On the job drinking

A study of more than 9800 workers by Adelaide’s Flinders University found that nine per cent of people “usually” had a tipple at work, but just 5.6 per cent said they’d been “under the influence”.

“Because they don’t think they are at .05 or are drunk . . . they don’t think it’s influencing their performance,” says study author Dr Ken Pidd, deputy director of the university’s National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction.

The study also revealed that two per cent of workers admitted to being on drugs at work, while one per cent actually took drugs at work – painkillers being the most common. Pidd says middle-aged men in demanding roles were more likely to take painkillers, transport workers primarily used amphetamines, while people in the hospitality industry were more likely to use both drugs and alcohol on the job.