Alcohol robs Australian businesses three million days

According to the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA), 3 million working days a year are lost through alcohol and drugs, at a cost of over $500 million to Australian businesses each year.

"Research has shown that absenteeism resulting from hangovers or alcohol- and drug-related injuries costs Australian businesses more than $500 million every year," ADCA chief executive officer Donna Bull said.

"Although many people are concerned about illicit drug use in the workplace, alcohol is actually the bigger issue. A third of the Australian workforce regularly drinks at risky levels and one in every 16 works under the influence of alcohol."

Bull said the statistics, from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's "2006 Alcohol and Work' report, revealed how extensive the problem really is: "We know that alcohol and drug use pose considerable risks, including loss of productivity and occupational health and safety issues. It goes without saying that more needs to be done to address the problem."