ALCOHOL AND DRUG  STATISTICS

Chris E. Marsh, M.Ed.

Workers using drugs or abusing alcohol file 38-50% of all workers’ compensation claims, report to work late 3 times more often than nonusers.  In companies that offer benefits to employees, such as health insurance, these users consume 3 times more benefits than abstainers or very minor alcohol users.  This group of employees statistically misses work completely than non-problem users and are 3.5 times more likely to be involved in an accident.

As employers are well aware of, accidents are expensive.  Especially if they happen on the job.  The major result is an increase in your worker’s compensation premium.  As the cost of medical expense, death, or disability go up to the insurance company, so will your premium.  In fact, it may go so high that you cannot pay or either become uninsurable for worker’s compensation.  As a side note, OSHA even checks modifier (“mod”) rates in most industries and professions in the United Continue reading →