News Photo by Reagan Voetberg
Attorney Lou Rabaut, right, demonstrates the use of a pair of goggles from Michigan State Police Alpena Post Community Service Trooper Jason Kunath, left, that make the wearer experience what it feels like to be drunk.
ALPENA — Safety on the job is of utmost importance, and when employees come to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol, that safety is put at risk.
The Center for Competency Development and the Economic Generator Network hosted two training sessions on Wednesday for community members on handling the impact of drugs and alcohol in the workplace. The sessions took place in the Fitzpatrick Lecture Hall at Alpena Community College.
Attorney Lou Rabaut has practiced employment law for over 40 years and spoke about how to address issues of substance abuse in the workplace.
There are typically five reasons an employee might have to undergo a drug test. The first is a pre-employment drug test, where a newly hired employee has to pass a drug test before officially starting.
A “for cause” test is administered when an employer or team lead has made an observation that an employee is under the influence, Leslie Davis from Employment Services Inc. said.
Some employees have to undergo U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) testing if they drive for their company or need to use a company vehicle for company purposes.
Some companies administer random tests, where they have a procedure in place to test employees at random.
Finally, there are post accident tests where one or multiple parties involved in a workplace accident are tested.
In the event that an employee needs to be drug/alcohol tested, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. At many companies, if an employee refuses to take a drug test, they will be terminated, and their employer should let them know that in the moment.
If an employee starts to become violent while being confronted about substance use, retreating from the situation is the best action. Rabaut reminded the audience that they have a right to self defense but they do not have a right to provocation. Employers and team leads should not have physical contact with the employee.
There are multiple ways that someone might try to skew the results of a drug test. Employers should not let an employee that they believe may be under the influence out of their sight. They should make sure that they do not use the restroom or retrieve anything from a locker or lunch bag. Additionally, an employer or team lead should always be the one to drive the employee to a drug testing clinic.
Employers should not allow employees who have failed alcohol or drug tests to drive themselves home.
If an employee is fired for failing a drug/alcohol test, other employees cannot be told the reason since drug/alcohol tests are private medical information.
Davis listed some of the more common substances she’s seen being used. She said she’s seen an increase in hard drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine. She’s also seen people using hemp-based over the counter products, like hand lotion. Some of these products have THC in them that can be detected in a drug test.
Michigan State Police Alpena Post Community Service Trooper Jason Kunath spoke more in depth about the signs that someone may be under the influence of various drugs as well as alcohol.
He highlighted alcohol and methamphetamine, since those are the two substances that employers are likely to see in Northeast Michigan.
Alcohol influence can be detected easily when someone exhibits nystagmus, which means an involuntary jerking of the eyes. An employer can test if someone has nystagmus by holding their finger up and asking the person to follow it with their eyes.
Methamphetamine is a stimulant, meaning that it gives someone more energy. Methamphetamine can cause someone to stay up for three or four days at a time. Some signs of use include hyper alertness, euphoria, restlessness, and talkativeness, as well as paranoid behavior, anxiety, and loss of appetite. People struggling with abuse of methamphetamine can also develop sores on their skin and tooth decay.
Kunath also discussed the availability of Narcan and how it is helping save people who have overdosed on opioids. He advised those in attendance to keep Narcan in first aid kits in case of an emergency.
Approximately 10% of full-time employees and 12% of part-time employees have a substance use disorder, Rabaut said, and the industries with the most employees percentage wise with substance use disorders are construction and food service.
Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.
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