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LATEST NEWS •
April 29, 2005
Sundays River Valley
Situated in the Eastern Cape, with a citrus industry as the driving force behind its economy this valley has 11 citrus packing operations boasting with the largest citrus packing and marketing operation of its kind in Southern Africa, namely the Sundays River Citrus Company.
One of the areas Doctors For Life International
(DFL) specialises in, is in the innovative health education in the
work environment. DFL has had an industrial HIV/AIDS program up
and running for the past few years. DFL wishes to incorporate and
integrate an industrial drug program with the HIV/AIDS program for
they are compatible and work hand-in-hand. DFL’s substance
abuse programme aims to increase the employee’s knowledge,
confidence and skills in tackling the issue of drugs and alcohol.
The abuse of drugs and alcohol is widespread in our society and
affects us in many ways. Alcohol and drug abuse can manifest as
a silent problem. Increases in the symptomatic consequences of the
problem like accidents, a negative impact on productivity and the
health of workers, high absenteeism, can lead to enormous losses.
Research shows that approximately 10% of the working population
suffer from alcohol dependency.
In South Africa, a conservative estimate of major psychosocial problems
like stress, substance abuse and violence amount to a staggering
R22 billion and this excludes the stress and violence interrelated
with the impact of HIV/AIDS. When we look to research, the possibility
that our problem could be bigger than that of other countries, becomes
a reality.
We must consider the following:
- Alcohol and Drugs
- Tobacco
- HIV/AIDS
- Stress – Many South Africans have great difficulty in adapting
to the changing face of South Africa and do not perceive the present
and the future in a positive light. Stress normally manifests itself
in the work environment as behaviour that does not attest to optimal
functioning.
- Workplace Violence – the level of physical and psychological
violence in the workplace is abnormally high. Workplace violence
in the health care sector of South Africa, covering a 12 month period,
revealed that 61% of all respondents experienced at least one incident
of physical and / or psychological violence in the workplace.
Every worker who is dependent on alcohol will cost a company an
extra quarter of their salary per year due to absenteeism, occupational
accidents and loss of productivity. In a recent research survey, it
was found that apart from alcohol, the most common primary substance
abuse was cannabis (dagga) 24%, heroin 7%, cocaine / crack 6% and
cannabis / mandrax 5%. The proportion of people with alcohol abuse
as their primary substance continues to decline with the proportion
of people with heroin and dagga as their primary substance abuse,
increases. The abuse of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medicines,
such as sleeping tablets, analgesics (codeine) and cough mixtures
continues to be a real issue even in the workplace environment.
DFL expresses to support victims and provide industry with solutions
because they fall victim to deviant employee behaviour. DFL offers
concrete solutions and addresses the problem on the policy level.
DFL aims at providing additional support and will not associate
with a company where the commitment is not endorsed by management
and all employees.
Whilst DFL will offer support to all target groups, it can never
take the place of a caring employer. An employer cannot cede its
responsibility to care, to a consultant. When an employer cares
enough to see these problems within the bigger picture and addresses
the psychosocial problems as a crucial health and safety issue –
then the employer commits himself to the well-being of the workforce.
The workplace is probably the only consistent area where we can
influence the attitudes of the employee’s about drugs and
alcohol, provide information and resources to help them and their
families. Drug and alcohol abuse is a bottom-line issue for employers
and no worker is immune to it.
DFL believes that South African employers have a unique opportunity
to help eliminate the negative consequences of drugs and alcohol
on society. The benefits of implementing a drug and alcohol-free
workplace program has both benefits for the employers and employees.
Employers
- Raising the profile of the issue throughout the workplace.
- Good public relations amongst employees, business colleagues
and the wider community.
- Staff being equipped to tackle drug and alcohol issues at home
and at work.
Employees
- Increased knowledge consequently reducing their anxiety around
drug and alcohol issues.
- Better equipped to approach drug and alcohol issues at home
and at work.
The truth is that companies are losing billions of rands by not tackling
the problem in an appropriate manner. To address these problems at
the corporate level, a comprehensive policy should be put in place.
Traditional approaches have neither addressed the policy requirements
nor action required in reducing the negative impact of drug and alcohol
abuse within the workplace. |
