THE use of illicit drugs such as methamphetamine and ice is unfortunately still rampant in WA, with WA Police recently estimating that West Australians now consume more than $27m worth of meth alone every week.
In fact, regional WA continued to have the highest rate of meth use nationally relative to population, with most of the substance coming into Australia from places such as China.
And mine sites are no exception. While regular testing of FIFO workers is commonplace, managers are now being urged to be aware that employees who use drugs may be developing strategies to hide their use of meth and ice.
According to two Perth clinical psychologists, Kerryn Ashford-Hatherly and Michael Tunnecliffe, who specialise in treating drug and alcohol addiction, some mine workers are now timing their drug use to avoid detection.
Ms Ashford-Hatherly and Mr Tunnecliffe are calling for better understanding of meth and ice addiction within the workplace, especially when it comes to safety critical environments.
They say many people fail to understand the pervasive brain-changing impact those drugs have on an individual, which often remain unseen until there’s a crisis.
Generally, drug users will return to site having timed their last use so any testing regime will return a negative result.
The researchers warn that having the drug out of their system does not mean employees are fit for work.
“Five to seven days after drug use, the worker will go through a detox period where it is common for them to feel high levels of fatigue, nausea, headaches, cold and flu symptoms as well as difficulty in concentration and focus,” they said.
“To manage their return to work, they will usually self-medicate these symptoms with either over-the-counter cold and flu medications, pain relief and excessive caffeine.
“Sometimes, they will use prescription meds given to them from a third party. In other words, it is not their prescription medication, it is someone else’s.”
Ms Ashford-Hatherly and Mr Tunnecliffe spent seven years working with mining companies providing counselling, training, fitness for work and return to work assessments for employees.
They say their experience of the FIFO culture has equipped them with the knowledge and expertise to assist leaders and workers to understand drug use and treatment.
Mr Tunnecliffe said even when workers were mandated into treatment by their employer, there were misconceptions regarding the reduction of risk in the workplace.
“We have found in our treatment program that while some employees attend an initial information session, take away all the forms and use these to indicate to their employer they are getting treatment, they don’t actually engage in the program,” he said.
Employers also need to be aware the treatment of meth and ice can take up to two years before relapse potential decreases significantly and sleep patterns have stabilised.
Consequently, meth and ice users may be a fatigue risk.
They will have periods of wakefulness while using and this can be for periods up to two weeks at a time.
When they are “coming down” from the drug, the level of fatigue may be so significant some people can sleep for five days, only getting up to drink water and go to the toilet. Absenteeism is often high with meth and ice users.
“Meth and ice are very deceptive drugs. A person might only use meth or ice every few months and don’t believe they have an addiction until they try to stop,” Mr Tunnecliffe said.
“It can then become a vicious cycle of drug-taking and recovery in an ever-diminishing spiral that inevitably leads to family dysfunction, job loss, relationship break-ups and severe medical problems.”
Ms Ashford-Hatherly and Mr Tunnecliffe believe a treatment program developed by the Matrix Institute in the USA offers a positive, neuroscience-based approach to assist people in recovery from addiction.
Both psychologists studied with the Matrix Institute in California and have adapted the US model to offer treatment in WA.
Ms Ashford-Hatherly said the Matrix Program is an intensive outpatient group treatment with four to eight participants at each session.
When FIFO workers are on shifts off, they attend the sessions in the Perth office. When on site, or if they live remotely, they can participate in the program via video link-up sessions.
