The government will also be providing kits and training as initial support
The Ontario government will require employers to provide naloxone kits following its amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) in the Working for Workers Act.
As of June 1, 2023, the OSHA will require some employers to make at least one naloxone kit available in at-risk workplaces in case a worker experiences or is suspected of experiencing an opioid overdose.
Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose, restore breathing within two to five minutes, and allow medical help to arrive. It can either be injected into a muscle or given as a nasal spray.
According to the government release, 2,819 people died from opioid-related causes in Ontario in 2021 – the highest number on record. Construction workers remain the most impacted industry with the opioid epidemic, making up 30 percent of the workers who died from it in the past year. The bar and nightclub industry is a close second for accidental overdoses.
The amendments require an employer who becomes aware that there might be a risk of workplace opioid overdose for a worker to provide and maintain a good naloxone kit accordingly. It also follows that the employer must train workers to recognize an opioid overdose and administer naloxone.
For a limited time, the Ontario government will provide at-risk employers with free naloxone kits and training through its Workplace Naloxone Program from December 2022 onwards. It will serve as an initial support to employers who must comply with OSHA requirements.
“Ontario, like the rest of Canada, is in the middle of an opioid epidemic made worse by a toxic supply of recreational street drugs,” said Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Monte McNaughton. “That’s why our government is the first in North America to require naloxone kits be accessible in at-risk workplaces to raise awareness for those struggling with addition, reduce stigma and save lives.”
Once the requirement is in effect, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development’s inspectors will take an education-first approach to enforcement.
