OHCOW

International Day of Persons with Disabilities
2024-12-03
More than 6.2 million Canadians have a disability – and many have disabilities that are not visible. Persons with disabilities face discrimination, incur many additional expenses, and often encounter barriers to finding meaningful and well-paid work. We recognize that disabilities are diverse in nature – whether physical, sensory, cognitive, or mental health-related – and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. But whatever a person’s needs may be, the Government of Canada is committed to making our country more accessible and more inclusive for everyone.
Go to Page

Occ|tober and Beyond Webinar Series 2024
2024-11-28 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Toronto)
12:00pm – 1:30pm EST
Occupational Illness and Disease Prevention
Can we prevent what we can’t see?
Occupational illnesses are conditions that usually require continued exposures over time to develop. They may even result from a combination of environmental and work-related factors. Ontario’s Health and Safety Associations are working to increase knowledge of various workplace exposures, which can not always be seen! In this session, learn how Ontario’s Health and Safety System is helping to identify hazards and implement effective control measures to prevent occupational diseases.
Speakers: Kelly Fernandes – WSPS Specialized Consultant; Steve Gore – WSPS Industrial Hygiene Specialist; Jasmine Kalsi, ROH, Infrastructure Health & Safety Association.
VIEW PLAYLIST FOR THIS SERIES

Occ|tober and Beyond Webinar Series 2024
2024-11-21 12:00 - 13:30
12:00pm – 1:30pm EST
Occ|tober & Beyond: Occupational Illness and Disease Prevention
How can your respirator stop things smaller than the filter?
Last updated in 2018 and reaffirmed in 2023, the CSA Standard CAN/CSA Z94.4 (Selection, Use, and Care of Respirators) was amended to include a new section on respiratory protection against bio-aerosols. This addition includes a risk assessment for bio-aerosol protection using respirators. Learn how to assess the hazards of bio-aerosols and select the appropriate respiratory protection.
Speakers: Dr. Kevin Hedges, PhD, COH, CIH, Fellow of AIOH, OHCOW; Dr. Simon Smith, Retired from 3M, Member of CSA Committees, and Renowned Respirator Expert.
REGISTER

World COPD Day
2024-11-15
World COPD Day is organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) in collaboration with health care professionals and COPD patient groups throughout the world. Its aim is to raise awareness, share knowledge, and discuss ways to reduce the burden of COPD worldwide.
See the international web site.
Check out the Silica Control Tool, created for the construction industry and adapted for Ontario workers. Silica exposure in the construction environment poses many health risks including lung disease.
Don’t miss a session of our Occ-tober and Beyond Webinar Series!

Occ|tober and Beyond Webinar Series 2024
2024-11-14 12:00 - 13:30
12:00pm – 1:30pm EST
Occ|tober & Beyond: Occupational Illness and Disease Prevention
Can you assess exposures you can’t measure?
Occupational hygienists are experts at measuring exposures and interpreting risk based on exposure limits. But what do we do when we can’t make a measurement, or the chemical doesn’t have an exposure limit? Learn in this session how exposure control banding is a rapidly evolving semi-quantitative process to recognize and control the risk of hazards when measurements and limits are not available.
Speakers: Alex Mercer, MSc, CIH, ROH, President of CRBOH and Operations Manager at JADA Solutions (HSE) + more!
REGISTER

Remembrance Day
2024-11-11

Occ|tober and Beyond 2024 Webinar Series
2024-11-07 12:00 - 13:30
12:00pm – 1:30pm EST
Occ|tober & Beyond: Occupational Illness and Disease Prevention
What you can’t see can still harm you!
Silica is a naturally occurring mineral that can be found anywhere. While safe when used solid form like in bricks, drywall, countertops, when made airborne, such as by chipping, sanding, or grinding, it can cause fatal lung diseases even when exposures are so low that you can barely see it. The Silica Control Tool, developed in British Columba, was revised by OHCOW last year. This year, it’s use has expanded into New Brunswick. The Silica Tool’s technology is being adapted to other exposures such as welding. Join this session to learn about how the Silica Control Tool is rolling out across Canada and being adapted to other exposures!
Speakers: Dr. Melanie Gorman-Ng, B.C.C.S.A.; Johannes Doemer – WorkSafeNB Occupational Hygienist, Victoria Arrandale – UofT Associate Director.
REGISTER

