Almost 1 in 11 workers who die at work die from a drug overdose.
And these deaths have been rapidly increasing for years – 536% since 2011.
The CDC predicts that nearly 110,000 people died from an overdose in 2022. That’s almost 300 people dying each day. Most of these deaths are due to opioids such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, heroin and fentanyl.
To help workplaces create an overdose readiness program, the National Safety Council created Respond Ready Workplace. This program aims to reduce overdose deaths in worksites by supporting the availability of naloxone, related training and support resources in workplaces.
The initiative focuses on:
- Advocacy and education to draw awareness to the impact of overdose on workplaces and the importance of naloxone as an emergency response tool.
- Employee training and support materials to ensure there are robust policies and programs in place to support a naloxone program.
- Naloxone access resources to guide employers wanting to include naloxone in workplace first aid kits or other accessible locations
