The National Safety Council (NSC) has launched a new workplace safety program, Respond Ready Workplace, to help employers combat the rise in workplace drug overdoses, the organization announced September 18.

Deaths on the job from drug overdoses have increased 536% since 2011, according to the NSC’s Injury Facts page about overdose deaths. Unintentional workplace overdose deaths reached an all-time high of 464 in 2021, jumping from 388 in 2020.

Aspects of the Respond Ready Workplace program include:

• Advocacy and education: The NSC provides educational materials to raise awareness about the opioid crisis and the importance of naloxone in mitigating its effects. According to the NSC, most employers are unaware that fatalities in the workplace from opioid overdoses are increasing.
• Employee training: The NSC provides employee training resources on the proper administration of naloxone, enabling workers to respond swiftly and effectively in emergencies.
• Naloxone distribution: The program guides employers on how to obtain and incorporate overdose medications like naloxone into their workplace first-aid kits or in accessible locations. 

In 2019, the NSC released an “Opioids at Work Employer Toolkit” to help employers address workplace impacts of opioid use and abuse. The toolkit contains fact sheets, posters, presentations, and scripts for 5-minute safety talks, as well as reports, sample policies, videos, and white papers.

Opioids include natural opioids such as morphine and codeine derived from the opium poppy, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), as well as semi-synthetic opioids that include the illicit drug heroin and prescription drugs hydrocodone and oxycodone and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, methadone, and tramadol.

The NSC has repeatedly surveyed employers about their concerns regarding the effects of opioids in the workplace. Employers are more concerned about issues such as hiring qualified workers, employee benefits costs, and workers’ compensation costs than about opioid use or misuse in the workplace.

The NSC’s survey of employers found that:

• Over 75% of employers have been affected by employee opioid use, with 38% experiencing impacts related to absenteeism or impaired worker performance.
• Only 28% of employers offer opioid-specific training and education to their workforce.
• Only 17% of employers believe their organization is extremely well prepared to deal with opioid use in the workplace.

“The Respond Ready Workplace program is a pivotal step forward in reducing overdose deaths and protecting workers everywhere,” Lorraine Martin, NSC president and CEO, said in a statement. “The opioid crisis has reached every corner of society, affecting workers in all industries and occupations. By equipping workplaces with naloxone and the knowledge to use it, we can make a tangible difference in saving lives, from the workplace to anyplace.” 

This spring, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an over-the-counter (OTC) naloxone nasal spray for the treatment of opioid overdoses. Narcan, a 4-milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, is the first naloxone product approved for use without a prescription.

At the time, the NSC released a statement, saying, “NSC believes access and the proper training to administer naloxone can save countless lives and is thrilled workplaces can now easily obtain this lifesaving drug for First Aid kits.”