Growing Adoption Of This Company's Technologies Could Reportedly Prevent Alcohol Abuse in Workplaces

SOBR Safe Inc. SOBR reports helping to fight a growing alcohol addiction in the workplace.

The annual cost of alcohol abuse in the U.S. is expected at about $249 billion. Nearly half of all injuries resulting from industrial accidents are alcohol-related, and 1-in-10 U.S. commercial drivers test positive for alcohol — the highest rate worldwide.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is to blame for many of the cases. People with AUD have problems controlling their drinking, which leads to health and safety issues.

Alcohol Use Disorder

Approximately 15 million Americans have AUD, contributing to the $38 billion addiction rehabilitation industry in the U.S.

Insurance providers were projected to spend $280 billion on substance abuse and mental health in 2020 — a $109 billion increase over the past 10 years. But an estimated 90% of people with AUD relapse within four years of treatment.

Stemming The Tide

To stem the tide of AUD, SOBRSafe and companies like Abbott Laboratories ABT and Honeywell International Inc. HON are advancing research and development into treatment and rehabilitation technologies.

Denver-based SOBRsafe’s proprietary identity verification and alcohol monitoring system helps companies determine whether their employees are under the influence on the job through its touch-based SOBRcheck™ and SOBRsure™ technologies.

The patent-pending alcohol monitoring solution helps prevent intoxicated workers from taking the factory floor or a driver's vehicle keys. An offender is immediately flagged, and the employer is empowered to take the appropriate corrective actions.

SOBRsafe recently announced a key partnership with North-Star Care, an innovative virtual reality treatment platform, to introduce what could be the first entirely virtual AUD rehabilitation program in the U.S. North-Star Care intends to provide participants with the continuous-monitoring SOBRsure wearable band, which remotely reports on alcohol consumption and could accelerate intervention and improve recovery rates.

North-Star Care plans to leverage digital technologies, including virtual reality, telehealth, wearable monitoring devices, and pharmaco-genomic-based medical treatments to improve treatment outcomes.

The partnership could provide a new way to help patients with real-time monitoring, intervention and better-informed long-term treatment for patients — all while maintaining the most stringent patient privacy and confidentiality.

Breaking Into Different Market Verticals

Several companies have adopted SOBRsafe's technologies, including Continental Services and Aaron Contracting, which both signed software as a service agreements with SOBRsafe.

Continental, Michigan’s largest food management company, previously hosted a pilot test of SOBRsafe's touch-based alcohol screening technology. The test reportedly validated the employee enrollment process, ease of use and cloud-based reporting. Continental gathered anonymized data as a foundation for business trend analysis.

Detroit-based Aaron, a leading general contractor, represents SOBRsafe's launch into the $2.7 billion construction market, which has high alcohol use and is challenged by its outdoor workplaces and lack of internet connectivity.

To overcome these challenges, SOBRsafe engineered a field version of its SOBRcheck™ solution, complete with battery power, Bluetooth capabilities, rugged casing and a mobile shelter to protect against the elements.

The solution was recently seemingly successful in an external environment test with one of Amazon’s AMZN Delivery Service Partner vehicle fleets.

SOBRsafe Chief Revenue Officer Michael Watson introduced its technology to over 200 nuclear energy industry safety professionals at the Nuclear Energy Institute's Access Authorization and Fitness for Duty (FFD) Workshop in July. 

The company is also working with RubiRides, a membership-based service to transport children.

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