
The opioid crisis in the United States has persisted for over three decades, which escalated further – and sharply – during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overdose deaths in the United States more than doubled in the past five years.
Tragically, over 109,000 Americans died from overdoses in 2023. Governmental data attributes approximately 70% of these fatalities to opioids, with synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, accounting for about 75% of all opioid-related deaths.
High overdose death rates in the food logistics sector
A 2023 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) report confirmed that occupations in transportation, material moving, and warehousing have been profoundly affected by the opioid crisis. This report is the first national analysis highlighting how the opioid crisis intersects with specific industries and occupations.
Elevated overdose death rates were reported in two areas of interest:
● Transportation and material moving occupation group: Ranked third among 22 occupational groups analyzed, with a death rate of 70.7 per 100,000 workers, compared to the overall occupational rate of 42.1.
● Transportation and warehousing industry group: Ranked seventh among 19 industry groups analyzed, with a death rate of 50.2 per 100,000 workers, compared to the overall industry rate of 41.3.
Workplace overdoses are a leading cause of occupational fatalities
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that 2022 marked the 10th consecutive annual increase in workplace fatalities from unintentional overdoses involving nonmedical drug and alcohol use. Overdoses now account for over 9.5% of all occupational fatalities. Consequently, many employers are stocking naloxone (Narcan) on job sites to address this growing crisis.
Although overdose fatality data is not available by industry, the CDC report suggests that transportation, material moving, and warehousing occupations likely account for a significant share of these fatalities.
Understanding and mitigating risk factors
Addressing the opioid and overdose crisis requires honesty and vulnerability for leaders to acknowledge that there may be a problem. Opioid risk reduction and overdose prevention is a complex problem. There is no “easy button” or single solution. There are many interrelated causal and contributing factors for why and how construction and extraction have been disproportionately impacted by the opioid crisis.
The National Vital Statistics Report highlights that “differences in drug overdose deaths across occupations and industries are hypothesized to result from two intersecting pathways: physical pain due to acute injury or cumulative physical trauma at work and work-related psychosocial stress.” Other research has identified prescriptions for on- and off-the job injuries and surgeries have been identified as contributing factors.
Musculoskeletal injuries: A gateway to opioid use
In industries such as manufacturing, warehousing, and transportation, musculoskeletal injuries are a leading cause of opioid prescriptions. These injuries often result from repetitive manual tasks, such as lifting, twisting, bending, and carrying loads, as well as from slips, trips, falls, and incidents involving heavy equipment.
According to BLS data, approximately 25-30% of workers in these sectors experience at least one musculoskeletal disorder. Such injuries frequently lead to opioid prescriptions for pain management, increasing the risk of substance dependency.
The role of prescription medications
Opioid prescriptions for injuries and surgeries remain a major source of new cases of persistent opioid use. For individuals in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD), being prescribed opioids for pain can pose significant risks. For anyone in recovery from substance use disorder, being prescribed opioids after injuries, or medical, dental, and/or surgical procedures creates a special risk.
While alternative pain management methods have advanced, research reveals that 90% of surgical patients still receive opioid prescriptions. Alarmingly, 90% of these patients fail to properly dispose of leftover medication, increasing the risk of accidental overdoses among household members.
A call to action for the food logistics sector
Overdose deaths inflict a toll on families, workplaces, communities, and the national economy. The opioid crisis impacts every socioeconomic class of the United States albeit with some notable age, gender, geographic, demographic, and occupational disparities. Businesses in the food logistics sector are encouraged to consider the effects of opioids on their workforce. The risk of opioids is real and manifests in many ways in business processes and performance, including productivity, quality, risk management and safety.