Construction Opioid Awareness Week

Last Full Week of July:

July 22 - 26, 2024

Make Sure to Participate in the: Construction Opioid Awareness Week Ideas

Construction Opioid Awareness Week Newsletter

Pennsylvania Senate supports Senate Resolution 316, which declares the last full week of July as "Construction Opioid Awareness Week." Construction associations and labor organizations across the state united to launch this initiative.

What is Construction Opioid Awareness Week?

An event for the construction industry to raise awareness and understand the potential dangers of prescription drug abuse.

Why Participate?

In 2016, more than 2,200 Pennsylvanians died of opioid overdoses, the fourth highest rate in the United States according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.  Construction workers are involved in very physically demanding jobs and because of that many turn to medication for relief. Twenty percent of all prescribed medications to the construction industry contain an opioid in it and we feel the industry needs to be better educated on this addictive medication. 

Who is Encouraged to Participate?

Organizations of any size in the construction industry who are looking for an opportunity to show commitment to safety and compassion for their workers should participate.

How to Participate?

Participating in Construction Opioid Awareness Week is easy. Simply think about what activities you would like to do (potential ideas listed below). You can host an event for your company or open your company event to others to engage your community.

Make sure your entire company knows where the drug take-back locations are in Pennsylvania.

Make your company location a Drug Take Back location  during Construction Opioid Awareness Week.  KCA is willing to assist with this announcement and then collect and properly dispose of collected drugs after the event.

Distribute "Opioids - Warn Me Stickers" to your employees and encourage them to place the stickers on their insurance cards. With these stickers, healthcare professionals are supposed to alert patients of when a prescription contains an opioid and suggest an alternative. Contact the KCA for assistance receiving your stickers. 

Construction Company Resources / Event Ideas:

In partnership with the National Safety Council, we assembled an Opioids At Work Daily Toolkit for the week. The construction industry is seeking to better understand how opioid use in the workplace impacts safety, employee health and wellness, and your workplace’s bottom line. Pennsylvania's Construction Employers Opioid Awareness Toolkit

Monday – Opioids: Current FAQs and Stats To Know Toolbox Talk

Tuesday – Preventing Opioid Misuse in the Workplace Toolbox Talk

Wednesday – Learning About Opioid Overdose Toolbox Talk 

Thursday – Understanding Treatment and Recovery Toolbox Talk

Friday – Building a Recovery-Friendly Workplace Toolbox Talk 

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The National Safety Council is a true leader in our nation's construction industry on prescription opioid use and misuse and the KCA is proud to have a relationship with this organization. We cannot thank you enough for guiding us on this journey to assist our members on educating their workers on opioids.