and potentially cause other employees to lose their jobs.

While it may be tempting to confront another employee directly about their substance addiction, especially if you are friends, this is generally not recommended. That employee may try to take advantage of the friendship and talk you out of reporting them to the manager. Also, because many addicts will not admit that they have a problem until they have hit “rock bottom” and are essentially forced into a treatment program, the conversation could result in an angry backlash.

Companies with drug- and alcohol-free policies recommend that employees first talk to their supervisor about their suspicions. Providing multiple, first-person accounts of why they believe a co-worker is using drugs on the job can also be helpful. The supervisor will likely have the employee meet with HR representatives to discuss the co-worker’s actions and behaviors.

The company may then order the employee to take a drug test at some point. The employee does have the right to refuse a drug test. But, if the company provides proof that the employee is abusing drugs while on the job, that employee risks losing their job. However, most companies offer treatment programs to employees with a substance addiction, along with time off to complete the program.

Employers covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allow eligible employees to take a leave of absence for medical and family reasons. Substance abuse falls under one of the categories listed by the FMLA as a qualifying reason for a leave of absence. If you see signs of an alcohol problem or drug abuse in someone you work with and need advice about how to help them, reach out to FHE Health at any time. Our counselors know how to help.