Report Evaluates Potential Exposures to Illicit Drugs Among Library Employees

A report describing a NIOSH investigation of potential unintentional exposures to illicit drugs in a county library system recently became available on the agency’s website. The investigation was part of the NIOSH health hazard evaluation (HHE) program.

At the county’s invitation, NIOSH personnel visited three libraries in June 2024, evaluated their ventilation systems, and interviewed 95 employees about work practices. The interviews indicated that many employees perceive illicit drug use in the library as a major problem that increases their stress level. Employees’ concerns focused on possible illegal drug use in library bathrooms, specifically from patrons smoking fentanyl. More than half of the 34 employees who reported incidents in bathrooms said that they experienced symptoms such as headaches, though none reported symptoms consistent with severe opioid toxicity, such as pinpoint pupils, stopped breathing, or loss of consciousness.

NIOSH discovered that all the bathroom exhaust fans in one of the libraries were inoperable, despite appearing to be in good condition. Investigators were unable to determine why the fans weren’t working. This was the only anomaly observed during investigation of the ventilation systems. In all three libraries, the HVAC units were working as intended, and bathrooms were negatively pressurized compared to the rest of the facility, as designed. In one bathroom, investigators found a needle stuck in a ceiling tile, which presented possible exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

The report’s recommendations include improving ventilation in the restrooms by ensuring the exhaust fans are operating according to ASHRAE guidelines, offering additional training to employees on responding to incidents of suspected illicit drug use, and improving the bloodborne pathogen exposure prevention program. For more information, review the HHE report (PDF) on the NIOSH website.