OHCOW

Occ-COVID Conversations: Critical concepts in Ventilation & Viral Evolution
2022-12-16 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Toronto)
A “double bill” on two important topics: Indoor air, public health & COVID-19 + The Science of Mutation: Variant Risk and Impact.
Join OHCOW staff, our expert guests and knowledgeable audience for another important educational event.
1. Indoor air, public health and COVID-19: gaps in public health guidance and a checklist for community spaces, Amy Katz, Knowledge Translation, MAP, Unity Health Toronto and Adjunct Professor, School of Cities, University of Toronto and Amy (Tianyuan) Li, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo; hosted by OHCOW Occupational Hygienist, Dr. Kevin Hedges
2. The Science of Mutation: Variant Risk and Impact — What’s new with the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, Dr. T. Ryan Gregory, Professor, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph; hosted by OHCOW Executive Director, Valerie Wolfe
Register here.

Considerations for Workers at Greater Risk of Injury
2023-01-10 09:30 - 22:30
It is important for workplaces to develop strategies to ensure worker vulnerability is recognized and addressed in policies, training, signage, etc. in an attempt to prevent workplace injury and illness for all workers.
Presented by:
Cassandra Porpiglia,
Prevention Consultant, SAFE Work Manitoba
More info and register here.

CROSHCon 2023: Resetting the Dial on Workplace Climate
2023-01-20 08:30 - 15:30
From the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health. Behavioural Change expert and researcher Dr. Lisa Bélanger is the keynote speaker to open this day long virtual conference. Dr. Bélanger will speak to us about “Reimagining Work: The Skills, Habits, and Work Design to Improve Workplace Climate.” Expanding on this theme, CROSH researchers and students will then present on other workplace issues, including psychosocial hazards, environmental issues and the ongoing global pandemic.

Dark Winter - Past Lessons to Inform Future Health
2023-01-27 15:00 - 16:30
We are excited to welcome highly respected and world-leading epidemiologist and biosecurity expert Dr. Raina MacIntyre, who literally “wrote the book” on pandemics and their prevention. She will share some highlights from her recent book, Dark Winter through the lens of the COVID pandemic, and participate in a dialogue on ways we can all make a difference in our workplaces and communities.
Dr. MacIntyre will be hosted by Dr. Kevin Hedges, Ph.D., CIH, COH, Occupational Hygienist at OHCOW
Register here.

Silica Exposure Webinar, Part A
2023-02-02 17:00 - 19:30
Part A – Artificial / engineered stone; how big is the problem?
From the Workplace Health Without Borders
For the last 10 years we have known about the risk of silicosis to workers who sand, grind, and cut engineered/artificial stone countertops. Join us for a discussion with experts about the risks. Hosted by David Goldsmith, WHWB and Kevin Hedges, OHCOW
REGISTER Here.

World Cancer Day
2023-02-04 08:00 - 17:00
February 4 is an annual event raising awareness about cancer, and advocating for positive change in the prevention, treatment and management of cancer in Canada and worldwide.

RSI Day Webinar Series
2023-02-07 10:00 - 12:00
Week ONE of OHCOW’s informative 2023 webinar series on Repetitive Strain Injury.
Session 1: Shoulder injuries.
Session 2: Workplace concusions.
More info, register and see other weeks topics here.

A 3 Year Check-up: Not "just the cold or flu"
2023-02-10 13:30 - 15:00
It has been a while since we checked in on the short, medium and long-term health consequences of SARS CoV-2 infections, and particularly their impact on workers and workplaces. Hear stories from a medical professional in the trenches of helping patients and co-workers, and in the process, let’s review what we have learned on ways to protect health, reduce transmission and mitigate harm.
We welcome our guest speaker Dr. Susan Kuo, M.D., CCFP, Clinical Associate Professor at UBC, 30 year family physician in Richmond, BC and member of Protect Our Province BC.
She will be hosted by Dr. Pravesh Jugnundan, MD, FCBOM, FACOEM, FCFP, CIME, MRO, DOH Family physician in York Region and Occupational Medicine consultant at OHCOW
Join an OHCOW Occupational Health MD and a BC Family doctor to understand the real ongoing impacts on health, healthcare and workplaces large & small.
Register today on Eventbrite.

Silica Exposures, Part B
2023-02-13 16:00 - 18:30
Part B – what can we do to prevent the serious burden ofmorbidity and mortality from debilitating exposures, and what interventionsand advocacy will work?
From the Workplace Health Without Borders
The occupational medicine and public health communities are facing an increase of deadly lung diseases among workers exposed to silica dust in the countertop industry. Join us for a discussion with experts about ways to reduce risk. Hosted by David Goldsmith, WHWB and Kevin Hedges, OHCOW
REGISTER Here.

RSI Days Webinar Series
2023-02-14 10:00 - 12:00
Week TWO of OHCOW’s informative 2023 webinar series on Repetitive Strain Injury.
Session 1: Indoor Environment Quality at the Office.
Session 2: Ergonomics and Sleep.
More info, register and see other weeks topics here.

