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Interviews Available
Forensic chemists, hair/urine collection specialists, human resources trainers and safety consultants available on-site and for telephone interviews: Omega Labs - John C. Vitullo, Ph.D., president; Thomas D. Donahue, M.S., Ph.D., NRCC, laboratory director. Elouisa J. Givens, accessioning supervisor, chemists and other affiliates upon request. SACS Consulting - Timothy A. Dimoff, SACS president.

For comments about Workplace Solutions Group hair testing bundled with security planning:
Interim Personnel -- Darci Kleis 330-535-7131

For comments about SACS Consulting background checks, training, investigation, security issues:
Ferro Corporation -- Hal Musler 216-750-6537
Ultra Forge -- Don Haggerty 330-929-2945
Waltco Truck Equipment -- Dave Nicholson 262-539-3000
Ohio Gasket -- Beth Woods, HR 330-630-2030 X160

For comments on workplace problems associated with drug abuse: Denise Tarka, President of The Employment Edge, Inc., a human resource management consulting firm in Cleveland 440-892-6053 Fax: 440-892-8952 datarka@worldnet.att.net

National Institute on Drug Abuse
1-888-NIH-NIDA (1-888-644-6432)
http://www.drugabuse.gov/

Statistics:

From the American Foundation for Drug Prevention:

• The direct cost of drug abuse to America's employers exceeds $100 billion annually Ten-plus percent (10+%) of all full-time employees abuse alcohol or drugs in the workplace.
  
  
• The U.S. consumes 60% of the world's illegal drugs.
  
  
• Nearly 30 million Americans use illegal drugs.
  
  
• Seventy-six percent (76%) of all adults who use illegal drugs are employed.
  
  
• Sixty-five percent (65%) of all on-the-job accidents are directly or indirectly attributable to substance abuse.
  
  
• Substance abusers are five times more likely to file for workers' comp, or to be injured off the job.

• Between 1988 and 1995, Americans spent $57.3 billion on drugs: $38 billion on cocaine, $9.6 billion on heroin, $7 billion on marijuana, and $2.7 billion on other illegal drugs and on the misuse of legal drugs.
  
  
• Employed drug abusers cost their employers about twice as much in medical and worker compensation claims as their drug-free coworkers.

• The estimated economic cost of alcohol and drug abuse was $245.7 billion in 1992. Of this cost, $97.7 billion* was due to drug abuse. This estimate includes substance abuse treatment and prevention costs as well as other healthcare costs, costs associated with reduced job productivity or lost earnings, and other costs to society such as crime and social welfare.
  
  
• The Economic Costs of Alcohol and Drug Abuse in the United States - 1992 National Institute on Drug Abuse7.1.1 The Burden on Employers The analyses of lost earnings (section 5.3) in fact indicate that worksites shift at least some of the productivity differential of drug- and alcohol-impaired workers to the workers themselves in the form of lower compensation. To the extent that drug and alcohol abuse cause workers to perform below the levels implied by their wages/salaries, these costs are borne by the worksites in the form of higher costs. Such costs must then be absorbed by a company through a combination of decreased profits, increased product/service prices, or reduced overall compensation for the workers. There are insufficient data to develop such estimates. Alcohol- and drug-related reductions in earnings are partially shifted to other segments of society because employers generally withhold income and other social insurance taxes and make contributions toward health insurance and social insurance on behalf of employees.

• Workers who reported current illicit drug use or heavy alcohol use had higher rates of unexcused absence and voluntary turnover in the past year than those who did not report drug or alcohol use.

• A recent Gallup poll of employees found that 97 percent agreed that drug tests are appropriate under certain circumstances and 85 percent believed that urine testing may deter illicit drug use.

Media Questions

1. Many workers will consider hair testing just another intrusion into their personal lives.
   How do you answer that?
   
   
2. Are pre-employment screening and safety/security training going to answer employee safety needs and still protect their privacy?
   
