Ontario workplaces at risk of a worker opioid overdose like construction sites, bars and nightclubs are now required to have life-saving naloxone kits. Workers must also be trained on how to use them, the provincial government has said.
In 2022, over 2,500 people died from opioid-related causes in Ontario. Labour Minister Monte McNaughton says everyone in the province knows someone who has been impacted by the opioid epidemic and that “we must do everything in our power to save them”.
“Ontario is in the middle of an opioid epidemic, and every one of these deaths is preventable,” McNaughton stated. “From worksites to nightclubs, requiring naloxone kits in at-risk businesses will help us increase awareness for opioid addiction, reduce the stigma, and save lives.”
As of April, more than 1,000 free nasal spray naloxone kits have been distributed to businesses around the province through Ontario’s Workplace Naloxone Program, while businesses may also obtain their own kits. Employers can determine if they are eligible for the program and find additional information on accessing naloxone kits and training at Ontario.ca/workplacenaloxone.
Employers who do not comply with their obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) may be subject to orders and, where appropriate, prosecution.
Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose, restore breathing within two to five minutes, and allow time for medical help to arrive. According to the province, Ontario’s Workplace Naloxone Program is the first of its kind in North America and provides at-risk employers with access to free training for up to two workers and one nasal spray naloxone kit for each eligible workplace.
Protection from liability available under the Good Samaritan Act would generally apply to a person who voluntarily administers naloxone at a workplace in response to an opioid overdose. Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development’s inspectors will be taking an education-first approach to enforcement.
The construction and manufacturing sectors account for 45 per cent of participating workplaces. Other sectors include retail (9 per cent); health care and social assistance (9 per cent); accommodation and food services (7 per cent); other services (25 per cent); arts, entertainment and recreation (4 per cent).
In 2020, 30 per cent of workers who died from opioid-related causes were employed in construction. Bars and restaurants also experienced increased opioid usage and accidental overdoses often because of recreational drugs laced with deadly opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil.
