Impairment is a big problem in the construction industry

Hiring a contractor means putting your trust in someone. In many cases, this is only done after you vet the candidates for the job. Many Floridians have construction projects completed without any issues. Others might not be so lucky and may have issues during a project or even after its completion.

Even with good research done, there are some issues that you just can’t predict. One of these occurs when a worker is under the influence of drugs while on the job. Impaired workers can have difficulties consistently delivering qualify work. Hungover, intoxicated or strung-out employees can’t make good decisions and might end up doing haphazard jobs. There is also the chance that they will cause accidents that lead to litigation and injury claims.

Both drugs and alcohol abuse are problems in the construction industry. Some workers drink heavily the night before and show up to work still drunk. Others may need a couple of beers or a joint on the ride in to start their shifts.

To illustrate the scope of the problem, it’s estimated that almost 17 percent of full-time construction workers admit to drinking heavily within a month prior to being surveyed. This figure doesn’t include those workers doing illegal drugs.

One problem that plagues the industry is that terminating impaired workers doesn’t address their underlying addiction issues. Eventually, they wash up at other companies and without treatment, these workers are hazards on any job site. Clients who are paying for the work and who discover evidence of a lax job due to worker impairment may be forced to take file a claim for damages. After all, there is no reason to spend good money on shoddily-done projects.