Effectiveness and benefit-cost of peer-based workplace substance abuse prevention coupled with random testing

Few studies have evaluated the impact of workplace substance abuse prevention programs on occupational injury, despite this being a justification for these programs. This paper estimates the effectiveness and benefit-cost ratio of a peer-based substance abuse prevention program at a U.S. transportation company, implemented in phases from 1988 to 1990. The program focuses on changing workplace attitudes toward on-the-job substance use in addition to training workers to recognize and intervene with coworkers who have a problem. The program was strengthened by federally mandated random drug and alcohol testing (implemented, respectively, in 1990 and 1994). With time-series analysis, we analyzed the association of monthly injury rates and costs with phased program implementation, controlling for industry injury trend. The combination of the peer-based program and testing was associated with an approximate one-third reduction in injury rate, avoiding an estimated $48 million in employer costs in 1999. That year, the peer-based program cost the company $35 and testing cost another $35 per employee. The program avoided an estimated $1850 in employer injury costs per employee in 1999, corresponding to a benefit-cost ratio of 26:1. The findings suggest that peer-based programs buttressed by random testing can be cost-effective in the workplace.

• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V5S-4MFCW5B-1/2/7d9ba2eff525c8c81bf9cd578f3cdf7e
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00014575
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission from Elsevier
• Authors:
  • Miller, Ted R
  • Zaloshnja, Eduard
  • Spicer, Rebecca S
• Publication Date: 2007-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 565-573
• Serial:
  • Accident Analysis & Prevention
  • Volume: 39
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0001-4575
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00014575

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohol abuse; Alcohol tests; Benefit cost analysis; Cost effectiveness; Drug abuse; Drug tests; Employee relations; Industrial accidents; Injury rates; Occupational safety; Peer groups; Time series analysis; Workplaces
• Uncontrolled Terms: Random testing
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I10: Economics and Administration; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01051776
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 6 2007 12:48PM