NAHB offers resources on managing opioid misuse in residential construction

Washington — In response to the particularly heavy impact the opioid crisis is having on the construction industry, the National Association of Home Builders has introduced several free resources intended to help residential construction organizations combat the issue.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis published in August revealed that construction workers rank first among 26 occupations in total drug overdose deaths. That same month, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health released a report that found construction and extraction workers in the state are six times more likely to suffer an opioid-related overdose death than workers in all other occupations.

Aiming to “stem the tide of the opioid epidemic’s reach into the homebuilding industry,” NAHB is offering:

• An executive training package, including a webinar and other downloadable materials, outlining why industry action is needed.
• Supervisor training packages on workplace interventions and preventing opioid misuse in the industry.
• Fact sheets on the risks associated with taking opioids, and identifying medical and nonmedical opioids.
• Resources on non-opioid alternatives to pain management.
• A state-by-state guide of locally available resources.

“Opioid addiction is our nation’s leading public health crisis, and it affects people across all socioeconomic classes, races, genders and jobs, and the homebuilding industry is no exception,” NAHB Chairman Greg Ugalde said in a June 10 press release. “NAHB is pleased to provide resources and possible solutions to this issue affecting so many lives.”

NAHB said it plans to update and add to the resources as they are finalized.

Photo credit (center top image): Urine Drug Test