On June 1, 2023, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Sec. 25.2) will require workplaces at risk of a worker opioid overdose to have at least one naloxone kit available onsite and have staff trained in its use.
An associated regulation, Naloxone Kits (O. Reg. 559/22) also comes into effect, which prescribes the contents of a naloxone kit, and sets out additional requirements related to the kit’s provision and maintenance.
Understanding the responsibilities of your workplace
Although not every workplace will be required to have naloxone onsite, every business should understand the legislation so that they are better equipped to make decisions around this legal requirement.
Free Training & Learning Resources
WSPS offers the following free resources to help businesses understand this new legislation:
Ontario’s Workplace Naloxone Program
The Ontario government is offering support to employers who are required to comply with these new requirements by providing free naloxone training for up to two workers per workplace and/or one free nasal spray naloxone kit per workplace. Information about this program can be found on their website.
Posted May 31, 2023
