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Policy shift restricts most city employees from using naloxone during work hours

Edmonton's transit union president and a safety consultant are criticizing a new city policy restricting employees from administering naloxone.

The drug that reverses opioid overdoses is widely available and easy to use, but the city says workplace safety must come first for employees.

Catherine Jevic teaches free classes on how to use naloxone through her community league.

"They are very simple to use," Jevic told CTV News Edmonton. "We've had fatalities here in our neighbourhood, and I can't imagine the pain that the families go through."

She's heard from students working for the city about the policy change restricting who can administer the life-saving drug.

Now, only employees with city-provided naloxone and recognized training can administer naloxone during work hours.

"The City of Edmonton as the city is telling members of the public: pick up a kit, get trained, use it if you feel safe to do so," Jevic said, [but then] the City of Edmonton as an employer robbing their workers of that ability."

Steve Bradshaw, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 569 president, says he carried naloxone in his bag while he was a bus driver.

"I was fully prepared to use it," he said.

In his view, the new policy is too restrictive. Aside from peace officers, transit staff are no longer allowed to apply naloxone despite being more likely to witness an overdose.

The policy change, which came into effect on Dec. 7, is about balancing and managing the risks to employee safety and the need to reverse overdoses, says Cyndil Taylor, branch manager for workforce safety and employee health.

"Administering naloxone is part of the core job duties for some employees, such as Transit Peace Officers," Taylor said in a statement. "They have job-specific training that includes responding to risks such as exposure to blood and bodily fluids and the psychological impact of situations."

According to Taylor, the "majority" of city employees have not been impacted by the policy change.

"As an employer, the City has legislated obligations to protect employees from hazards in the workplace," she said, adding that municipal employees who are no longer authorized to administer the drug can still call 911 and follow the city's emergency response manual.

As of Dec. 19, transit peace officers and firefighters have administered naloxone around 1,100 times this year, with fire rescue employees using it at 851 events.

Jevic believes all city staff should have the option to intervene rather than just calling 911.

"If you have the training, you have the tools, then you should have the ability to make your own choices as to whether you can help." 

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