An overdose can happen anywhere including the workplace. Unintentional overdose deaths at work from non-medical use of drugs or alcohol increased for the seventh year in a row in 2019. Based on a survey conducted by the National Safety Council, 75% of employers report that opioid use has impacted their workplace, with 31% reporting an overdose, arrest, near miss or injury due to opioid use. Without immediate intervention, an opioid overdose can quickly lead to death. Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose.
Overdose Response Training & Naloxone
The St. Mary’s County Health Department offers free training for community members on:
- How opioids impact the brain and body
- How to recognize the signs and symptoms of opioid overdose
- How to administer naloxone
- How to care for someone who is having an overdose until emergency help arrives
Learn more and register for the training at smchd.org/overdose.
Naloxone
Naloxone (Narcan®) is a life-saving medication that may be able to restore the breathing of a person who has overdosed on opioids (e.g. heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, methadone, etc.) A variety of naloxone products, including a nasal spray, injection, and auto-injection, are available to respond to an overdose. Consider establishing a naloxone program in your workplace.
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