Drugs

Boca Raton, FL — “Mental injuries” (such as post-traumatic stress disorder), cannabis and independent contractors were among the top workers’ compensation-related issues that state legislatures focused on this year, a new report shows.

Washington — The Department of Transportation is accepting comment on a proposed rule that would allow the use of electronic forms and signatures for drug and alcohol testing.

We discuss content from the October issue of Safety+Health and share our thoughts on the 2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo. Also, Jamie Osborne, a public health analyst at NIOSH, joins us to discuss recovery-friendly workplaces in the “Five Questions With …” segment.

Sacramento, CA — Naloxone hydrochloride or another Food and Drug Administration-approved opioid-reversal medication must be included in all workplace first aid kits in California no later than Dec. 1, 2028.

Gaithersburg, MD — Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Colorado Boulder are partnering to test whether a new breath-test strategy can reliably detect recent cannabis use.

Denver — A new Local Emphasis Program from OSHA is aimed at identifying and reducing workplace hazards associated with cannabis processing, growing, cultivation and product manufacturing.

Be ready to respond to an opioid overdose at work. “It really is something that’s very simple to administer,” an NSC expert says.

Washington — Although oral fluid drug testing has been federally approved for truck drivers and workers in safety-sensitive transportation positions, its use as an alternative to urine testing has been delayed and remains in flux.

Washington — Federal action aimed at easing restrictions on marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act could jeopardize federally required drug testing for workers in safety-sensitive jobs, the National Transportation Safety Board warns.

Boston — Unintentional overdoses accounted for more than 1 out of 4 workplace deaths in Massachusetts between 2021 and 2022, the state’s Department of Public Health reports.