MOVEMBER: Men's Health Month
2024-11-01 08:00 - 2024-11-30 17:00
The month of November is referred to as “MOVEMBER” because men are encouraged to grow a moustache as a symbol for better men’s health, to draw attention to the issues and start important conversations. Check out the Canadian web site for MO-VEMBER here. It includes information and details about events such as a 60 KM walk to help with the goal of awareness of a topic that is too often overlooked.
While the tone is playful, the situation is serious. Rising rates of testicular and prostate cancer, suicide and depression, and reluctance to attend to health matters means many Canadian men are not achieving their optimal health. In fact, on average, they live four fewer years than Canadian women, for a number of occupational and non-occupational reasons, according to Public Health Canada, This is a time to discuss and do something about it — and to make such discussions the norm.
In the Workplace
Great impact can be made in the workplace, as men at risk of injury on the job or occupational illnesses can research and share information. Men aren’t always keen on opening up conversations with health and safety representatives and supervisors about their concerns. Let’s start! Anyone who suspects an illness, including cancer, might be work-related, can contact OHCOW for advisement. Check out our Work-Related Cancers page for more information. The Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC) features a Disease Surveillance System Data tool which helps show relative risk for a variety of sectors and exposures.
It is known that men are less likely to seek support for mental health, depression and emotional distress. In 2023, research was done specifically on the mental health of workers in the skilled trades, and found a connection between physical safety on the job and mental health. OHCOW’s StressAssess Survey is a valuable tool for analyzing psychosocial stressors in the workplace. The Opioid-Related Harms among Ontario Workers project is a four-year collaboration between the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and the OCRC at Ontario Health. It addresses the connection between male-dominated trades and opioid use.
Let’s Keep it on the Radar
In 2017, The provincial government started a partnership with The Canadian Men’s Health Foundation to promote healthier lifestyles for men. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research published information about the health of boys and men in Canada, a 2021 study that looks at mental health and wellness, violence, disease, accident rate, and physical activity.
Let’s keep issues surrounding men’s health on our radar all year long, starting this month with MO-VEMBER!

Lung Cancer Awareness Month
2024-11-01 08:00 - 2024-11-30 17:00
At OHCOW, we are working to make tools accessible to those who risk lung disease and cancer due to hazardous exposure in the workplace.
Check out the Silica Control Tool, created for the construction industry and adapted for Ontario workers.
Don’t miss a session of our Occ-tober and Beyond Webinar Series! See more about Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
More links and resources to come, please check back and stay tuned to our social media channels as we provide more information throughout the month of November.

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
2024-11-01 08:00 - 2024-11-30 17:00
For the month of November, OHCOW makes a special acknowledgement of the connection between incidents of hazardous exposures in the workplace and pancreatic cancer.
Don’t miss a session of our Occ-tober and Beyond Webinar Series!
Stay tuned to our social media channels and check back for more information and links to relevant resources from OHCOW and our partners.
See the national website for more information.

Occ|tober and Beyond Webinar Series 2024
2024-10-31 12:00 - 13:30
12:00pm – 1:30pm EST
Occ|tober & Beyond: Occupational Illness and Disease Prevention

OHS Prevention Works
OHCOW’s annual Occ|tober Webinar Series begins with an overview of the occupational illness prevention activities by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development of Ontario, and Health & Safety System Partners, including OHCOW. This session will review current initiatives to anticipate, recognize, evaluate, control workplace hazards, and addressing the question of: How do you quantify exposures that you have prevented through good initiatives?
Speakers: Dr. Joel Moody – Chief Prevention Officer, MLITSD; Dr. Tracy Kirkham, Occupational Cancer Research Centre, Silica Control Tool Panel (Meghan Friesen, Holly Houston, Cait Wittke, Shirly Yan)

REGISTER

Small Business Week
2024-10-13 08:00 - 2024-10-19 17:00
“Ontario’s small businesses are the backbone of communities across the province. From family-owned corner stores to brand new start-ups, everyone knows a small business that has made a difference in their community. This Small Business Week, we celebrate the over 400,000 small businesses in Ontario and their more than two million hard-working employees.”
-Ontario Web site.

