18 I PSAI Association Insight, September 15, 2021
National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health Recognizes Overdose Dangers for Workers
By John Howard, M.D. Director, NIOSH
On August 31, NIOSH joined
workplaces, families, and
communities impacted by
drug overdose to recognize
International Overdose
Awareness Day. Observed
every year, International
Overdose Awareness Day
brings attention to and
reduces the stigma of
substance use disorders
(SUDs) and drug-related
deaths. The observance also
shares the message that
deaths from drug overdose
are preventable.
However, while overdoses are
preventable, they are becoming
increasingly common in the workplace.
Although the rate of drug use among
workers has remained relatively stable,
the risk of overdose and death among
people who use drugs has not, as some
illicit drugs have become stronger and
more lethal
1
. The majority (over 70%)
of drug overdose deaths in the United
States in 2019 involved an opioid
2
.
Sadly, overdose deaths at work from
the nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol
increased for the seventh year in a row
in 2019
3
. To help employers and workers
take steps to prevent overdose and
create supportive workplaces, NIOSH
continues to develop new resources to
share research on opioids and overdose
in the workplace.
Anyone at a workplace is at risk of
overdose if they use opioids. The video
Prescription medications like
opioids or benzodiazepines,
when used alone or together,
often have side effects that
can affect workers' health and
safety. Employers can work to
prevent occupational factors,
like work-related motor vehicle
crashes, injuries, and job stress,
that can increase the chances
a worker is prescribed medication.
This fact sheet can help employers and
healthcare providers understand how
prescription opioids or benzodiazepines
affect people at work.
Employers can prevent their employees
from being exposed to workplace
factors that could cause or perpetuate
SUD by using Workplace Supported
Recovery principles. This new video
explains how employers can prevent
initial substance use and lower the risk of
developing SUD, while reducing barriers
for workers seeking or receiving care
and maintaining recovery. Workplace
"Addressing Opioid Overdoses in
the Workplace" can help employers
decide if they should make naloxone,
an effective drug for reversing opioid
overdoses, available in the workplace.
Naloxone can be administered by
anyone with a minimal amount of
training, and it has been widely shown
to save lives. The video and related
fact sheet describe how employers and
workers can implement and maintain a
workplace naloxone program. You can
also read about the importance of a
workplace naloxone program in a recent
NIOSH Science Blog.
(continued on page 19)
OVER 70%
of drug overdose deaths in
the Unites States in 2019
involved an opoid.
