Alcohol in the Workplace

Alex Olson April 2013 Alcohol in the Workplace Its not a question whether alcohol has been a part of society. However, the question of how alcohol is affecting society is of concern. According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 16,000 people died in 2010 due to alcohol induced liver disease and over 25,000 deaths occurred with alcohol being a factor. The topic of alcohol is not ignored, but people are still influenced to participate despite the known risks. Alcohol is a part of many different aspects in our daily lives, but this paper is going to mainly focus on what role it plays in relation to the workplace. In the research-based book, Alcohol at Work, the authors explain the presence and use of alcohol in the European Union and voyages through different topics relating to dealing with alcohol abuse in the workplace. Topics from the book that will be analyzed are the following: the problem with alcohol, alcohol policies in the workplace, and workplace testing. 1. The Problem with Alcohol Book Summary: Alcohol both directly and indirectly affects communities and the workplace. Different cultures, regions, and people consume different amounts of alcohol for different reasons. This book specifically studied the amount of alcohol consumption in the European Union and distinguished relationships between alcohol-related indicators like liver cirrhosis, accidents and murder, suicide, coronary heart disease. According to the book, about 4.2% of males and 2.1% of females die from alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis and, as expected, there is a clear link between

drink-driving and automobile accidents. In addition, there are correlations between alcohol and the amount of absenteeism, accidents in the workplace, and financial costs. For example, alcohol limits a person’s ability to function normally when on the job. The book references North American agricultural accidents and the positive correlation with it being induced by alcohol. Even though there are

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