OSHA Releases Workplace Guidance for Opioid Overdose Emergencies

Highlights

• OSHA released new guidance to help employers and workers respond to opioid-related emergencies at work.
• The guidance covers workplace access to naloxone and other FDA-approved reversal medications.
• Employers are encouraged to make overdose response supplies readily accessible.
• Workers can be trained to recognize overdose symptoms and provide immediate assistance.
• OSHA emphasizes that emergency responders should still be contacted by calling 911.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued new workplace guidance focused on preparing employers and workers to respond to opioid-related overdose emergencies. The fact sheet, released September 24, 2026, outlines practical steps workplaces can take to improve emergency preparedness.

Guidance Addresses Workplace Overdose Response

The new guidance encourages employers to keep FDA-approved opioid reversal medications, including naloxone and nalmefene, readily available in the workplace. OSHA recommends treating overdose response kits similarly to first-aid equipment and automated external defibrillators by placing them in visible and accessible locations.

The guidance also addresses employee awareness. Workers can be trained to recognize signs of an opioid overdose, including slow or stopped breathing, blue or discolored lips or skin, pinpoint pupils and unresponsiveness.

For workplaces where an overdose occurs, trained responders can administer reversal medication, safely position the affected individual and provide supportive care while waiting for emergency personnel.

Emergency Services Remain Essential

OSHA stresses that overdose reversal medications are not a substitute for professional medical treatment. Workplace responders should call 911 immediately during an overdose emergency because the effects of reversal medications can be temporary and additional medical care may be necessary.

The guidance is part of a broader federal effort addressing addiction, treatment and recovery. OSHA said it is working with other federal agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to support workplace safety and health.

Why It Matters

Construction sites and other workplaces can face a range of medical emergencies, making emergency preparedness an important part of workplace safety programs. OSHA’s guidance gives employers another framework for preparing workers to recognize and respond to opioid overdoses while professional emergency assistance is being mobilized.

The recommendations also highlight the role of workplace training and accessible emergency supplies in supporting faster responses to potentially life-threatening incidents.

Source: U.S. Department Of Labor.