In an effort to protect Ontario workers, the provincial government is planning to mandate naloxone kits at any workplace where an employee is at risk of an overdose.
“Everyone in our province knows someone who has been impacted by the opioid epidemic,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, in a news release. “These are brothers, sisters, mothers and daughters, and we need to do everything in our power to save lives. That is why our government is bringing life-saving naloxone kits to high-risk settings such as construction sites, bars and nightclubs.”
If passed, the Working for Workers Act, 2022 will also require workers be trained to ensure they know to use the naloxone kits in the event of an opioid overdose.
Also included in the act, are changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act to increase the maximum fines for businesses that fail to protect their workers. Businesses could face fines of up to $1.5 million should an unsafe work environment lead to the death or serious injury of a worker.
Naloxone is a medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
