Overdose deaths from drugs and alcohol were 8.1% of all occupational injury deaths in 2024. Opioids (such as oxycodone, heroin, and fentanyl) contribute to the majority of overdose deaths. In addition to fatality metrics, it’s important to understand the broader impact of workplace overdose by considering nonfatal events.
Naloxone is an opioid overdose reversal medication that can temporarily stop the impact opioids have on the brain.
The following data provide an overview of nonfatal emergency medical services (EMS) opioid overdose activations in workplaces and the use of naloxone. Naloxone is an opioid overdose reversal medication that can temporarily stop the impact opioids have on the brain. The National Safety Council obtained data and created workplace definitions by referencing National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) datasets. In 2024, EMS was activated over 12,600 times to respond to potential opioid overdoses occurring in workplace settings, a 39% decrease from 2023. From 2022 through 2024, naloxone was used approximately 65% of the time during workplace opioid activations. These potential opioid overdoses occurred to individuals both employed by organizations and members of the public.
These data demonstrate the critical importance of being prepared to respond to overdoses in the workplace, no matter who is impacted. Explore the data below to learn more about the prevalence of EMS activations in various workplace location types and demographic groups. You can also visit Respond Ready Workplace to learn more about preparing your workplace for an overdose emergency.
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The data presented in this dashboard are derived from the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS), which is supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS). NEMSIS is the official EMS data collection standard for EMS agencies and provides a national framework for collecting, storing, and sharing standardized EMS data from states.
All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four territories (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands) submit de-identified EMS data to the NEMSIS Technical Assistance Center (TAC). Together, this reflects activity on behalf of an estimated 95% of all EMS agencies nationwide that respond to 911 calls for emergency care and transport to acute care facilities.
The national EMS database is the largest and most comprehensive dataset on actual nonfatal pre-hospital setting emergency medical encounters and outcomes.
The nonfatal drug overdose events presented in the dashboard are captured with a combination of International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) medical classification codes and NEMSIS treatment protocol and medication response codes. Patients are defined as experiencing a mild to life-threatening nonfatal drug overdose when: (1) patient symptoms and/or EMS provider impressions list drug poisoning, overdose and/or other adverse effects from substance ingestion as a reason for emergency response; (2) the treatment provided is consistent with an EMS agency adopted protocol for overdose response; and/or (3) patient symptoms improve following the receipt of common overdose reversal medication(s). These records are further subset to exclude patient encounters where the patient was deceased at arrival or died during care or transport. Non-primary Electronic Patient Care Reports (ePCRs) submitted from multiple-tier EMS systems are also excluded to permit analysis at the level of the event as opposed to record or EMS activation.