Working After Drinking Alcohol

[Bill Warnock]

Back in the "old" navy (I'm sure Bill Warnock remembers this), it was common to have liquid lunches in port. I was lucky enough on my 1st ship in San Diego, we usually moored at pier 2. The petty officers club was at the head of pier 2. How convenient. Not sure if much ever got done in the afternoons in port.

Even better, at NAS North Island, on fridays in the petty officers club they had a lunch time lingerie show. Closest thing to strippers you'd find on a military base. Ahhh, the good old days.

Integrator, saw some strange but wonderful things while employed at NAVSEA 09B, There was a little blonde who always made sure we understood she was a natural blonde. We were authorized to mess with the officers, but the intelligence was to be found at the Chief's mess. When we gained the trust of the chiefs, they understood we the good guys, they would feed us stuff that was worth its weight in gold. When we debriefed, a NIS Agent asked us how we could find out so much in a two week visit. We answered in unison, "We get off our butts and go down in the ranks and look around." A time or two we left the chief's mess numb and called a cab to take us back to the motel, we were not allowed to stay in guest quarters, because we had the habit of roaming. Our notes at times reflected our numbness. After an eventful trip to Mare Island Shipyard, we were disestablished.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[integrator97]

Back in the "old" navy (I'm sure Bill Warnock remembers this), it was common to have liquid lunches in port. I was lucky enough on my 1st ship in San Diego, we usually moored at pier 2. The petty officers club was at the head of pier 2. How convenient. Not sure if much ever got done in the afternoons in port.

Even better, at NAS North Island, on fridays in the petty officers club they had a lunch time lingerie show. Closest thing to strippers you'd find on a military base. Ahhh, the good old days.

[integrator97]

I've not had a problem with coworkers drinking while working as a Secuirty Officer.
My job as a firefighter was where I had the problem. I'd be at work and have fellow firefighters drinking beers. In fact, me speaking out against this practice was what got me expelled from the Volunteer Fire Department and my quiting my job as a paid firefighter. The Volunteer Fire Department had been cited twice by the Alchol Beverage Commission for having beer at the station in a vending machine. Firefighters had been videotaped arriving on scenes visibly intoxicated. I refused to ride in fire trucks driven by guys who had just spent the first two hours of the shift drinking beers. I was rocking the boat so I was expelled which only encouraged me to notify several state and local agencies of what I witnessed. Within months have of the paid staff was fired and fined. The Chief paid a heafty fine and was put on probation for violating several State polices but managed to keep his job.

Good for you, but I hope that's not your fire district if your house catches fire.

The motto of the VFD where I grew up: We've never lost a foundation.

[N. A. Corbier]

For us Florida officers drinking prior to assuming duty can be considered misconduct and actionable under chapter 493.

That'd be a case law interpretation, the state would have to prove that providing services intoxicated at the level the employee is intoxicated to constitutes fraud or negligence.

So, if you blow a .01%, the state would have to prove that you were committing fraud (defrauding the client of services by being unable to provide them), or negligence (the licensee company would have to reasonably know that the guard was committing fraud, and failed to do anything) before the state could win a case.

This is the vagueness of Florida's Chapter 493. The actual statute for abandoning post, etc, is "committing fraud."

[bigdog]

I would say in absence of a specific law or company policy against it there is not much you could do about it.

My company has a policy of no drinking 8 hours prior to a shift.

Makes it simple.

For us Florida officers drinking prior to assuming duty can be considered misconduct and actionable under chapter 493.

[gcmc security part 2]

I would say in absence of a specific law or company policy against it there is not much you could do about it.

My company has a policy of no drinking 8 hours prior to a shift.

Makes it simple.

[jbaerbock]

I've had a beer about an hour before work but never been there whilst affected by it, in other words have never had much before hand.

[NRM_Oz]

Under our alcohol sales laws you must purchase your beer or wine inside a brown paper bag or in the case of a slab (carton) the paper bags are not that big.

`Liquid lunches` were common and working for the government for a number of years (not security) but as an investigator, we had pubs every 100yds so you could never die of thirst or starve (pub food is legendary and cheap). Many staff would wander off for 4-5 schooners of beer every lunch time (around 2.5 std drinks per glass @ 18 US oz each) and come back to work 45 minutes later. It was common for many people to do it every day or twice a week.

1 bloke I worked with drank 4 - 5 schooners every day but never ate lunch. He was never agressive after but it just became a culture with some people taking it too far (usually senior managers) and sleeping it off until going home. "Al Bundy" was a drop kick ex supervisor who had a late lunch and enjoyed a few beers and came back as our CEO was at the foyer watching him come in unshaven, shirt hanging out and smelling of beer. He was summoned to his office with our Branch Manager for a please explain session and it was nothing they could do in an employees OFF time.

Working the Y2K Project, every executive office had a mini bar that was re-stocked twice a day but being armed I could only look at an ice-cold beer on a hot summer afternoon, as I had to wait until I was off duty and unarmed to enjoy 2 quick ones before heading home after work some days.

[Tennsix]

I remember a time when that was legal in my state too. You could drink from an open container (no bag required) so long you weren't impaired or blowing a .10%. The police could still stop you to see if you were DWI but had to let you go if you passed.

[Chucky]

Many years ago when I was stationed at FT.Riley Kansas you were allowed to drive with a beer in your hand as long as it was in a brown paper bag and alcohol content of no more then 3.2. That law also was the same in Fl and a few other states. Those laws have long been changed.

[craig333]

Haven't had it happen with a fellow guard or any other employee. Sure makes me wonder why thats not covered in the post orders at some sites.

I know what you mean about the volunteers. Though I hear its not nearly as common now, I can recall a few times when I was working for CDF to have drunk volunteer firefighters show up.

[JB diligence]

I was wondering that too. I know thats not true in Florida at least not back in 01 when as an Area supervisor i sent a guy home for something like that.

Maybe not at work but I remember hearing something about employees in Denmark aloud "beer Brakes" though I'm not sure how valid that was.

I wouldn't doubt that some people who may take there lunch off site might have a drink, but how about business people taking a client out to 'wine and dine' them in hopes of a deal? This could lead to a poor business decision should there be a lil too much wining going with the dining or even spilling the beans on sensitive business matters that could hurt the company, but this could happen at any time, so all people should watch what they say while drinking, you never know who's listening in.

It is interesting what kind of information you can gain while overhearing a conversation at a licensed establishment some people speak so casually about things, I remember an old saying I think it originates from the WWII days "Loose lips, sink ships".

[EMTGuard]

Maybe not here in the states but in some places in the world it's not uncommon to have employees drink a couple of beers at lunch. When I was in the Army stationed in Germany circa 1988 I learned that most labor unions allowed employees up to 2 beers at lunch time.

[mad_malk]

Wait a minute... are you saying theres still jobs out there where you can drink beer for lunch?

I was wondering that too. I know thats not true in Florida at least not back in 01 when as an Area supervisor i sent a guy home for something like that.

[Lawson]

Most employers have banned alcohol consumption during work time (including lunch time drinks)

Wait a minute... are you saying theres still jobs out there where you can drink beer for lunch?