Employers need to be prepared for accidental overdoses on jobsites

Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor issued guidance to help employers better respond to opioid-related overdose emergencies in the workplace.

With that in mind, it’s vital to note: The overdose epidemic is not a community problem happening outside your company’s doors. It is a workforce problem happening inside them.

In 2025, over 70,000 Americans died from drug overdoses, about 194 people every day, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is the emergency most workplaces have not planned for and cannot ignore.

For decades, workplace safety has meant preparing for the expected: fire extinguishers, AEDs and first-aid kits. Today, it also means preparing for something less visible but just as urgent: overdose response. That includes stocking naloxone and building a culture where employees can ask for help without fear.

This is a workplace issue, not a personal one

More than 70% of adults with a substance use disorder are employed, according to the National Library of Medicine. In construction, physically demanding work, high injury rates and chronic pain create a well-documented pathway into opioid use.

But this is not confined to one sector. Across industries, overdose deaths now account for a growing share of workplace fatalities. And yet, only about 28% of employers report having naloxone available at all worksites, according to the National Safety Council.

That gap is not about cost. It is about perception and the persistent belief that substance use is a private issue rather than a workplace responsibility. But when employees believe asking for help could jeopardize their job, silence becomes the default. And silence increases risk.

Workplaces already shape how safe people feel reporting injuries, harassment or mental health challenges. Substance use should be no different.

From awareness to action

At ABC, we found that addressing this issue didn’t require building something entirely new; it required connecting and strengthening what already existed.

When our team connected with the Recovery Friendly Workplace Institute and pursued certification from the organization, we discovered we were already doing more than we realized; we just had not connected the pieces. 

Certification mattered to me, and to ABC, for one reason above all: It sends a clear, public signal to every employee that this company is a safe place to ask for help. A poster on the wall is easy to ignore. A certification backed by policies, training and accountability is harder to dismiss. It tells our people that recovery is supported. 

We built a dedicated recovery resource section on our company intranet, available to our employees 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We keep 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline cards in every break room year-round. We educate our senior leadership on what resources exist and how to use them. 

Our director of workforce programs and initiatives, Haley Moyers, has a monthly mental health champion meeting, bringing in speakers who share their own recovery journeys openly. That piece, driven by honest human voices, has done more to shift our culture than any policy we have ever written.

But one of the simplest and most impactful steps we took was this: We stocked naloxone.

Naloxone should be standard equipment

Naloxone, commonly known by the brand Narcan, reverses opioid overdoses. It is FDA-approved, available over the counter, requires no medical training and poses no risk if administered unnecessarily.

In other words, it meets every criterion employers typically require for workplace safety tools.

Two decades ago, AEDs were rare in workplaces. Today, they are standard and expected. Naloxone is at a similar inflection point.

Public health data shows it works. Wider distribution has already contributed to a significant decline in overdose deaths. 

5 steps employers can take now

Organizations can make meaningful changes without waiting for regulation. Here are five practical steps leaders can take immediately:

1. Keep naloxone on hand. You can buy it over the counter at most pharmacies. Store it anywhere you keep emergency supplies. The National Safety Council has a free planning tool.
2. Share the 988 lifeline. It’s free, confidential and available 24/7 for both mental health and substance use crises. Post it in break rooms and on bulletin boards. Include it in onboarding materials. Make it visible all year, not just during awareness months.
3. Work toward Recovery Friendly Workplace certification. The National Recovery Friendly Workplace Institute offers policies, manager training and a network of certified employers. It’s a clear, structured path, and many organizations are closer than they think.
4. Take an honest look at your policies. Do employees feel safe speaking up? Is your Employee Assistance Program easy to use? Ask for feedback, and remove any barriers. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Drug-Free Workplace Toolkit is a helpful place to start.
5. Review your benefits. Check whether your health plan covers treatment for substance use disorders. If it doesn’t, start the conversation about adding that coverage.

The leadership test

The employees who most need help are often the least likely to ask for it, not because they don’t want support, but because they fear the consequences.

That fear is shaped by workplace culture. And culture is shaped by leadership.

Every organization will face this issue at some point. The only real question is whether you will be prepared when it happens.

One of your employees may need help tomorrow. The decision to be ready is yours.