Unfortunately, an opioid overdose can happen anywhere – including the workplace.
With OSHA’s new guidance encouraging employers to prepare for opioid-related emergencies, workplace safety programs have another health risk to consider: Can your employees recognize an overdose, respond quickly, and access the right resources?
OSHA’s September 2026 guidance encourages employers to prepare for opioid-related emergencies as part of their broader workplace health and safety programs. It also recommends employers consider making FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal medications, such as naloxone, readily accessible in the workplace.
It also emphasizes training workers to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and understand how to respond to an emergency.
Here, we’ll explain OSHA’s new opioid guidance and how you can strengthen your workplace overdose preparedness.
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OSHA’s New Workplace Opioid Overdose Guidance
On September 24, 2026, OSHA released Opioid Overdose Rescue with Reversal Medications, a fact sheet designed to help employers and workers respond to opioid-related overdose emergencies.
This guidance recommends keeping FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal medications, such as naloxone or nalmefene, readily accessible and treating them as part of workplace emergency preparedness, similar to first-aid supplies or AEDs.
Keep in mind, however, that OSHA’s fact sheet is guidance, not a new mandatory standard.
It provides employers with practical considerations for preparing workers to recognize an overdose and act while emergency medical services are being contacted.
In line with this, employers are advised to establish clear procedures for calling 911, administering an approved reversal medication when appropriate, and providing supportive care until professional help arrives. OSHA also recommends considering who will manage the workplace’s naloxone supply, including monitoring storage conditions, expiration dates and replacement needs.
For health and safety teams, this means reviewing existing emergency-response plans to determine whether opioid overdose preparedness should be incorporated alongside other workplace medical emergencies.
Signs of an Opioid Overdose at Work
Recognizing an overdose quickly can make a critical difference. These signs can include slow or stopped breathing, blue or discolored lips or skin, pinpoint pupils, and unresponsiveness.
Other warning signs can include unusual snoring or gurgling sounds and an inability to wake the person. Workers should not assume someone is simply sleeping or intoxicated when these signs are present.
If an opioid overdose is suspected, call 911 immediately.
Naloxone or another approved reversal medication may help restore normal breathing, but its effects can be temporary and it does not replace professional medical treatment.
How Employers Can Prevent Opioid Overdose in the Workplace
Prevention starts with understanding the risks and building opioid awareness into an existing workplace health and safety program.
NIOSH reports that workplace deaths from unintentional overdose involving the nonmedical use of drugs increased by almost 500% between 2012 and 2020. They also note certain industries and occupations (including construction and extraction) experience higher rates of substance abuse and drug-related deaths.
NIOSH notes that opioids may be prescribed following workplace injuries, making injury prevention, appropriate medical care and worker education important parts of a broader approach.
You can strengthen preparedness by reviewing emergency-response procedures, educating your team about overdose recognition, identifying where naloxone could be stored, and assigning responsibility for checking supplies and expiration dates.
- See NIOSH’s Guideline on Drug Overdose in the Workplace and the Role of Opioids.
How Naloxone Helps in a Workplace Overdose Emergency
Naloxone is an opioid overdose reversal medication that can rapidly restore normal breathing when opioids are responsible for an overdose.
OSHA recommends that employers consider keeping naloxone or another FDA-approved reversal medication in visible, accessible locations and training workers who may respond to an emergency.
Training should go beyond simply knowing where the medication is. Workers can learn how to recognize an overdose, administer the available medication, safely position the individual and provide supportive care while waiting for emergency responders.
Workplaces should also consider the location and accessibility of emergency supplies.
NIOSH’s workplace naloxone guidance recommends integrating naloxone into broader emergency-response procedures rather than treating it as a standalone initiative.
- See CDC/NIOSH’s Guideline on Using Naloxone to Reverse Opioid Overdose in the Workplace.
- See OSHA’s Fact Sheet on Opioid Overdose Rescue with Reversal Medications.
Why Employers Should Address Opioid Overdose at Work
The workplace is part of the larger community where the opioid crisis occurs.
75% of employers surveyed said opioid use had impacted their workplace, while fewer than one in five reported being well prepared to address it.
More recent national data show that the overall overdose picture is changing: CDC estimates indicate approximately 69,973 drug overdose deaths occurred in the U.S. in 2025, including an estimated 44,564 involving opioids.
For employers, the takeaway is not to assume an overdose will or won’t happen. Rather, it’s to build reasonable preparedness into an existing occupational health strategy.
How Worksite Medical Supports Workplace Opioid Preparedness
We can help you incorporate opioid awareness into broader workplace health initiatives through Corporate Wellness Events and Alcohol & Drug Testing.
Our Corporate Wellness Events provide an opportunity to bring health education directly to your employees. Depending on your needs and program design, opioid awareness can complement broader wellness education by covering overdose recognition, emergency-response awareness and the importance of seeking appropriate help.
Our Alcohol & Drug Testing services can complement that education through pre-employment, random, post-accident and other workplace testing programs, including panels that test for extended opiates.
These services address different parts of workplace substance-use risk: education and preparedness on one side, testing and monitoring on the other.
Neither should be presented as a substitute for emergency medical care or a comprehensive substance-use program, but together they can support a more informed workplace health and safety strategy.
Key Takeaways
OSHA’s new opioid guidance gives employers another reason to review how prepared their workplaces are for medical emergencies.
Recognizing overdose symptoms, knowing when to call 911 and understanding the role of naloxone can help workers respond faster when seconds matter. Employers can also use workplace health education to make opioid awareness part of a broader culture of safety and worker well-being.
Our Corporate Wellness Events and Alcohol & Drug Testing services can complement these efforts as part of an employer’s broader occupational health strategy.
Talk with us today about building workplace health and safety programs around the needs of your workforce.
Medical Surveillance And Monitoring With Worksite Medical
In most cases, OSHA requires medical surveillance testing, and at no cost to employees.
Worksite Medical makes that program easier with mobile medical testing.
We travel right to your workplace to conduct vision testing, on-site respirator fit tests (including N95 masks), silica exam physicals, audiometric exams, OSHA and HIPAA compliant online respirator medical clearances, pulmonary function tests, heavy metal lab work, and much more, right on your job site.
We also keep accurate, easy-to-access medical records for your convenience. You’ll keep your employees at work, and stay ahead of OSHA & MSHA inspections.
With Worksite Medical, a mobile medical testing unit — we can bring all the resources of a lab to you. Our certified lab technicians can perform both qualitative and quantitative respirator tests to ensure a perfect fit.
You’ll keep your employees at work, and stay ahead of OSHA and MSHA inspections.
Protect your team and your workplace now with Worksite Medical. Not sure what you need? Try our medical testing wizard here, or reach out to us with questions.
Give us a call at 1-844-622-8633, or complete the form below to schedule an on-site visit or to get your free quote.
