Amazon equips its North American ops facilities with anti-overdose medication
Amazon is taking a proactive step in its workplace against a major public health crisis.
In response to the continuing opioid crisis, Amazon is stocking naloxone, an overdose-reversal medication, at its its North American operations facilities. The company said it is one of the first major companies to do so.
"While we hope we never need to use them, proactive measures like this have the potential to save lives, and we’re proud to be investing in them," said Sarah Rhoads, VP of workplace health & safety at Amazon. "Our employees’ safety is our top priority, which is why we’re taking the industry-leading step of providing access to naloxone. Being prepared for any potential medical emergency is just one of the ways we’re continuing to invest in safety and making progress toward our goal of being the safest workplace in the industries in which we operate."
Amazon is rolling out its naloxone program in two phases, starting with its most densely populated fulfillment centers. By early 2025, the company plans to expand the program to provide all of the e-tasil giant’s operations sites in the U.S. with the medication.
The program includes comprehensive training for employees on how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and properly administer naloxone.
"The opioid crisis requires action from all of us," said Dr. Anthony Harris, global medical director at Amazon. "This initiative aligns with the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the White House, and National Safety Council (NSC) for employers to set up programs to deploy naloxone within the workplace — and it’s also just the right thing to do for our people."
Amazon offers hourly frontline workers a variety of health benefits, including health care eligibility on the first day on the job and a variety of mental health resources. Starting in early 2025, membership in the Prime program, which includes a number of optional healthcare benefits, will be offered free of charge to hourly employees. focuses on reducing musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), more commonly known as a strain or sprain.
From 2019-2023, the rate of MSD recordable incident rates at Amazon improved 27%, and the company has also invested in a range of transportation safety technologies.
[READ MORE: Amazon to spend $200 million on safety tech across its transportation network
