Problems in "THE PATCH" | Benefits Canada.com

The Northern borders of Alberta and British Columbia are familiar territory for the workers who man the oil industry’s far-flung work sites. They regularly head to camps in Tommy Lake and Fort McMurray, Alberta and to Fort Nelson, British Columbia. Lately, however, more workers have been making their way to Tees in central Alberta—not for jobs, but to Serenity Ranch, a private alcohol and drug treatment centre. Since opening over three years ago, oil workers have been frequent visitors to the ranch, and earlier this year a recovery program was created specifically for them.

Though addiction and substance abuse is an issue in many workplaces, it is a marked problem in the safety-sensitive oil and gas industry, where “it is very hard to stay clean and sober,” Jim Gray, Serenity Ranch’s owner, said in announcing the new program in June.

That fact isn’t lost on the petroleum industry, where sites full of heavy equipment and dangerous chemicals make addiction more than a health and wellness issue.

the oil patch and addiction: a plea for help

An employee with an addiction problem is very different than one who comes in hung over after a night of overindulgence. “The once-a-year guy doesn’t get caught,” says Nicholas Barry, an addiction counsellor in Saint John, New Brunswick. “It’s the addiction that stands out.” He estimates that while 7-10% of Canadians have an addiction, generally “only 1-2% are active addicts in the workplace at any given time.”

But addiction issues among the varied tradesmen in the oil industry come up 35% more frequently than the national norm, according to a recent Shepell-fgi research group report. Health and Wellness Trends in the Oil and Gas Sector, which examined employee assistance program (EAP) data from 36 petroleum companies between early 2006 and the end of 2008, found that demand for alcohol and addiction assistance among their workers—mostly for alcohol problems—went up by 481% in the past three years.

The numbers don’t necessarily mean that more oil workers are drinking or grappling with addiction, points out Michael Kennedy, regional director of business development at Shepell-fgi in Calgary. “It shows there’s a higher need for help.”

the bigger picture

But what’s behind that need? The pressures of an oil worker’s job—including remote workstations, extended time away from families and the work itself—exacerbate issues that affect workers in more traditional settings, like relationships, family and financial problems, the report notes. Adding to that, industry expansion and a high global demand for oil have brought more and more workers into the sector’s unique work environment.

Changing demographics have only increased the pressure. The report also found high demand for family-related services: eldercare and childcare-related EAP use among oil workers also surpasses the norm by 120% and 43% respectively. All these factors should be considered, Kennedy notes. “It has to be taken in context. Although there’s a 481% increase in EAP access for alcohol, that currently makes up 2.5% of overall access. If you add family and relationship counselling together, that’s over 50%. It’s important to look at all drivers.”

Another big driver: the transient, male-dominated work sites. “If someone has a problem it’s a perfect place to be: big money, no accountability,” Barry says. Ultimately, though, jobs don’t create addicts, he says. “If you have an addiction, it will come out there,” he says. “It’s like going away to college, where you let loose, but the people with the problem are still doing it four years later.”

Gray agrees. “The problem is the big money. The workers go out with $20,000 and only a week to spend it during their breaks,” he says.

What’s more, many workers with addiction issues are drawn to the kind of work required in the petroleum industry, he says. “If you took 100 cops and 100 oil workers, there would be a higher rate of addicts among the oil workers.”

dry camps, preventive policies

Although their environment may spur substance abuse in some cases, and addictions in others, the far-flung and remote work sites can also be a barrier to getting help. “There aren’t the social support networks in place that there are in other sectors,” says Kennedy.

However, some in the industry are stepping up to fill the gap. For example, at Husky Energy the organization addresses addiction issues with a combination of education, training and hard-and-fast safety policies. The beginning of a shift at a camp might start with a presentation on addiction and substance abuse, including brochures on prevention. The company, based in Calgary, backs up that education with a detailed drug and alcohol policy and special training for safety supervisors, according to Graham White, senior communications advisor at Husky. “It’s a safety issue,” he says. “As soon as a contractor comes on site, they are subject to our rules.”

Like most oil companies, the company’s approach also has more hard-line measures such as banning alcohol at work camps, and its policies for safety-sensitive positions call for drug testing if supervisors suspect a problem.

Husky’s workers can also turn to the company’s EAP for help. “If we do have an employee diagnosed with a dependency issue, we treat it as any other disability,” says White. “We want to get away from the perception that if someone has a dependency issue, they are immediately disciplined or dismissed. We use our resources to help that individual.”

That attitude is moving industry efforts forward, notes Kennedy. “Oil and gas organizations are doing a good job of moving beyond stigma and putting prevention programs in place that say ‘We know everyone needs help at some time,'” he says. “Ideally, they can address the root issue before less healthy decisions are made.”

good “patch” policies: the five-point framework

How can companies do that? By setting up a five-point framework to address all aspects of addiction, says Barry. First, companies should have a drug policy that outlines what’s acceptable. Second, they should educate supervisors to look out for addiction problems. Frequent absences, or sudden changes in behaviour or performance, could indicate a problem, notes Kennedy. “They may show poor decision-making on the job, are easily distracted or aren’t performing at their previous level,” he says. On the home front, they may want to be alone, or be unusually moody. “Those types of things would be red flags for further conversation.”

Managers should watch for telltale behaviour, and “recognize and document changes in accordance with company policy,” but avoid acting like a doctor or counsellor, the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers advises managers in a June 2000 guidebook.

Employees should also be taught the warning signs, and be assured that if they tell a supervisor that a colleague needs support, “they aren’t hurting people, they’re helping,” stresses Barry. The employee who needs help can then be directed to medical resources.

Any communication aimed at employees should match the setting, adds Kennedy. “Things are different in the head office, where’s there’s access to the Internet. In the field, where employees may be dispersed over a large geographic area, they can periodically pull people together for health and safety workshops, or use existing communication mechanisms,” he says, noting that transportation companies often use their hand-held units to share health information. “It comes down to understanding how people consume information and taking the path of least resistance.”

An EAP is a crucial part of the framework, since it can have an employee assessed, direct them to counselling or try to stop an addiction problem before it takes root. “It’s about managing the process, from identifying the issue, to assessment, to facilitating treatment,” Kennedy says.

But the help available there should be backed up with stricter measures such as testing and substance abuse assessments, as outlined in the company’s safety policies, if necessary. These additional measures—the fifth element of the framework—are essential reinforcement to the “softer” support that companies offer, Barry says.

ensuring change

Setting firm boundaries and consequences—like a three-strikes rule—lets employees know that while the company will help and support them, there are consequences if the problem recurs. “Some wellness programs don’t get to the issue,” Barry says. “Addiction doesn’t go away unless something changes. These [companies] keep dealing with addicted people over and over.”

Even dry camps might not make much difference. “Our attorney general in New Brunswick said they couldn’t keep drugs out of maximum security prisons, so how can they keep them out of the camps?” Barry asks.

“Addicts are going to do what they’re going to do,” he says. “Until policies change and supervisors know what they’re dealing with, [the problem] is going to remain.”

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