Drug Free Workplace
Key to Safety

Bay Medical Offers Programs to Employers

November 4, 2002
By: Dave Rogers

Dr. Garry Bundy and Carrie Lyons, of Bay Regional Medical Center's Occupational Health Service, are stressing the need for drug free workplace programs.

About 40 percent of deaths in the workplace are alcohol and drug related, said Dr. Bundy.Now about 98 percent of the Fortune 500 companies are using drug free workplace training. Ten years ago the figure was 18 percent.



The need for these programs is illustrated by the fact that at General Motors health care costs more than the steel for cars.

Bay Regional Medical Center serves 80 workplaces with programs funded by a $500,000 grant from the Small Business Administration, he said. Drug free workplace programs are free to companies. These programs include policydevelopment, supervisor training, drug and alcohol testing, employee/parenting education and employee assistance programs.

About three-quarters of drug involved people are working, he said, and medical benefits for drug users cost 300 percentmore than normal. Goals of the drug free workplace programs include decreased injuries, reduced healthcare costs and increased productivity.

Contact Dr. Bundy at 895-4603 if your company needs drug free workplace training.