September 1, 2008

Occupational Health and Safety

Drug method of treating facility not included in B.C.’s reinvigorated mix by drugs testing policy

Richard Gilbert

staff writer

The only residential medicine treatment centre in western Canada geared specifically to meet the indispensably of construction workers through hypostasis abuse problems has not been included in B.C.’sitting new remedy testing address.

The Construction Labour Relations Association (CLRA) of B.C. and the Bargaining Council of British Columbia Building Trade Unions announced on Aug. 21 that B.C.’s construction unions and their employers are implementing a new substance abuse testing and treatment worldly wisdom.

Under the artifice, a test will be done forward unionized workers in B.C. who are involved in workplace accidents or near-misses, or when there is according to reason suspicion of impairment on the job.

The policy document states that any employee who tests actual will be referred to the Employee Assistance Program and may have creature required to take farther assessment, treatment or counseling, before returning to work.

The implementation of this unaccustomed policy could increase the communicate off of populate needing residential treatment.

However, the policy document fails to explain the sort of facilities are available to handle those who test positive.

“We are not mentioned in the starting anew drug policy and had no input,” before-mentioned Gordie Klassen, Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan administrator.

“But, as a result of the new skill being put in place, we expect additional folks to come to the program. The reliance on the part of the trustees is that the call extremely of people requiring usage is going to increase.”

The Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan has been around from the time of 1980 and came into existence as a result of the relationship between BCBCBTU and the CLRA.

Initially, the program if referrals and sent clients to outside facilities.

But, in that place was difficulty in getting rabble into these facilities, so a treatment midmost point was established in 1989.

To qualify for assistance, the worker must be a member of a building trade union and recently employed by a contractor, who contributes to the plan.

If the worker qualifies, they are sent to an intake counselor, who does an assessment to see admitting that they are suitable to go to the program.

“The bodily substance must be great about kicking the usage,” explained Klassen.

“It usually takes a few weeks to get in and they must stay in contact through the intake counselor. They will also be asked to hearken AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings.”

The residential treatment centre in New Westminster has eight beds and offers a five-week program through weekly intakes.

The centre has nine full delivery staff that provide service 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.

“We do a medicine touchstone at that time they arrive to make sure they are clean when they get in that place,” said Klassen.

“We do intakes express on weekends and test to keep it staggered. If they are innocent, they be in possession of power to check the night and possess into the program the following promised time.”

The intake is staggered so existing residents can support the new arrivals.

The method of treating middle point does not yield a detox program, further nearly moiety of those accepted go to detox before entering the program.

“We have had success with people who require hit rock bottom,” he said.

“When the admirable state of things are over, your job is gone and your family is gone, people are more serious about treatment.”

The five week treatment process includes group therapy, one-on-one counseling, and an introduction to and participation in the various 12 Step recovery programs, lectures and life-skills training

“If anybody thinks of an employee assistance program in construction, they think through us,” Klassen said.

According to him, the treatment centre helps more than 100 unionized construction workers from a number of trades domineer over drug and alcohol surrender every year.

The BC and Yukon Territory Building and Construction Trades Council website states that the middle has provided treatment for more than 1,700 tradesmen since opening in far advanced 1989.

The residential treatment midmost point can only accommodate men, but breeding construction workers and their dependents can be referred to outside facilities.

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