When should employers respond to impairment?
A total of 165 people died from unregulated toxic drugs in British Columbia in April, according to data from the BC Coroners Service (BCCS).
Among them, 68 per cent were aged 30 to 59, noted the provincial government.
Prior to April, the province had managed to keep deaths attributed to unregulated drug toxicity under 160 for six consecutive months.
The number of unregulated drug deaths in April 2025 equates to approximately 5.5 deaths per day.
By health authority in 2025, the highest number of unregulated drug deaths occurred in the Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health authorities (185 and 155 deaths, respectively), accounting for 57 per cent of all such deaths during 2025.
The highest rates of death were reported in Northern Health (46 deaths per 100,000 individuals) and Interior Health (35 per 100,000 individuals).
Smoking continues to be the primary mode of consumption for unregulated toxic drugs, with 64 per cent of investigations indicating the decedent smoked their substances.
“Consistent with reporting throughout the public health emergency, fentanyl and its analogues continue to be the most common substances detected in expedited toxicological testing,” said the provincial government.
“More than three-quarters of decedents who underwent expedited testing in 2025 were found to have fentanyl in their systems (68 per cent), followed by methamphetamine (51 per cent) and cocaine (48 per cent).”
As Canada continues to deal with the opioid epidemic, the number of Canadians who have died due to accidental drug poisoning has soared over the past two decades, according to a previous report from Statistics Canada (StatCan).
When should employers respond to impairment?
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), employers should implement an impairment-at-work policy and assess the risk to the individual’s safety or the safety of others before responding to an incident of impairment.
For example, while impaired:
- Does the person have the ability to perform the job or task safely (e.g., driving, operating machinery, using sharp objects)?
- Is there an impact on cognitive ability or judgement?
“Part of this evaluation would be to consider if there are other side effects of a medical condition or treatment that need to be considered,” said CCOHS. “Each situation should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.”
Elements of a workplace impairment policy should include, among others:
- Statement of the purpose and objectives of the policy and program
- Definition of impairment
- Statement of who is covered by the policy and program
- Statement of the employee’s right to confidentiality
- A mechanism for employees to confidentially report when they have been prescribed medication that may cause impairment or when they feel they might otherwise be impaired
- Statement regarding whether medical/therapeutic or non-medical substances are allowed on the premises, or under what conditions they would be permitted
- Provision for a hierarchy of disciplinary actions
“Employers should collaborate with employees, the health and safety committee/representative, and the union (if present) to design a policy that outlines acceptable codes of behaviour and levels of safety performance,” said CCOHS. “Workplaces are encouraged to establish a policy and procedure so that safety is maintained, concerns regarding safety performance are addressed fairly and appropriately, and, where necessary, help can be coordinated or offered in a professional and consistent manner.”
In 2023, the National Safety Council noted that the opioid crisis is the fastest-growing threat to workplace safety.
