Alcohol Testing in the Workplace

The chapter will discuss efforts to prevent alcohol-related problems in the workplace. Testing of workers and job applicants for alcohol has been adopted as a tool for the recognition and reduction of alcohol-related problems in the workplace. The chapter describes how approximately 125 million Americans aged 12 or older reported being current users of alcohol in 2006; and approximately 57 million participated in binge drinking and approximately 17 million reported being heavy drinkers. The total direct and indirect economic costs of alcohol abuse were estimated at $184 billion for 1998. Problems of such magnitude clearly affect the workplace.