Naloxone Kits Now Required On-Site

NALOXONE KITS NOW REQUIRED ON-SITE

The Residential Construction Council of Ontario is reminding builders that as of June 1, employers are required to have life-saving naloxone kits on construction sites. Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), all Ontario employers who know, or ought to know, that there is a risk of an opioid overdose in their workplace are required to ensure, at all times while there are workers in the workplace, that a naloxone kit is made available in good condition.

The kits are important because they have medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and allow time for medical help to arrive. Ensuring there are kits on hand will also help to reduce the stigma around opioid abuse and raise awareness about the risks of accidental overdoses. About 2,500 people in Ontario died from opioid-related causes between March 2020 and January 2021. Of the victims who were employed, 30% worked in the construction industry.

Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister Monte McNaughton has indicated that the province is bringing naloxone kits to high-risk settings and making them free because it must do everything possible to save lives. The ministry’s first approach is education, but under the OHSA more significant fines can now be imposed on poor performers and repeat offenders.