Western Railroad Discussion > Have one for the road...

Study: Seven percent drink on the job
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A study indicates that just over 7 percent of American workers drink during the workday -- mostly at lunch -- and even more, 9 percent, have nursed a hangover in the workplace, according to this Associated Press report by Carolyn Thompson.
Young, single men are tied most often to workplace-related drinking, especially managers, salespeople, restaurant workers and those in the media, according to the findings by the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions.

The results, culled from telephone interviews with 2,805 employed adults from January 2002 to June 2003, appear in the current issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol.

Principal investigator Michael Frone said the national study was meant to help managers develop workplace policy on alcohol use and to open the door to exploring the causes and effects of workplace alcohol use.

"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 work force," said Frone, research associate professor in the university's Psychology Department.

"It slows down your reaction time, it impairs your decision-making," said Elena Carr, who coordinates a U.S. Labor Department program to combat workplace alcohol and drug use.

"In close to 19 percent of on-the-job fatalities, the person who dies tests positive for either alcohol or drugs or both," Carr said, noting toxicology tests are not required for every incident.

In the study, employees around the country were asked about workplace alcohol use during the previous 12 months. The sample was designed to reflect the demographics of the U.S. work force from ages 18 to 65, the researchers said. Participants were promised confidentiality.

Seven percent said they had drunk alcohol at least once during a workday. Lunch was the preferred time to drink, according to the study, which was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Overall, 15 percent of respondents reported being directly affected by alcohol at work -- either by drinking on the job or shortly before heading to work or working with a hangover. Nearly one in five workers, 19 percent, made it a monthly habit and 11 percent reported weekly use or impairment.

The NIAAA estimates nearly 14 million people in the United States abuse alcohol or are alcoholics.

(The preceding Associated Press report by Carolyn Thompson was filed on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006.)

Now i know there isnt a rail (or anyone else) out there that can relate to this !

Waaaaatz wong wifff a witttle Alkeehol on duh jaab maaan?
The previous statement does not necessarily reflect the views of the poster.

LAYOFF Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Study: Seven percent drink on the job
> BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A study indicates that just over
> 7 percent of American workers drink during the
> workday -- mostly at lunch -- and even more, 9
> percent, have nursed a hangover in the workplace,
> according to this Associated Press report by
> Carolyn Thompson.
> Young, single men are tied most often to
> workplace-related drinking, especially managers,
> salespeople, restaurant workers and those in the
> media, according to the findings by the University
> at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions.
>
> The results, culled from telephone interviews with
> 2,805 employed adults from January 2002 to June
> 2003, appear in the current issue of the Journal
> of Studies on Alcohol.
>
> Principal investigator Michael Frone said the
> national study was meant to help managers develop
> workplace policy on alcohol use and to open the
> door to exploring the causes and effects of
> workplace alcohol use.
>
> "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
> work force," said Frone, research associate
> professor in the university's Psychology
> Department.
>
> "It slows down your reaction time, it impairs your
> decision-making," said Elena Carr, who coordinates
> a U.S. Labor Department program to combat
> workplace alcohol and drug use.
>
> "In close to 19 percent of on-the-job fatalities,
> the person who dies tests positive for either
> alcohol or drugs or both," Carr said, noting
> toxicology tests are not required for every
> incident.
>
> In the study, employees around the country were
> asked about workplace alcohol use during the
> previous 12 months. The sample was designed to
> reflect the demographics of the U.S. work force
> from ages 18 to 65, the researchers said.
> Participants were promised confidentiality.
>
> Seven percent said they had drunk alcohol at least
> once during a workday. Lunch was the preferred
> time to drink, according to the study, which was
> funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
> and Alcoholism.
>
> Overall, 15 percent of respondents reported being
> directly affected by alcohol at work -- either by
> drinking on the job or shortly before heading to
> work or working with a hangover. Nearly one in
> five workers, 19 percent, made it a monthly habit
> and 11 percent reported weekly use or impairment.
>
>
> The NIAAA estimates nearly 14 million people in
> the United States abuse alcohol or are alcoholics.
>
>
> (The preceding Associated Press report by Carolyn
> Thompson was filed on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006.)
>
> Now i know there isnt a rail (or anyone else) out
> there that can relate to this !



I hope this doesnt reflect railroads, I kind of doubt it does. However I'd turn in a co-worker that had been drinking in a HEARTBEAT! Anyone who would not do the same apparantly cares little about themself, or their co-workers safety.

CTCFailure Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LAYOFF Wrote:
> >
> I hope this doesnt reflect railroads, I kind of
> doubt it does. However I'd turn in a co-worker
> that had been drinking in a HEARTBEAT! Anyone who
> would not do the same apparantly cares little
> about themself, or their co-workers safety.


It reflects the working world, whether it be railroads or canneries or hospitals or Macy's or etc.etc. There is a percentage of workers who are addicted to booze, drugs etc. in any and all industries--railroads are not immune. And in many industries workers such as yourself
want to "turn in" the offending co-worker. But it just isn't that simple, because as right as you may be, the company wants to make damn sure that you are right and therefore, you have to be cleared on your own life to make sure etc . This is a very complex issue.
C.