Feds to Probe Substance Abuse Among MinersWhat's to study? Show up to work high or stoned, get fired. Simple enough.
PIKEVILLE, Ky. - Responding to complaints from mine operators, federal regulators said Wednesday they would study the extent to which miners are showing up for work high on alcohol and drugs.
Public hearings were scheduled in seven states "to get a better handle on the scope of the problem" and develop strategies to deal with it, said David G. Dye, acting director of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.
Most other occupations do that now. Random drug tests, compulsory drug tests after on-the-job accidents or injuries, etc.
As you may know, I worked in a coal mine for several years. I preferred to have my wits about me when I was underground. But I did work with some guys who did drugs on a regular basis. Usually some sort of speed to give them lots of energy. But I don't recall any of our crew showing up drunk, or influenced by any drugs to where any of us were in harm's way.
There were days when a good portion of the crew was so goddamned hung over that there wasn't much accomplished though.
But there is one guy I worked with who liked to sneak out one of the ventilation entryways and smoke some homegrown at lunchtime. We had relatively 'safe' jobs, weren't around other people or machinery, and were totally unsupervised for the entire shift, so there was no chance of anyone catching him sparking one up, or him injuring himself or anyone else. No harm - no foul, right? That didn't bother me at all.
But if he would have gotten caught, he would definitely have been fired on the spot. Why is it so hard for others to implement the same policy? They need a study?
Pussies.
1 comment:
Go figger.
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