Timber iQ February - March 2018 // Issue: 36 | Page 50

FEATURES
Continued from page 46
Unfortunately, workplace substance abuse occurs more often
than reported.
Responsible behaviour can be
taught to employers and employees
through open communication.
48 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018 //
‘Employees affected by alcohol, drugs and other
potentially harmful substances in the workplace
are a risk to themselves and to others around them.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO)
estimates that 15% of all fatal workplace accidents
and 25% of all workplace accidents are drug
related,’ states the report.
Social, economic and psychological aspects are
mainly the reasons that lead to workers being
inebriated at work. The ILO found that majority of
workers in the construction sector are aged
between 15 and 45, live in single sex quarters and
migrate to their place of work.
‘These employees are often susceptible to risk-
taking behaviours when they work away from
home,’ says a report, The Impact of Substance Abuse
in Construction: Examples from Bloemfontein, South
Africa, by Makalo Ntili, Fidelis Emuze and Thabiso
Monyane from the Central University of Technology
in Free State.
The report identifies many reasons that are
divided into two categories – these are work-
related and social / personal reasons. Work related
reasons are cited as the nature and extent of tough
physical or dangerous conditions is frequently
suggested as a cause for using alcohol. Very high
requirements at work, demanding working rhythms
and heavy workloads are other reasons cited. Social
or personal reasons can range from grief, family
and relationship problems, interpersonal conflict,
health concerns, gambling, financial problems, loss
of control and lack of participation in any decision-
making process, harassment, bullying or
victimisation, long and / or irregular working hours,
tight deadlines and unrealistic performance
targets, high risk of personal injury or illness at
work, discrimination or prejudice, corporate
entertaining, poor job design or hazardous work
processes and history of substance abuse. Their
research shows how substance abuse is prevalent
in the lower order of personnel. ‘This poses greater
risk on the actual asset being constructed and to all
the employees present on the particular site,’ says
the report.
In some instances, workers don’t necessarily
drink at work but may arrive hungover or drunk due
to going out the previous night before clocking in
for work.
“In some industries, workers work long hours
– 24-hour shifts – and at times you find that alcohol
is still in their system,” says Rhys Evans, director at
Alco-Safe.
A thesis conducted by assistant project manager
at Mace, Sean Bos, details how there is a high
prevalence of substance abuse among construction
Strict rules by the employees need to be implemented to have significant
control over incidences.