Naloxone Overdose Response Kits

Why Businesses Should Keep Naloxone in the Workplace

An opioid overdose can happen almost anywhere — including an office, warehouse, manufacturing facility, construction site, retail store, school, hotel, restaurant or other place of business. Having a naloxone overdose response kit readily available gives employees and bystanders an important tool to respond to a suspected opioid overdose while emergency medical services are on the way.

Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can rapidly reverse the effects of an overdose involving opioids such as fentanyl, heroin and prescription opioid medications. Nasal naloxone is designed to be administered quickly and can be an important addition to a company's workplace first aid and emergency preparedness program.

Why Keep Naloxone at Your Business or Facility?

Businesses prepare for medical emergencies with first aid kits, AEDs and other emergency equipment. Adding naloxone provides another level of preparedness for an emergency in which every minute can matter.

Keeping a workplace naloxone kit on site can help:

• Provide immediate access to an opioid overdose reversal medication
• Protect employees, customers, contractors and visitors
• Reduce the time between recognizing a suspected overdose and administering naloxone
• Supplement existing workplace first aid and emergency response equipment
• Help safety managers and employers prepare for opioid and fentanyl-related emergencies
• Prepare businesses for evolving state and workplace safety requirements

If an opioid overdose is suspected, call 911 immediately and administer naloxone according to the product instructions. Because the effects of naloxone may wear off before the opioids involved in an overdose, emergency medical attention is still necessary.

California Workplace Naloxone Requirements Are Coming

California is taking steps toward requiring naloxone or another FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal medication as part of workplace first-aid supplies.

Under California Assembly Bill 1976 (AB 1976), Cal/OSHA has been directed to develop proposed workplace safety regulations requiring first-aid materials to include naloxone hydrochloride or another FDA-approved opioid antagonist, along with instructions for its use.

Cal/OSHA is required to submit its proposed regulations by December 1, 2027, and the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board must consider adopting revised standards by December 1, 2028.

The final regulations and compliance dates have not yet been established, so California employers are not currently subject to a blanket AB 1976 requirement to stock naloxone. However, businesses can begin preparing now by adding naloxone to their workplace first-aid and emergency response supplies.

Who Should Consider a Workplace Naloxone Kit?

Naloxone can be a valuable emergency resource for virtually any public or private facility, including:

• Warehouses and distribution centers
• Construction sites
• Manufacturing plants
• Offices and corporate facilities
• Retail stores and shopping centers
• Hotels and hospitality facilities
• Restaurants and entertainment venues
• Schools and universities
• Municipal and government buildings
• Transportation and logistics facilities
• Property management and multi-tenant buildings
• Recreation and community facilities

A workplace does not need to have a known opioid problem to benefit from naloxone. Employees are not the only people who may experience an emergency on your property — customers, visitors, vendors and contractors may also need assistance.

Be Prepared for an Opioid Overdose Emergency

A well-stocked first aid program is about being prepared for emergencies before they happen. Keeping an opioid overdose response kit with naloxone nasal spray in an accessible location can give employees and bystanders the ability to take immediate action while waiting for professional emergency responders.

Traffic Safety Store offers naloxone overdose response kits for businesses, workplaces and public facilities, including multiple kit sizes designed to meet different facility and emergency preparedness needs.