{"id":17465,"date":"2019-07-22T14:27:47","date_gmt":"2019-07-22T14:27:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/07\/22\/how-cbp-employees-were-left-in-danger-of-opioid-exposure\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T04:42:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T04:42:58","slug":"how-cbp-employees-were-left-in-danger-of-opioid-exposure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/management\/2019\/07\/22\/how-cbp-employees-were-left-in-danger-of-opioid-exposure\/","title":{"rendered":"How CBP employees were left in danger of opioid exposure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

U.S. Customs and Border Protection stores approximately 3,500 pounds of seized fentanyl \u2014 a synthetic opioid that can be lethal in even small doses \u2014 in its Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures Division storehouses. But according to the agency\u2019s inspector general, CBP has not put in place the necessary protections to prevent its employees from accidentally exposing themselves to the drug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A July 16 report cites the Office of National Drug Control Policy\u2019s Fentanyl Safety Recommendations for First Responders, which recommends that those in danger of accidental fentanyl exposure have precautions handy to treat those exposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSpecifically, it suggests first responders administer naloxone according to a department\u2019s protocols in case of exposure to fentanyl,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDespite these recommendations, CBP has not always made naloxone available to treat its staff in cases of exposure to opioids. During our audit, we visited seven vaults that contained fentanyl. Two of the vaults did not have naloxone, and an officer at one of the vaults had never heard of it. The other five vaults contained naloxone, but two of the five had it locked in boxes with codes. One of the two vaults containing naloxone also contained the largest recent seizure of fentanyl in CBP history. Staff had taped a piece of paper bearing the code to this vault on the wall next to the lock-box. However, when asked to open the lock-box at the other vault, staff could not open it because they could not remember the code.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t