Ontario employers required to have naloxone kits on construction sites as of June 1

May 30, 2023 – The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) is advising builders that new legislation kicks in June 1, requiring employers to have life-saving naloxone kits on construction sites.

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), all Ontario employers who know, or ought to know, that there is a risk of an opioid overdose in their workplace, are required to ensure that, at all times while there are workers in the workplace, a naloxone kit is made available in good condition.

About 2,500 people in Ontario died from opioid-related causes between March 2020 and January 2021. Of the victims who were employed, 30 per cent worked in the construction industry.

Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Minister Monte McNaughton has indicated that the province is bringing naloxone kits to high-risk settings and making them free because it must do everything possible to save lives. The ministry’s first approach is education, but under the OHSA more significant fines can now be imposed on poor performers and repeat offenders.