Small Business Week is an opportunity to celebrate the big ideas that contribute to our communities and bring attention to the challenges that inhibit their growth and innovation.
Ontario Chamber of Commerce

BDC Small Business Week is an annual entrepreneurship event that the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) has organized for 45 years. Every year, more than 10,000 entrepreneurs gather to learn, network and celebrate Canada’s dreamers and doers.
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)

Workplace Bullying Awareness Week
2024-10-13 08:00 - 2024-10-19 17:00
Workplace Bullying Awareness Week

Workplace and Academic Bullying is a worldwide problem. Together our unite voice, is the solution.

Mental Illness Awareness Week
2024-10-06 08:00 - 2024-10-12 17:00
Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is an annual national public education campaign designed to help open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness. The week was established by the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and is now coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) in cooperation with all its member organizations and many other supporters across Canada.
CAMH MIAW Page

Women's History Month
2024-10-01 00:00 - 23:59
October is Women’s History Month in Canada, a time to celebrate the women and girls from our past, and our present, who are contributing to a better, more inclusive Canada.
Stay tuned for more info.
https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/commemorations-celebrations/womens-history-month/2023-theme.html

Global Ergonomics Month
2024-10-01 00:00 - 23:59
Global Ergonomics Month is an international outreach campaign promoting human-centred design through the science, application and profession of ergonomics or human factors. These disciplines are focused on optimizing overall system performance and human well-being by proactively designing work and work systems that improve efficiency, productivity, health, safety and comfort.
Stay tuned for more info.

Global Ergonomics Month

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
2024-09-30
Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

World First Aid Day
2024-09-14
World First Aid Day is a global observance held on the second Saturday in September. It was instituted by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in 2000 and has been celebrated each year ever since.
The term “first aid” refers to the help available to anyone with a sudden injury or illness. Its main purpose is to preserve life and prevent exacerbation of the condition. This is not always done by medical staff. In emergency situations, ordinary people often have to provide first aid to save someone’s life. First aid does not require prior knowledge and can be improvised. However, if a first aid person does not know what to do, they may hurt themselves rather than help. This is why the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies encourages everyone to receive basic first aid training or at least educate themselves using all available reliable sources.
World First Aid Day aims to raise awareness of how first aid can prevent injuries and save lives in crises and everyday situations, as well as enhance access to first aid. The events and activities on this day focus on first aid training. Each year, a new general theme for the day is chosen, and participants are encouraged to plan events around the current year’s theme.
Recent polling by the Canadian Red Cross shows that nearly 40 per cent of Canadians say they have been in an emergency situation where they have had to perform first aid; however, only 18 per cent are currently certified. so ensure you have the skills needed to save lives when an emergency happens.
Info about first aid courses:
Canadian Health Care Provider Training Institute
First Aid 4U

Suicide Prevention Day
2024-09-10
World Suicide Prevention Day is a chance for everyone to increase awareness about suicide: those impacted by a suicide attempt or loss, family and friends, charitable organizations, professionals, politicians, volunteers, and community members. The theme for World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) 2024-2026 is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”. The aim of the theme is to raise awareness about the importance of changing the narrative surrounding suicide and transforming how we perceive this complex issue. Changing the narrative requires systemic change. It’s about shifting from a culture of silence and stigma to one of openness, understanding, and support. ~ International Association for Suicide Prevention
OHCOW’s annual Mayday, Mayday Webinar Series addresses workplace mental health with real life stories from workers and up-to-date research and commentary from professionals in the field of mental health.

Labour Day
2024-09-02
Labour Day is an annual day to commemorate the achievements of workers and to acknowledge workers’ movements that have fought for fair treatment and safe working conditions, both in the past and presently. It has its origins in the labour union movement, which advocated for workers’ rights at a time when employers had no responsibility to listen to the concerns of workers.
Labour Day began in Canada on April 15, 1872, a mere five years after Confederation. On that historic day the Toronto Trades Assembly, the original central labour body in Canada, organized the country’s first significant ‘workers demonstration.
Read about the role Toronto Unionists played in the creation of Labour Day as a national holiday!

Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month
2024-09-01
September is Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness month. Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF), is a disease in which the lungs become scarred (fibrosis). Over time, scarring destroys normal lung tissue. Eventually the lungs will not be able to provide the body with sufficient oxygen and will cause shortness of breath, especially when walking and exercising.
PF can be caused by working conditions. The OHCOW website has information about workplace hazards. When an interstitial lung disease includes scar tissue in the lung. One of the subgroups of interstitial lung disease is those that are related to occupational exposures (exposures that occur at work), referred to as “pneumoconioses”.
More Resources:
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
Mcintyre Powder
Silica

Silica Control Tool Series
2024-08-22 12:00 - 13:00
Have questions about how to use the Silica Control Tool? Attend our Q&A Session August 22nd, 2024, to ask OHCOW’s hygienists and Silica Control Tool team about the tool! This will be the chance to ask all your questions and listen to other users’ questions to learn more about the tool.
Ask your questions live or email them beforehand here: silica@ohcow.on.ca.
More info:
https://www.ohcow.on.ca/occupational-illness/silica-control-tool-ontario/
REGISTER TODAY

International Self-Care Day
2024-07-25
On July 24th, help us celebrate International Self-Care Day and the importance of self-care to the health of Canadians and to the health care system.
Go to web page

National Injury Prevention Day
2024-07-05
Friday, July 5, 2024, will be the eighth National Injury Prevention Day in Canada to raise awareness about the devastating effects of predictable and preventable injuries. The goal is to educate others and help all Canadians live long lives to the fullest.
Let’s raise awareness around the importance of injury prevention and aid Canadians to live long lives to the fullest through education and advocacy. Health Canada recognizes this date as an official national Health Promotion Day.
Parachute Canada

Partners in Prevention Northeastern Regional Conference (Sudbury)
2024-06-20 07:00 - 14:30
Holiday Inn Sudbury
1696 Regent St.
Sudbury, Ontario
P3E 3Z8
Ahead of the Curve
Includes a trade show (OHCOW will have a booth) and conference.
The pace of change has grown considerably and so has the way we work. Rather than worrying about what the future of work holds, we need to prepare organizations, workplaces and employees to embrace change and be future ready.
Leaders need to be proactive, staying ahead of the curve by developing change ready cultures where workplaces are engaged, employees succeed, and businesses thrive. Stretching our imaginations and tapping hidden potential to new innovations and technologies in health and safety – workplaces are looking to the future to build meaningful work that will continue to enhance performance while protecting people and building strong communities.
Join us at Partners in Prevention Eastern and get ready to embrace change. With a common purpose of protecting people, promoting healthy workplace cultures – together we can contribute to businesses success while strengthening the social and economic fabric of the communities we serve.

MORE INFO AND REGISTER

occ-Covid Webinar: New Risk Assessment & Clean Air Solutions
2024-06-14 13:30 - 15:00
Layered prevention strategies in public congregate settings, using tools to assess risk, monitor, and clean air, are critical for future health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released the Airborne Risk Indoor Assessment Tool (ARIA) and stated in the supporting publication ” One of the learnings from this pandemic has been that we must reshape and redesign the building environment, while focusing on optimizing indoor ventilation and therefore, the air we breathe” (WHO 2024).
ASHRAE Standard 241, “Control of Infectious Aerosols”, now provides requirements to clean the air. Using carbon dioxide monitoring “real time” as a surrogate to assess the quality of the air, will further indicate triggers and interventions required to clean the air.
In addition, researchers from the University of Bristol have shown how carbon dioxide increases a virus’s lifetime in the air. Plus, Ambient carbon dioxide concentration correlates with SARS-CoV-2 aero stability and infection risk (Haddrell et al. 2024).And with global warming it is more important than ever that we monitor indoors, CO2, temperature and humidity.
As interventions are assessed, more attention is being given to upper air UV to disinfect the air, which if done safely can independently add another air cleaning method to the space.
This webinar, hosted by Kevin Hedges CIH, COH will discuss the recent WHO risk assessment, and how important it is to monitor indoor air for CO2, temperature and humidity.
We are also excited to have Joey Fox PEng, return. Joey is chair of the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OPSE), Indoor Air Quality Advisory Group. He will cover ensuring good indoor air quality, mitigating airborne diseases with ASHRAE 241 and use of UV.
Register today to learn and join the conversation!
The Conversation will be recorded and streamed on YouTube.
For more information and past events in the Occ-COVID series visit: https://www.ohcow.on.ca/events/occ-covid-webinar-series/
Visit OHCOW’s website for many still useful Covid Prevention resources including a Ventilation calculation tool and Checklist plus Mask Smart and Respirator Infographics
And Contact Us for more information about, and assistance in, protecting workers and workplaces from this deadly and pervasive occupational disease.
REGISTER

