Construction workers already had the highest on-the-job death toll of any industry and are now more likely to die of a drug overdose than workers in any other occupation. This new reality, primarily driven by synthetic opioids like fentanyl, means that in addition to focusing on typical occupational risks like falls, heavy machinery and electrical hazards, safety directors are grappling with how to respond to accidental opioid emergencies.
Construction can be a dangerous industry. Workers face disproportionately high rates of musculoskeletal injuries, which have been shown to be a predictor of long-term opioid use and opioid use disorder. On top of this, construction lags behind most other industries when it comes to paid leave, which may lead workers to push through pain.
“It’s a hard job, it’s physically demanding – they are doing things that the average person would never imagine having to do,” said C. Michael Kinsella, Red Seal endorsed carpenter, construction safety officer and co-founder and executive director of The New PPE, a nonprofit that is calling for greater access to nasal naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication, on construction sites. He says there are many reasons why workers may come to rely on opioids, whether prescribed or illicit. "They take the opioids so they can continue to work, continue to provide for their family, and continue to contribute to our economy.”
The good news: leaders in the industry are stepping up to combat opioid poisoning deaths. It has become more common in the U.S. and Canada to provide access to naloxone on job sites and educate workers on the risks of opioid misuse.
“Our industry knows how to come together to protect the health and safety of our workforce,” says John O’Hare, co-chairman of the NYC Building & Construction Industry Safety Fund (Safety Fund) and managing director of the Building Contractors Association of New York. This year, the Safety Fund introduced a new program that aims to place NARCAN® Nasal Spray, the first FDA-approved over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray, on every jobsite and provide workers, contractors and staff with a kit that includes NARCAN® Nasal Spray, along with training on its use in case of an opioid poisoning emergency. “We don’t question the need for proper use of hardhats, harnesses and protective gear – we should think about the availability of naloxone on jobsites in the same way.”
“Every minute matters when someone encounters a coworker who’s experienced an opioid poisoning, especially with the rise of illicit fentanyl,” says Joe Papa, president and chief executive officer of Emergent BioSolutions. The company produces a diverse portfolio of products that address public health threats, including NARCAN® Nasal Spray, which can help rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid poisoning until medical help arrives, as well as wall units and wayfinding signage designed for the workplace. “There are not many times when you can say to someone, ‘If you have this, you can help save a life.’ Our hope is that people will eventually start to see NARCAN® Nasal Spray like an AED or fire extinguisher, something you keep in the workplace, but hope to never have to use."
In recent months, more employers, unions and industry groups have taken actions to address opioid poisoning risks. While this progress is promising to advocates, stigma remains a barrier to widespread adoption of safety measures, and some safety directors remain skeptical that access to naloxone and training will make an impact when many opioid-related fatalities happen after hours.
“As soon as I started taking safety more seriously at work, I started taking safety more seriously at home,” says Kinsella. “I’m not on the top step of the ladder when I’m changing lightbulbs, I’m wearing safety glasses when I’m in my workshop. We spend most of our time at work, we learn our behaviors there.”
“We know broader public awareness and increased access to NARCAN® Nasal Spray can help more people be prepared to respond to an accidental opioid emergency,” says Joe Papa. “That’s why we are so focused on working with leaders across the industry to get NARCAN® Nasal Spray into the hands of those who need it.”
Emergent works with safety leaders across industries to implement NARCAN® Nasal Spray and help support their broader opioid emergency preparedness initiatives. Learn more about opioid poisoning risks in your workplace and how NARCAN® Nasal Spray can help save lives at NARCAN.com/workplace.
