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Almost 20,000 Australians in high-risk jobs are turning up to work under the influence of methamphetamines, according to a new report from South Australia's peak business lobby.
Key points:
- Research finds that more than 18,500 people turn up to work on methamphetamine
- Ice is the most consumed illicit drug nationally, according to wastewater testing
- In October 2017, testing showed the equivalent of one in ten people in Adelaide took one dose of the drug each day
Business SA said the research carried out by testing firm SafeWork Laboratories focused on workers in occupations involving "safety sensitive" machinery, such as mining, manufacturing, utilities, construction and transport.
It found that about 2.2 per cent of South Australian workers in those industries were "either under the influence of ice or suffering its hangover effects" on any given day.
"That means that today there's 5,000 people working in a safety-sensitive industry who have tested positive; tomorrow it might be another 5,000 separate people," SafeWork Laboratories forensic toxicologist Andrew Leibie said.
"That doesn't include people working in bars and clubs because they're not in safety-sensitive industries.
"But if they're driving to work or driving their kids to school, they're still putting themselves, other drivers or their children at risk."
According to the discussion paper, the number of workers testing positive to ice across the country increased from 1.5 per cent in 2016 to 1.9 per cent in 2017.
That equated to at least 18,500 people nationally turning up to work each day under the influence of methamphetamines, Mr Leibie said.
He said that figure was likely higher because many workforces did not test for drugs because they did not want to be forced to find replacements at short notice.
The report also found that more than 270,000 Australians currently use methamphetamines — 81 percent of them, roughly 220,000 people, are employed.
'I lost my health, I lost my job, I couldn't pay bills'
Adelaide man Michael Alder is a reformed ice addict who used the drug while working in a management role.
He said he first tried cocaine almost 15 years ago in London and he tried ice for the first time when he returned to Australia in 2004.
He only used ice for a short period and didn't go back to it until 2013 following a relationship breakdown.
His drug use got to a point where he was using an ice pipe in the toilet during breaks at work in an attempt to stay awake.
Mr Alder said there were signs to look for in users of ice at work, including erratic behaviour, unexplained high energy, an inability to concentrate, dilated pupils or paranoia.
He said as his use got worse, he couldn't work effectively and he had to take extended sick leave following a brain injury which neurosurgeons said may have been caused by his drug use.
"I lost my health, I lost my job, I couldn't pay bills," he said.
"My weight ballooned, sleep apnoea kicked in, I wasn't feeling good and [I was] self-medicating."
Mr Alder has been clean for almost a year, largely thanks to his mother who pushed him to see addiction specialists and then stay at the Adelaide Clinic.
He now attends a Narcotics Anonymous session each night and heads the Adelaide team for the Australian Anti Ice Campaign.
He has also returned to part-time work in aged care and has a re-registration application before the Australian Health Practitioners Authority, where strict drug-testing policies apply.
The most consumed illicit drug nationally
Ice is the most consumed illicit drug nationally, according to wastewater testing by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
It found that 8,387 kilograms of ice was consumed annually, compared to 3,075 kg of cocaine, 1,280 kg of MDMA and 765 kg of heroin.
It had a social cost of more than $5 billion in 2013-14 alone.
At its peak in October 2017, wastewater testing showed the equivalent of one in ten people in Adelaide took one dose of the drug each day.
Testing undertaken by SA Water and analysed by the University of South Australia for the ACIC report found that methamphetamine consumption levels had increased from 2012 to 2018.
Wastewater testing also detected levels of cocaine, MDMA, opioids such as morphine and heroin, along with cannabis, nicotine, tobacco and alcohol.
The report also estimated that methamphetamine use in 2013-14 accounted for workplace accidents and absenteeism, costing $289 million nationally.
What can an employer do about it?
Opinions are divided on random drug testing in the workplace, which is often viewed as an intrusion of privacy.
Business SA senior policy advisor Estha van der Linden stated in the report that while zero tolerance was appropriate in some workplaces, it would not suit all environments.
The report found that if a workplace didn't have a drug and alcohol policy in place, the Fair Work Act had steps to help guide businesses:
- Step 1: Evidence — Ensure you have evidence
- Step 2: Remove — If you suspect a person is under the influence of ice, you should remove them from the workplace immediately
- Step 3: Testing — An employee has the right to refuse a drug test
- Step 4: Interview — If you suspect misconduct, you must put the matter to the employee
- Step 5: Decision — Best practice for procedural fairness ensures an employer will consider the employee's response
Testing led to an improved reputation
Testing also showed a greater use of ice and other substances in regional areas, increasing significantly from a decade ago.
The report used wine industry company Pinnacle Drinks as an example of a business which has implemented a policy to combat suspected drug use.
It has more than 350 employees over its four sites in the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale.
Pinnacle Drinks Human Resources Operations Manager, Patrick Manning said senior staff had concerns with illicit drugs but it didn't have a policy in place to take action.
He said without having a policy in place it was very challenging to deal with the concerns, unless a serious incident occurred and testing could be enacted under WHS legislation.
"In regional communities everybody knows everybody and it's not hard to get a feel for where the risk may exist," he said.
It took the company 14 months to introduce a policy which included random testing, post-incident testing and casual testing.
Once the policy was put in place, Mr Manning said it allowed the company to improve its reputation.
"We strongly suspected that there was a sub-culture of illicit drug use particularly in operations areas. We had four or five incidents and when we tested our suspicions were confirmed," he said.
"We're promoting health and wellbeing, fitness for work, but there is also an element of contributing to the wellbeing of the community and providing education.
"We're not being judgemental on peoples' lifestyle, it's all about fitness for work and ensuring we provide a safe working environment."
Topics: community-and-society, drugs-and-substance-abuse, drug-use, workplace, accidents, work, adelaide-5000, sa, australia
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