NSC Urges Congress to Pass Workplace Overdose Bill After OSHA Issues Guidance -- Occupational Health & Safety

A Naloxone nasal spray device standing in front of a black and red emergency response kit.

NSC Urges Congress to Pass Workplace Overdose Bill After OSHA Issues Guidance

The WORK to Save Lives Act would direct OSHA to issue employer guidance and set overdose-response requirements for federal agencies.

By Danielle Naidu
Sep 30, 2026

The National Safety Council and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator's Overdose Prevention Initiative are urging Congress to pass the WORK to Save Lives Act following OSHA's release of new workplace opioid overdose guidance.

H.R. 7479 and S. 3812 would direct OSHA to issue nonmandatory guidance for employers and require federal agencies to maintain opioid reversal medication and provide annual employee training.

Drug and alcohol overdoses caused 410 fatal occupational injuries in 2024, compared with 512 in 2023, Bureau of Labor Statistics data show. The figures are not limited to opioid-related deaths.

OSHA's Sept. 24 fact sheet advises employers to keep naloxone or nalmefene where workers can reach it quickly, monitor supplies and prepare employees to recognize an overdose. Responders should call 911 after administering medication because its effects can wear off. The guidance creates no new compliance requirements.

About the Author

Danielle Naidu is assistant editor for Security Today, Campus Security Today, Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.

Product Showcase

Featured

What Workplace Safety History Can Teach Today's Safety Professionals

More than a century of workplace tragedies and reforms helped shape today’s safety requirements. Understanding that history can help safety professionals reinforce why established controls still matter. Read Now
How the BRICS Summit Could Shape Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety

BRICS cooperation could shape worker protection, industrial safety and environmental health across emerging economies. Read Now
Why AI Could Become Standard in Logistics Safety by 2030

As warehouses and distribution networks adopt more automation, safety teams are beginning to rethink how they identify risks created by the movement of workers, vehicles and machines. Read Now
When the Workforce Ages: Preventing Falls, Strains and Severe Injuries

Older workers are injured less often, but age-related changes can make injuries more severe, costly and difficult to recover from. Read Now
The Best Injury Is the One That Never Happens: A Proactive Approach to Workplace MSK Health

Employers can identify musculoskeletal risks earlier by evaluating job tasks, tracking worker discomfort and providing job-specific movement training. Read Now
Lone Worker Safety Matters More Than Ever Before. Here's Why

Lone worker safety requires attention to fatigue, communication gaps, emergency response and trust in monitoring technology. Read Now

Artificial Intelligence

Why AI Could Become Standard in Logistics Safety by 2030
As warehouses and distribution networks adopt more automation, safety teams are beginning to rethink how they identify risks created by the movement of workers, vehicles and machines.
San José State Receives $30,000 Grant to Study AI Ergonomics
Researchers will develop a sensor-equipped workstation that identifies ergonomic risks and tests when computer workers should receive support.
Skilled Trade Workers Turn to AI Amid Surge in Labor Demand
Trade professionals increasingly rely on automation, digital tools and continuous training to combat workforce shortages.
How Connected Safety Helps Lean Safety Teams Do More
Deploying IoT wearables and AI video analytics provides short-staffed EHS teams with continuous visibility, closing operational blind spots and stopping SIFs before they occur.
The Hidden Safety Risk of AI: Losing the Ability to Recover
AI may improve hazard detection and injury prevention, but organizations that rely too heavily on automation could inadvertently weaken the human skills and organizational resilience needed to manage unexpected events.