We may all enjoy the silly season, but indulging in certain festive spirits is a practice best kept away from the shop floor, The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA) warns.
TDDA’s new Imperans Report aims to provide Australasian employers with an analysis of drug and alcohol usage among employees. Employers will then be better placed to engage in proactive workplace risk management.
Delivering more than 250,000 drug tests per year in New Zealand and Australia, TDDA screens for a wide range of substances. Tests undertaken between July 1 and September 30 saw 4.55 per cent return positive results.
It may have been prevalent long before the swinging sixties, but THC remains the most popular drug choice for Kiwi workers, accounting for 72.9% of cases, closely followed by amphetamine-type substances (34.2%). Opiates (12.9%), benzodiazepines (4.9%) and cocaine (1.7%) also made the list ahead of alcohol, which rated a mere 0.19%. In light of these results, TDDA suggests employers should remind employees about policies relating to prescription painkillers.
Kiwi businesses must stay vigilant and adapt strategies for the sake of their businesses and the wellbeing of their workers, TDDA’s Glenn Dobson asserts.
“Businesses should be cognisant of the prevailing drug testing trends and the potential impact on employee safety, workplace productivity and company reputation,” he said.
“Substances such as cannabis and methamphetamine can significantly affect workplace safety [as] symptoms may include impaired judgement, decreased coordination, and delayed reaction times. Anyone using these substances should not be operating vehicles or heavy machinery.”
TDDA also recommends businesses train key personnel to recognise signs of substance misuse in order to ensure a safe and productive workplace.
