Portland, OR — In response to 16 workplace overdose deaths in the state over a recent five-year period, the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences has issued a hazard alert.
The alert cites National Safety Council data showing that, in the United States, more than 2,500 workers died on the job from an unintentional overdose involving drugs or alcohol from 2018 to 2023.
“A variety of factors can lead to overdoses in the workplace,” the institute says, “including work- and home-related stressors and a lack of adequate support and resources.”
Strategies for employers:
- Incorporate naloxone as part of a workplace emergency first aid program to help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Employees should be properly trained on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of an overdose, where naloxone is located in the workplace, how to administer it, and steps to take during an overdose emergency.
- Inform workers about treatment and recovery resources within the workplace (employee assistance programs, health insurance benefits) and their community (state, county and local agencies/organizations).
- Educate supervisors and managers on recognizing and supporting workers with a substance use disorder, including strategies for empathy, confidentiality and encouraging professional help.
The alert includes a list of community treatment and recovery resources and a scannable QR code to access a list of Oregon agencies that provide substance use disorder treatment services by county.
