Quick Hits
- On September 24, 2026, OSHA issued a fact sheet that includes tips for being prepared for drug overdoses, including stocking opioid overdose reversal medications and training employees to administer them.
- Sometimes opioids are implicated in suicide attempts. The OSHA guidance came during National Suicide Prevention Month, which falls in September each year.
- There were 44,564 opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States in 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
OSHA suggests these strategies for employers to be prepared in case an overdose emergency happens to an employee, customer, or visitor at the workplace:
- Keep U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved opioid overdose reversal medications readily available and visible at the workplace.
- Train workers on how to recognize common signs of an overdose, such as slow or stopped breathing, blue lips or skin, pinpoint pupils, and unresponsiveness.
- Train workers to administer an opioid overdose reversal medication, safely position the person, and provide support while waiting for first responders to arrive.
- Call 911 immediately when an overdose emergency occurs because the medication’s effects are temporary, and professional medical care is still needed.
Some local governments, nonprofits, hospitals, and religious congregations offer training in administering nalmefene or naloxone, which attaches to opioid receptors in the brain and blocks the effects of opioids like heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, and morphine. The medications, in the form of a nasal spray or injection, can restore normal breathing after an overdose and generally have no effect if opioids are not present, according to OSHA.
Some states have Good Samaritan laws that protect anyone who calls 911 after observing a suspected drug overdose. In some cases, the state laws also protect anyone who administers an overdose reversal drug after a suspected drug overdose.
Next Steps
The number of opioid-related deaths has decreased in the last two years, but a drug overdose potentially could impact any workplace, regardless of location or industry. Employers may wish to consider asking employees to volunteer to be trained in administering opioid overdose reversal drugs. It may be helpful to assign an individual to keep track of the supply and replace any expired medications.
Employers can store opioid overdose reversal drugs next to first aid kits and automated external defibrillators (AEDs), as long as they are stored away from direct light and excessive heat or cold, according to OSHA. Clear signs can help people quickly find the medicine in an emergency. Alongside the overdose reversal medications, employers can store personal protective equipment, such as nitrile gloves and face masks, to protect those who administer the medication from infectious diseases in body fluids.
Ogletree Deakins’ Workplace Safety and Health Practice Group will continue to monitor developments and will post updates on the Drug Testing, Healthcare, and Workplace Safety and Health blogs as additional information becomes available.
In addition, the Ogletree Deakins Client Portal provides subscribers with timely updates on federal and state laws that cover Health and Safety. Premium-level subscribers have access to comprehensive law summaries, policies, and templates. Snapshots and Updates are complimentary for all registered client users. For more information on the Client Portal or a Client Portal subscription, please email clientportal@ogletree.com.
Michael Clarkson is a shareholder in Ogletree Deakins’ Boston office.
This article was co-authored by Leah J. Shepherd, who is a writer in Ogletree Deakins’ Washington, D.C., office.
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