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Drinking Alcohol
while on the Job – Survey Results
January 9th,
2006
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A report by the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions
(RIA) was published in the current issue of the Journal of Studies on
Alcohol says that 15 percent of the US employees have been either
intoxicated with alcohol or affected by alcohol while on the job. That
is roughly 19.2 million workers.
The study was funded by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism. The researchers conducted telephone surveys of 2,805
employed adults in the 48 contiguous states including Washington D.C.
The demographics were adjusted to survey a wide selection of professions
of adults ranging in age from 18 years old all the way up to 65 years
old.
The telephone survey took place from January 2002 through June of 2003.
The survey included questions about how often they drank alcohol within
two hours before reporting to work. They also asked if they drank while
on the job, whether they worked while they were intoxicated, or if they
worked with a hangover.
Michael R. Frone, PhD who is an associate professor from the Department
of Psychology in the University at Buffalo’s College of Arts and
Sciences, and principal researcher working on this study believes that
2.3 million workers (1.8 percent of the workforce) have had at least at
one time drunk alcohol before attending work. He also says that
approximately 8.9 million (7.1 percent of the workforce) have consumed
alcohol during work time at lease once. Most of the alcohol is consumed
while on lunch breaks, but some workers are drinking during work and on
other breaks.
Frone also believes that approximately 2.1 million employees have been
intoxicated while working on the job, which is about 1.7 percent of the
workforce. He also believes that a large amount of workers,
approximately 11.6 million employees (9.2 percent of the workforce) have
worked with a hangover.
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism does not occur as often. The majority, 71
percent surveyed said that drank alcohol before work less than once a
month, 25 percent surveyed said only once a month. For the workers that
drunk alcohol during the workday; 14 percent did so weekly, 24 percent
drank monthly, and 64 percent consumed alcohol less than once a month.
Men were more likely to consume alcohol during the work day and were
more likely to be intoxicated than women. Working with a hangover
was seen more in young adults compared to older workers. Unmarried
employees were more likely to suffer hangovers at work compared to married
workers.
Occupations that suffered more alcohol use and intoxication were
management, sales, arts based, entertainment related, sports related,
and media, food preparation, food service, building and
grounds maintenance.
Employees with irregular hours, evening shift and night shift and
varying hours were more likely to drink before their work day as well as
being more likely to drink alcohol while working and be intoxicated
during their shift.
"Of all psychoactive substances with the potential to impair cognitive
and behavioral performance, alcohol is the most widely used and misused
substance in the general population and in the workforce," Frone
reported. "The misuse of alcohol by employed adults is an important
social policy issue with the potential to undermine employee
productivity and safety."
This research paper will help employers and others to further understand
work habits and how alcohol influences job performance.
By
Nicole Wilson
Best Syndication Staff Writer
Keywords and misspellings: Employe manigemant
maniger alcholism alchohol surveyed while at work statistics stitistics
empoyee workers
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