Capital Equipment News July 2015

THE BENEFITS OF ALCOHOL TESTING IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR – for employers and their employees

By Rhys Evans, Director of ALCO-Safe

T he trucking and transportation sec- tor is vital to the economic wellbeing of South Africa, ensuring the flow of goods between provinces for both local consumption and export. However, it is also an industry that sees prevalent use of alcohol and drugs among truck drivers. A comprehensive substance abuse program, which includes on-going random testing and importantly an educational component for employees, is essential in reducing the dangers associated with substance abuse on the roads. The benefits of such a pro- gram lie not only in their ability to reduce risk and liability for employers, but also in improving the lives of their employees. By reducing substance abuse, drivers can become healthier, more alert and more re- sponsible, cause fewer accidents, be more

motivated and productive – and educating drivers as to these benefits can greatly im- prove employee response to alcohol and drug testing policies. Truck drivers, particularly those who are involved in long-haul transport, face long, lonely hours on the road, often spending days at a time in their truck and sleeping on the side of the road or at truck stops. They are frequently away from their families and must stay awake and alert at all times while driving. This increasingly leads to the use of alcohol and/or drugs as a coping mech- anism. The difficulty here is that substance abuse of any type can severely impair a person’s ability to properly operate equip- ment and vehicles. Alcohol is one of the primary culprits, but drug use, particularly

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