A medical diagnostic service for workers who may have work-related health problems.

An OHCOW nurse will take detailed notes on your work history, your health and what you have been exposed to at work. The nurse will share this information with the OHCOW doctor, who will then examine you and ask you more questions.

The whole OHCOW team will discuss whether your workplace caused your health problem. They will recommend ways to prevent further problems. If you need to be treated, the OHCOW doctor will send you to your family doctor or other treating physician.

Your medical information is confidential. However, if you give your consent, this information will be shared with the joint health and safety committee at your workplace or with others who are helping with your case. This may help prevent your co-workers from getting sick or injured. It will also help identify whether others are already suffering from the same problem as you clinics.

Examples of Diagnostic services that OHCOW has provided:

OHCOW HELPS OFFICE CLEANERS

An OHCOW doctor saw several office cleaners from the same workplace. They had skin and breathing problems when they used cleaning products. OHCOW's occupational hygienist discovered certain types of cleaning products were causing their problems. OHCOW reported its findings and the employer changed the types of cleaning products it used. The workers' problems were solved.

WORKPLACE CANCER IDENTIFIED

A printer came to an OHCOW clinic because he had leukemia and wanted to know if it was related to his work. OHCOW's occupational hygienist took a detailed work history. The printer had been exposed to large amounts of the organic solvent toluene every day at work for over 25 years. Sometimes he handled 3600 pounds per day. Until the early 1980's, toluene was often contaminated with benzene, which causes leukemia.

OHCOW's doctor found that the printer's cancer was caused by his work. Later, the printer received compensation for his disease.

HELP FOR THE SELF EMPLOYED

People who are self employed have work related health problems too. They do not have a joint health and safety committee or workplace experts to help them. They are both the employer and the worker. We help them too.

A self employed potter was sent to an OHCOW clinic by her family doctor because she used cadmium, a heavy metal.

OHCOW's occupational hygienist toured the potter's studio and talked to the potter about her work. The hygienist found that, not only was the potter exposed to cadmium, she was also exposed to dangerous amounts of silica. The hygienist's report suggested safer ways of working including engineering controls such as local exhaust ventilation, protective equipment such as a respirator and better housekeeping. An ergonomist showed the potter how to reduce the risk of back, neck and arm injuries in her work.

This potter is also a teacher at a community college. She will share this safety information with her students. OHCOW staff also helped write an article for a national potters' magazine to share this information.