An ice epidemic is ravaging South Australia, with one in ten Adelaide residents using the drug every day, and 5,000 workers testing positive on the job.
The alarming statistics emerged from a report released by Business SA, which cited figures provided to them by SafeWork Laboratories.
Given the increasing number of ice users in South Australian workplaces, the report says it is essential that Australian businesses address the growing problem.
More than 270,000 Australians are under the influence of methamphetamine and at least 220,000 of these people are employed, according to a Business SA report (stock image)
According to the report, more than 270,000 Australians are under the influence of methamphetamine and at least 220,000 of those people are employed.
This means that roughly 81 per cent of this group come to work after taking the drug or are experiencing its hangover effects in the workplace.
A total of 2.2 per cent of workers tested positive in industries such as mining, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, construction, forestry, fishery, postal, warehousing, electricity, gas, water and waste services, the report adds.
The use of ice reached an all-time high in October 2017, where SafeWorks found in its wastewater testing that one in ten people in Adelaide, the state’s capital, took one dose of the drug every day.
SafeWorks has been compiling data on on workplace drug testing for the past three years – and the finds show that the national figure has also increased from 1.5 per cent to 1.9 per cent of workers testing positive in the same period of time.
SafeWorks toxicologist Andrew Leibie also said that the the numbers could be higher, given that many workplaces do not even require tests for drug use.
Business SA is now pushing for ways to increase awareness of the ice epidemic in the workplace, including finding ways to identify if someone is under the influence of the drug.
2.2 per cent of workers tested positive in industries such as mining, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, construction, forestry, fishery, postal, warehousing, electricity, gas, water and waste services (stock image)
Signs of ice usage include a racing heartbeat, chest pain, extreme agitation or clumsiness, confusion, breathing problems or uncontrolled jerking.
‘There is no safe or tolerable limit for methamphetamine from a toxicology perspective,’ Mr Leibie told Business SA. ‘If you had anyone who tested positive for methamphetamine, no matter how little, I would say they’re unfit for work’.
Workers are urged to contact the 24 Hour help line for Substance Abuse at 13 11 14.
Callers from South Australia are also encouraged to contact the Alcohol and Drug Information Services at 1300 13 1340, which includes confidential counselling.