Partners in Prevention Eastern Regional H&S Conference (Ottawa)
2024-06-11 07:00 - 14:30
Location:
Ottawa Conference & Event Centre
100 Coventry Rd.
Ottawa, Ontario
K1K 4S3
Ahead of the Curve
Includes a trade show (OHCOW will have a booth) and conference.
The pace of change has grown considerably and so has the way we work. Rather than worrying about what the future of work holds, we need to prepare organizations, workplaces and employees to embrace change and be future ready.
Leaders need to be proactive, staying ahead of the curve by developing change ready cultures where workplaces are engaged, employees succeed, and businesses thrive. Stretching our imaginations and tapping hidden potential to new innovations and technologies in health and safety – workplaces are looking to the future to build meaningful work that will continue to enhance performance while protecting people and building strong communities.
Join us at Partners in Prevention Eastern and get ready to embrace change. With a common purpose of protecting people, promoting healthy workplace cultures – together we can contribute to businesses success while strengthening the social and economic fabric of the communities we serve.

MORE INFO AND REGISTER

Canadian Men's Health Week
2024-06-10 - 2024-06-16
Each year, the week leading up to and including Father’s Day is Men’s Health Week — an excellent opportunity to reflect on and raise awareness about the importance of the health and well-being of Canadian men. Some organizations such as The Canadian Men’s Health Foundation designates the entire month of June as Men’s Health Month. In 2017, The provincial government started a partnership with the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation to promote healthier lifestyles for men. In 2021, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research published information about the health of boys and men in Canada, looking at mental health and wellness, violence, disease, accident rate, and physical activity.
Unfortunately, according to Public Health Canada, many Canadian men are not achieving their optimal health. In fact, on average, they live four fewer years than Canadian women, for a number of occupational and non-occupational reasons.
In the workplace, it is known that men are less likely to seek support for mental health, depression and emotional distress. In 2023, research was done specifically on the mental health of workers in the skilled trades, and found a connection between physical safety on the job and mental health.
OHCOW’s Mayday, Mayday Webinar series, has featured sessions on mental health in male-dominated trades, such as the 2023 webinar, Crisis Planning for Worker & Responder Mental Health.

Additional resources:
Government of Canada
Canadian Mental Health Association

Injured Workers' Day
2024-06-01
On June 1 every year, injured and ill workers, advocates, and labour activists gather in cities across the province to mark Injured Workers’ Day. However it is not officially recognized by the province of Ontario. Read about efforts in support of Private Member’s Bill 118, put forth by Sudbury MPP Jamie West. to get the day officially noted here.
Read the statement from the Ontario Federation of Labour commemorating Injured Workers’ Day here.

Mayday, Mayday Activating Knowledge by Supporting Tools & Services
2024-05-29 10:00 - 12:00
Building new, innovative and practical solutions for workers and workplaces is a key goal of OHCOW & its partners. Learn, engage & begin!
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

Building new, innovative and practical solutions for workers and workplaces is a key goal of the Ontario Prevention System. Learn & begin!

A new tool to assess job-based risk of psychological harm
Speaker: Tegan Slot,Manager, Workplace Wellbeing, Public Services Health & Safety Association (PSHSA)

A new tool to assess Workplace Violence in the Education Sector
Speaker: Chris Arsenault, Director, Health, Safety & Wellbeing, Education and Specialized Services, Public Services Health & Safety Association (PSHSA)

JobAssess – accurately and efficiently capture the 4 critical domainsof any job.
Speaker: Daryl Stephenson – Ergonomist – OHCOW Hamilton

For more information visit: https://www.ohcow.on.ca/ohcow-events/mayday-mayday/ plus see OHCOW’s Workplace Mental Health resources at: https://www.ohcow.on.ca/workplace-mental-health/ and https://stressassess.ca/. For any questions or an inquiry into OHCOW services email ask@ohcow.on.ca
