It's not unusual for workers to let off steam and relax by tipping a few after a long day on the job, and it's more common among certain occupations.
According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA) statistics, about 8 percent of the U.S. workforce are heavy
drinkers, with significantly higher rates among construction workers
(17.6 percent); handlers, helpers and laborers (16 percent); machine
operators or inspectors (14 percent); and wait staff, bartenders and
food preparers (12 percent). Heavy alcohol use is defined as drinking
five or more drinks on five or more occasions during the past 30 days.

      Alcohol is the most widely abused drug among working adults, especially among full-time workers aged 18-25, of whom 38 percent are binge drinkers
(at least five drinks in a row for men, four for women).

      Whether on the job or after work, drinking among workers can threaten public safety, affect job performance, and result in costly medical and social
problems. For instance, each time an employee is involved in an impaired
driving crash or is arrested for driving under the influence, businesses
must absorb the costs of increased absenteeism, tardiness, reassigning
and retraining, and increased health care benefits.

      In 2001, 70 percent of Minnesota crash fatalities were blue-collar workers who were drinking and driving. Alarmed by this fact and the SAMHSA findings
of high alcohol abuse among blue-collar workers, Minnesota's Department
of Public Safety recently produced a training called "Last Call"
directed to blue-collar workers. Last Call, funded by a special National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grant, consists of a training
guide and a hard-hitting 18-minute video that shows how lives have been
impacted by impaired driving. It is for businesses, unions and other
organizations to educate employees about the consequences and alternatives
to driving drunk. Terry Wiederich, director of the Laborers-Employers
Cooperation and Education Trust (LECET) for Minnesota, said his organization
incorporates "Last Call" into the overall training they provide
for apprentice construction workers. LECET also educates workers about
job hazards and what they can do to prevent injuries.

      "I don't look at this [Last Call] any differently than talking about the importance of an annual physical or a smoking cessation program,"
said Weiderich. "It's about taking precautions so they won't miss
work or hurt themselves. It heightens awareness and makes impaired driving
less of a taboo subject." Wiederich said trainings can be supplemented
with testimonials from people who have suffered the consequences of
a DUI and are willing to share their experience. This offers Last Call
participants a real-life warning about the hazards of driving while
under the influence.

      It pays for businesses to have prevention, intervention and treatment information for their employees, because alcohol abuse affects an employer's bottom
line. In 1995, productivity losses attributed to alcohol were estimated
at $119 billion. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) usually train supervisors
on how to recognize substance abuse problems among their workforce and
how to refer employees to the EAP. The EAP, in turn, can provide confidential
assistance and link the worker to appropriate resources. The Center
for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) reports that Ramada Corporation
achieved a 50 percent reduction in absenteeism and 82 percent reduction
in accidents through its EAP substance abuse prevention program.

      Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent and address substance abuse problems and is reprinted with permission.
It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency that offers a wide range
of info and services on addiction.