Recovery-Supportive Workplaces: How Safety Leaders Can Get Ahead of Overdose Risk

With overdoses still behind about 8% of workplace deaths, an NSC expert explains how recovery support pays off and three steps to take now.

• By Danielle Naidu
• Nov 10, 2026

Workplace overdose fatality rates have declined over the past two years of available data, but they remain a serious safety problem. Overdoses still account for about 8% of all workplace fatalities, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. More than 9,000 EMS activations occur each year for nonfatal workplace overdose events, according to the National Emergency Medical Services Information System.

OH&S asked Claire Bryant, MPH, CHES, a senior program manager for workplace safety programs at the National Safety Council (NSC), what recovery-supportive workplaces are, why they pay off and what safety leaders can do now. A public health professional, Bryant works on NSC's workplace well-being initiatives, where she plans and evaluates programs on issues such as substance misuse and fatigue at work.

Following the National Trend

Workplace overdose fatality rates have generally tracked national trends, Bryant said. Workplace overdose deaths peaked in 2022, the same year national overdose deaths reached a historic high of more than 100,000. Both have since come down. Those improvements have been credited to expanded naloxone availability, greater access to treatment and shifts in the illicit drug supply, she said.

"Despite this progress, the impact overdoses have on workplaces remains significant," Bryant said. She pointed to a continued need to prioritize substance misuse prevention and strengthen workplace preparedness, including wider access to naloxone.

What a Recovery-Supportive Workplace Looks Like

Recovery-supportive workplaces, also called recovery-friendly or recovery-ready workplaces, actively support employees affected by substance use disorders (SUDs), including those in recovery. Bryant cited the Recovery Friendly Workplace Institute's definition: "a place of work where the employer, in collaboration with employees, establishes, maintains, and continually enhances policies, practices, and a culture that support current and prospective employees in recovery from, or otherwise affected by, substance use disorders."

In practice, these workplaces use a mix of prevention, intervention and support. That can include fair-chance hiring, access to SUD treatment on par with other chronic health conditions, naloxone on site, substance-free options at workplace events, accommodations for treatment or recovery-related appointments, employee education on substance misuse and SUDs, and broader efforts to reduce stigma and encourage people to ask for help.

So how is that different from an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? "An EAP is the mechanism that provides workers with the help they need, while a recovery-supportive workplace is the broader framework in which EAPs and other resources are implemented in tandem to support SUD prevention, treatment and recovery," Bryant said.

For employers building or strengthening a program, she recommended the recently updated U.S. Department of Labor toolkit, which offers a practical framework and implementation guidance. More than 30 states now offer recovery-friendly workplace recognition or certification programs, which can also serve as models and starting points.

Where Employers See Returns

The returns show up in attendance, turnover, health care costs and safety, Bryant said.

Research NSC conducted with NORC at the University of Chicago for the NSC Substance Use Cost Calculator found that workers in recovery miss an average of 10.9 days of work a year, compared with 24.6 days for workers with an SUD. That is a difference of nearly two workweeks a year.

Turnover is another cost. Additional NSC and NORC research shows that people with an untreated SUD are 40% more likely to have changed employers in the previous year, while employees in recovery have turnover rates comparable to the general workforce. Replacing an employee can cost from one-third to more than one-half of that employee's annual salary, so "retention alone can be critical in reducing related costs," Bryant said.

Employees with untreated SUDs are also more likely to have illnesses and injuries and to need medical care, which adds to employer health care spending, she said.

Then there is safety. Substance use can impair judgment, reaction time and decision-making, raising the risk of workplace incidents. By supporting prevention, treatment and recovery, employers can improve workplace safety, reduce absenteeism and presenteeism, and strengthen workforce stability, Bryant said.

Three Steps Safety Directors Can Take Now

1. Stock naloxone and train employees to use it. A majority of overdose deaths involve opioids, and naloxone remains the most effective tool available to temporarily reverse an opioid overdose, Bryant said. Employers should make naloxone accessible and make sure employees know when and how to use it. NSC offers an Overdose Emergency Planning Tool for workplaces and a free eLearning course, "Naloxone for Suspected Opioid Overdose," that teaches employees to spot the signs of an overdose and respond with naloxone.

2. Find out whether your state has a program. State recovery-friendly workplace certification or recognition programs give employers practical guidance, technical assistance, training and implementation support, so organizations have context as they work through the process.

3. Train supervisors. Frontline supervisors are often in the best position to notice changes in behavior, performance or well-being, Bryant said. Training should cover signs of impairment from drugs, alcohol, fatigue and other factors that affect safety. It should also prepare supervisors to respond appropriately and connect employees to resources such as EAPs, behavioral health benefits, peer support programs and recovery services.

"Employers do not and should not have to choose between safety and support," she said.

Breaking Down Stigma

The biggest cultural barrier is stigma, Bryant said. Many employees fear that asking for help will lead to judgment, disciplinary action or losing their job, so they stay silent until a crisis happens.

Leaders can change that by treating SUDs as health conditions, "not personal flaws or failings," she said. That means training supervisors to recognize concerns early, making clear that the organization supports employees getting care and connecting them with EAPs, behavioral health benefits and recovery services.

"Ultimately, employees are more likely to seek help when they believe two things: they know where to go for support, and they can do so without fear of negative consequences," Bryant said.

At the same time, workplace safety requires a clear expectation that no one does a job while impaired, she said. The goal is clear pathways to support and recovery while keeping the workplace safe for everyone.

Prevention Before Response

Overdose response is critical, Bryant said, but the greatest impact comes from building systems that prevent crises before they occur. For safety professionals, that means expanding traditional safety programs to include impairment prevention, recovery support, supervisor training and naloxone preparedness.

"When organizations invest in those areas, they're not only helping save lives, they're helping build a healthier and more resilient workforce," she said.

Employers can use NSC's free Substance Use Cost Calculator to better understand the impact of SUDs on their workforce and the operational benefits of prevention, treatment and recovery support. The NSC Workplace Wellbeing Hub offers action-oriented tools for safety professionals on substance use and other well-being-related risks.