California Requires Certain Employers to Mandate Naloxone Training

The Details

Under the law, employers that operate in the state of California and require CPR certification training must also require employees to take an online video training on the use of naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses.

The training must:

• Be approved by the state’s Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA).
• Be separate from the existing CPR training curriculum.
• Include, at a minimum, all of the following:
   
  • Recognition of the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose.
  • Appropriate response actions, including emergency procedures.
  • Proper administration of naloxone or other opioid antagonists approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

The employer must pay the costs of the training.

The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) will enforce the training requirement under its existing enforcement authority.

Note: This law doesn’t require employers to maintain naloxone in the workplace. However, employers who require employees to obtain CPR certification must also require those employees to complete an EMSA-approved online video module on the use of naloxone.

Next Steps

California employers that require employees to obtain CPR certification should:

• Identify employee positions that currently require CPR certification training.
• Review existing training programs and identify a state-approved naloxone training module that meets the new requirements.
• Update workplace safety, first aid, and training policies to reflect the new naloxone training requirement.
• Budget for and pay all costs associated with the required naloxone training.
• Ensure affected employees complete the required naloxone training in addition to CPR certification beginning January 1, 2027.
• Consider maintaining records documenting employee completion of the naloxone training and CPR certification.
• Monitor guidance from the California Emergency Medical Services Authority regarding approved training modules.