As we approach the holidays I thought it would be nice to revisit the December 2007 Safety Topic that Gary Barnett came up with.   As the holidays get underway many factors come into play that leads people to abuse both drugs and alcohol.  Below is what Gary posted in 2007 about this topic.

Drug use and alcohol consumption are normally considered personal issues. They only become an employer’s concern when they affect safety and worker performance. Drug and alcohol abuse cost employers through absenteeism.   Abusers hurt themselves and their families if they lose their job as a result of their actions.  If they are fired or cannot function on the job, the company loses the services of an experienced worker.  Those under the influence of drugs or alcohol cause friction in the work group, lower morale and work efficiency, use poor judgment that result in bad decisions, and give the company a poor public image.

Certain times of the year individuals should be especially aware of their alcohol and drug consumption; In the winter months when the days are dark and dreary some people experience a sense of depression or seasonal affected disorder (SAD). They may turn to drugs or alcohol in the mistaken belief it will relieve the symptoms of the disorder.

The holiday season, with increased social gatherings and added financial stress, leads some people to use alcohol or drugs to help them cope.  When workers are tired, hung over and still trying to recover, they may not give all their attention to the safety aspects of their job. Their judgment and safety performance becomes impaired and the likelihood of an accident or injury to themselves or coworkers increases.

Sometimes a personal or health problem persists. In most cases, the problem gets resolved. But if it is not resolved some people turn to alcohol or drugs. Even some prescription drugs can interfere with job performance. The individual cannot think clearly or becomes distracted. This can lead to accidents. Irresponsible consumption of drugs or alcohol not only jeopardizes the safety and health of the worker and coworkers but can impact the employer’s business and affect the future of all families involved.

Be Safe, Be Smart and think of others..

Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center

The Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley becomes our 4th new medical facility customer this year on November 9th.  We are delighted to begin partnering with Orange Coast as they are the only not-for-profit hospital in Fountain Valley and its surrounding communities.   And the hospital was voted “Best Place to Work” and “Best Companies to Work for” by the readers of the Orange County Register and OC Metro Magazine.

We will start with a valet station at the front door of their new Orange Coast Patient Care Pavilion which is opening this month.  Connected by a sky bridge to the main hospital, the 6-story, 162,500 square-foot structure will be home to some of the most advanced medical treatments and highly-regarded specialists in the region.  We are also adding a brand new Gem golf cart to ferry visitors and patients from the self-parking lot to the hospital entrance.  Over the next few months, we plan to add other valet and Door Ambassador positions throughout the Medical Center campus.

Orange Coast Patient Care Pavilion Opens in November 2009

Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center is the latest member in the family of medical facilities served by Minuteman Parking.  We also added St. Jude Medical Center in August, Little Company of Mary Medical Center in June and Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) in April.  In addition,  we also provide parking services at Hoag Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital of Orange and Newport Lido Medical Center in Orange County, the Loma Linda Medical Center in Loma Linda and St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino.