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Note: The following statistics should not be attributed to the U.S. Department of Labor, but rather their respective
footnoted sources listed at the bottom of the page.
Many service employers wrongly believe that substance abuse is a
problem only in industries that have "safety-sensitive"
positions-jobs requiring the operation of vehicles, machinery and
tools. However, the general services industry pays a high price for
substance abuse. It is the nation's largest employer of people in
"security-sensitive positions"-jobs through which employees
have access to financial records, maintain confidential information
or are privy to a company's ideas or product plans. Mistakes made
by employees impaired due to abuse of alcohol or other drugs have
far-reaching consequences. In order to ensure the security and success
of their enterprises, America's service employers must have workplaces
that are alcohol and drug free.
A Federal government survey revealed that rates of substance use
among employees in a range of general services fields are as follows:1
| |
| Service Category |
Current Illicit Drug Use (%) |
Past Year Illicit Drug Use (%) |
Current Heavy Alcohol Use (%) |
Business and Repair Services |
11.1 |
19.8 |
9.7 |
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate |
5.4 |
14.6 |
4.5 |
Personal Services |
10.3 |
19.3 |
5.8 |
Professional and Related Services |
4.2 |
11.05 |
3.1 |
Public Administration |
3.7 |
8.8 |
7.2 |
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The good news is that more and more general services industry employers,
ranging from large international corporations to small locally owned
businesses, are implementing drug-free workplace programs to ensure
productive workforces and safe workplaces — company features that ultimately result in increased profitability and success.
Endnotes:
1 US Department of Health and Human Services Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (1996). Drug Use
among US Workers: Prevalence and Trends by Occupation and Industry
Categories. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services.
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