The Massachusetts Department of Public Health found that almost a quarter of overdose deaths in the state between 2011 and 2015 occurred among people who work in construction and were mostly men. Farmers and fishermen also had higher than average rates of overdose deaths. These are industries with high rates of occupational injuries.

The study analyzed 4,302 Massachusetts residents who had died of opioid-related overdoses between 2011 and 2015 and whose death records listed their occupation. The study was funded by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Massachusetts saw overdose-related deaths double from 2011 to 2015 and their rate of opioid-related overdose deaths is higher than average in the country.

The average rate of opioid-related deaths in Massachusetts was 25.1 deaths per 100,000 workers. Construction and extractions workers had a rate of 150.6 deaths per 100,000 workers, six times the average. Workers in farming, fishing and forestry saw rates of 143.9, more than five times the average rate for Massachusetts workers.

Women who worked in health care support and food preparation/serving had higher rates than women working in other occupations. The average rate for female workers in Massachusetts was 11.6 deaths per 100,000 workers and women in health care support saw rates of 30.1 while food service related occupations had rates of 28.9.

Other occupations with significantly higher than average rates of opioid deaths were material moving occupations (59.1), installation/maintenance/repair occupations (54.0), transportation occupations (42.6), production occupations (42.1), food preparation and serving related occupations (39.5), building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (38.3) and healthcare support occupations (31.8).

Researchers found that opioid-related overdose rates were higher among employees in industries and occupations with high rates of work-related injuries, and higher among workers in occupations with lower availability of paid sick leave and lower job security. Jodi-Sugarman-Brozan, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, an advocacy group for workers’ health, said that workers can face delays in the workers’ compensation system and may rely on painkillers while they are waiting for their care because of the pressure to continue working even while in pain.

“Ensuring that jobs are safe, that the risk of injury is low, and that workers have the time for rehabilitation and are not self-medicating to keep working are all key to decreasing opioid overdose deaths among workers,” Dr. Monica Bharel, state public health commissioner, said in a statement.

Read the study here and an article from The Boston Globe