Employers Encouraged to Recognize April as Alcohol Awareness Month

Workplace alcohol use and impairment affect an estimated 15 percent of the U.S. workforce, or 19.2 million workers, according to the result of a recent study by the University at Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions. 

Clearly, these individuals’ behavior is of concern to the nation’s workplaces.  Alcohol use can significantly impair a worker’s judgment and coordination, leading to an increased risk of on-the-job accidents and injuries.  It can also lead to lower levels of productivity and employee morale—not only that of those with alcohol problems, but also those working alongside them. 

As National Alcohol Awareness Month, April represents an opportune time for employers to take steps to educate employees about the problems associated with alcohol use—both on and off the job.  There are several ways employers can participate.  They can:

• Participate in National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD) on April 6, 2006.  This annual event, conducted by businesses, local organizations and facilities, provides information about alcohol’s effects on health as well as free, anonymous screening for alcohol-use disorders.  For registration and fee information, visit www.NationalAlcoholScreeningDay.org , call (781) 239-0071 or e-mail smhinfo@mentalhealthscreening.org.

• Inform employees about anonymous online screening tools.  Examples include AlcoholScreening.org, available through Join Together, a program of Boston University’s School of Public Health, and resources on GetFit.SAMHSA.gov , a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Web site.  Such tools allow individuals to privately learn how alcohol may be affecting the way they work and live.  No logins or passwords are required.

• Disseminate educational materials to employees.  A variety of brochures, posters and fact sheets on alcohol-related issues are available through the National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information .  The aforementioned AlcoholScreening.org Web site also provides free print ads and door hangers that employers can use to promote awareness of this issue among their workforce.

Employers interested in learning more about the impact alcohol has on the workplace and steps they can take to minimize the risks of worker alcohol use may also want to visit the following Web sites:

• Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, a program of The George Washington University Medical Center that provides research-based information on effective alcohol treatment and the barriers many people face when they seek help for a drinking problem.

• Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace, a U.S. Department of Labor initiative that helps employers create drug-free workplace programs that educate about the dangers of alcohol and encourage individuals with alcohol problems to seek help.