Possible Drug/Alcohol Problem

LindaS

I was approached this AM by an EE regarding another EE. EE #1 came to me concerned about EE #2's possible drug/alcohol problem. I had reports in the past about EE #2 coming to work "pie eyed" and incurring injuries but not reporting them because we require a drug/alcohol test for any work-related injury. These reports have come weeks after the incident so there isn't anything I can do. We do have "reasonable suspicion" testing but not random.

EE #1 stated that she has seen him get injured and have blood on the machine, as well as himself but has not reported the injury (again, this happened long ago). She stated that he is a "compulsive liar" and feels that he is heading toward big trouble. EE #1 also expressed concern regarding his ability to complete his set-ups in a safe manner. In fact she stated that she will not go onto a machine that he has set-up without having another set-up person review it.

This is the same EE that I previously posted about regarding a non-work related injury. We know that this EE was recently convicted of DUI but is driving with open alcohol in his vehicle (this was stated to me by his supervisor after EE #2 went to the supervisor's home last night) as well as driving under the influence.

When I have approached EE #2 about supposed work-related injuries, he denied they happened here at work and, like I said, this is well after the accident.

Is there anything that I can do without exposing the company to privacy or other potential problems? As a company we try, whenever possible, to help our EEs but this has me a little baffled.

LivindonSouth

Is there anything that I can do without exposing the company to privacy or other potential problems?

I don't know of any 'privacy or other potential' issues you could have. As I mentioned in response to your other scenario, this has nothing to do with privacy issues. You're not asking for or releasing pmi.

WT

Employees with alcohol or drug problems are tough to deal with. Other employees do not want to inform on them to include the supervisors. I have been down this identical road before with both managers and fellow workers complaining that I did not do anything (yet long enough after the fact that it was impossible to do anything). Put the manager (and any complaining employees) on written notice that issues that might indicate being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while on duty must be reported THAT DAY. In my case, I believe the complainers were friends of the individual or afraid of him. They were covering themselves in case anything happened due to drug abuse but knew full well that I could not test days after the event. You may need to be pro-active and go and talk to this individual while on duty to look for signs of abuse. In my case, I ended up discharging the person but it was in spite of managers and fellow workers rather than with their help.

Crout

Grab him on a Tuesday morning after Monday night football and test him based on "reasonable suspicion."

HRLASS

We had the same problem and in the department, the culture for a long time had been "protect and defend" and transgressions were not reported until it was too late to do anything about it. Eventually the incidents became to frequent and started annoying some of the "protectors". Like WT, we informed them that incidents had to be reported promptly, and after we put a "watch" out, we were informed on a day when the employee not only showed up intoxicated (and failed the D/A test), but was also found drinking alcohol on the premises while he worked (I can't remember exactly, but in something like a soda can). He was finally terminated, and unfortunately died shortly thereafter of a related condition. He was a long term well-liked employee, but finally pushed his "protectors" too far. The scary part is that he was a walking company liability for far too long.