   
3. How does drug, alcohol and violence play out in the workplace?
   
   
4. How does Hair Testing compare to urinalysis?
   
   
5. What's the benefit to bundling hair tests with security plans?
   
   
6. Are corporations risking a narrowed talent pool due to potential employees who object to the personal scrutiny?
   
   
7. How do Omega Labs hair tests differ from other labs?

Case Study:

Tim Dimoff cites a case where a tow motor driver hit and killed a fellow worker. The tow motor driver had been suspected of drug abuse, but was not called into account for it. He tested positive for both drugs and alcohol.The management, while aware of the man's problems, declined action and had no drug policy, testing or related management training in place.

"The man who was killed was a family man, and sadly, it took that tragedy to open the flood gates," Dimoff said. After the incident the company immediately contacted SACS Consulting and Investigative Services to incorporate a drug/alcohol policy, train supervisors and provide employee education programs. They are currently a drug and alcohol free work place. "Here is a case where everyone knew the problem existed, but the issue never was addressed. Top management must take steps to protect its most important resource: its people," Dimoff said.

Bios

John C. Vitullo, Ph.D., president of Omega Labs
Dr. Vitullo has a Ph.D in regulatory Biology from Cleveland State University. His experience includes teaching at the university and secondary school levels, lab directorships, and many research fellowships. He has authored or co-authored several research papers in forensic and medical journals.

"There are many ways to cheat on a urine test, and employees have found them. A whole industry has emerged to protect the drug user, from purchasing clean urine to chemical additives that skew results. Hair testing protects both the employer and the employee, as a reliable deterrent to drug use and a safety net for hiring and probationary monitoring. It provides drug history and/or exposure in a three-month window instead of three days, without the invasive and perceived persecution of random testing. Because hair tests can be scheduled regularly, employees are encouraged to stay clean for long periods of time." - Dr. John C. Vitullo

"Drugs that are deposited on the hair shafts by any means (dust, sweat, combs, smoke) are considered external contaminants. Omega Labs removes external contaminants prior to confirmation testing in a series of chemical washings and then analyzes the last wash to determine if there is still drug present. We maintain a strict chain of custody, securely documented to ensure accuracy." - Dr. Thomas D. Donahue

SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Inc.
Timothy A. Dimoff, President
Tim Dimoff is a retired Akron, Ohio narcotics detective and an expert on social crime, in particular, high-risk workplace issues: substance abuse, violence and criminal activity. He has appeared on DATELINE NBC and as expert witness in dozens of legal cases. Tim is president of SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Inc. where he trains and implements human resource management and security and investigates social crime. He undertakes for the company with pre-employment screening, drug testing, investigation and expert witness, putting out "hot spots" in any form. The author of several books on social drugs and violence, Mr. Dimoff has double the value: as an expert resource and as an investigator/consultant with dramatic stories ready to go public.

"Workplace violence in corporate Amercia has decreased in the last ten years, but employee-on-employee altercations have increased ten-fold. When substance abuse and personal disputes are permitted to continue unchecked, the corporation loses control over hiring assurance and productivity, and the workplace becomes something it should not be-dangerous." - Tim Dimoff, security and employment consultant

"Workplace Solutions brings Omega Labs hair testing for drugs together with employment and crime experts as a unified service to complement, solve and guide companies toward a safer, more productive workplace." - Tim Dimoff, security and employment consultant

For More Information
John C. Vitullo, Pres. Omega Laboratories, Inc. 400 N. Cleveland Avenue Mogadore, Ohio 44260 Phone: 330-628-5748 Toll-free: 1-800-665-5569 Fax: 330-628-5803 www.omegalabs.net Timothy A. Dimoff Pres., SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Inc. Chairman, Workplace Solutions Group Premier Suites 500 Grant Street Akron, Ohio 44311 Phone: 330-255-1101 Fax: 330-255-1135 www.sacsconsulting.com