RSI Days Webinar Series
2023-02-21 10:00 - 12:00
Week THREE of OHCOW’s informative 2023 webinar series on Repetitive Strain Injury.
Session 1: Canadian Women and PPE in the workplace.
Session 2: OHCOW’s PPD Handbook.
More info, register and see other weeks topics here.

RSI Days Webinar Series
2023-02-28 10:00 - 12:00
Week FOUR of OHCOW’s informative 2023 webinar series on Repetitive Strain Injury.
Topic: Job Demands, Physical and Cognitive
More info, register and see other weeks topics here.

World Hearing Day
2023-03-03
World Hearing Day is an annual global advocacy event for raising awareness regarding hearing loss and promoting ear and hearing care, and calling for action to address hearing loss and related issues. Find information on the events, promotional, and educational materials for World Hearing Day, including a repository of translated materials. Find information from OHCOW and on the World Hearing Day website.

Occ-COVID Conversation: Investigating Deaths & Outbreaks, an underused tool
2023-03-03 13:30 - 15:00
Apply Incident Cause Analysis Methods, a core OHS principle, to identify contributing process & system factors for Awareness and Prevention!
With the highly transmissible sub-variant XBB1.5 (“Kraken”) on the rise in Ontario, preventing exposure and transmission is more important than ever.
Whenever there is a critical injury or death it is really important to do a detailed incident investigation that incorporates identifying all contributing factors and root cause analysis. This is actually law in Ontario, but is seldom applied to occupational illness and disease.
More info and register here.

Sarcoidosis in Ontario Hard Rock Miners Webinar
2023-03-24 10:00 - 23:00
Occ-Disease Series

March 24th, 2023 10:00am – 11:00am

Occ Disease Case Series: Sarcoidosis in Ontario Hard Rock Miners
Clinical insights and exposure analysis of a series of sarcoidosis cases based on McIntyre Powder Project research and investigations.
Please join occupational medicine and lung disease specialist Dr. Christine Oliver, MD, MPH, MS, and OHCOW Occupational Hygienist Paul Sampara, MEng, ROH, to discuss and learn about Sarcoidosis and Ontario mining exposures.
They will be hosted by Andrew Zarnke, OHCOW Project Director.
Register here

Occ-Covid Webinar: 3 Years, Still Counting
2023-03-31 13:30 - 15:30
Join the conversation with our special return guest, Dr. Tara Moriarty. She has been busy amassing and assessing multiple datasets to launch the valuable predictive tool Canada Covid Hazard Index and is now able to share how it maps to incidence, severity and death data. Plus she will offer an update on her previous talk: Reality Check: Excess and “Missing” Deaths, and Their Implications for Prevention
Guest Speaker: Dr. Tara Moriarty, Department of Dentistry, University of Toronto
She will be hosted by John Oudyk, B.Eng, MHSC, ROH, CIH, Occupational Hygienist from the OHCOW Hamilton Clinic.

Spring into ACTion: Health and Safety Forum
2023-04-14 09:00 - 12:00
Informative, Effective, Relevant
Speakers/Info Sessions:
Temporary Foreign Workers Eastern Ontario Project
Eduardo Huesca & Leonor Cedillo, OHCOW
Long COVID- Medical and Worker’s Compensation Implications
Dr. Pravesh Jugnundan, OHCOW & Margaret Keyes, OWA
BREATHING CLEANER AIR is as important as drinking clean water – what can we do?
Kevin Hedges, Hygienist, OHCOW
A free virtual event in partnership with the Ottawa & District Labour Council
More info and Register here

Air Quality Synergizes Public & Occupational Health
2023-04-21 13:30 - 14:30
Whether a public place, a school or office, clean indoor air is a crucial factor in preventing disease transmission! Community and workplace COVID risk is shared and reciprocal – multi-layered strategies benefit everyone everywhere.
Join Dr.Thomas Piggott in this online event as he lays out the case for continued attention to, and prevention of, COVID-19 (and other airborne viral illnesses), as well as the multiple ongoing health benefits of clean indoor air.
He will be hosted by Krista Thompson, Occupational Hygienist in OHCOW’s Southwest Region.
Register today!

Unequal Toll: Finding Worker Deaths for Prevention
2023-04-28 13:30 - 15:00
Marking Canada’s National Day of Mourning to remember and learn from workers who have suffered work-related disability, disease and death
Join our guest speaker and OHCOW host as they discuss what we know and don’t know about pandemic-related worker deaths and long-term illness/disability, and especially how we can use this information to recognize, assess and control infectious airborne virus risks in our workplaces today and tomorrow.
Guest Speaker: Nora Loreto, TBD
She will be hosted by Valerie Wolfe, Executive Director of the South Central Region and Migrant Worker Projects at OHCOW.
Register today to join the conversation!

Opioid Addiction and Impairment Prevention
2023-05-03 13:30 - 15:00
Session 1 of 2023 Mayday, Mayday symposium
A current concern in many workplaces and a Provincial OHS priority. Learn about the complexity of factors involved, plus resources to help.
Agenda:

Opioid and substance misuse in the Building Trades. A strategy to deal with an epidemic. Carmine Tiano, MA, Director of Occupational Services, Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario
Opioid-harms among Ontario Workers, what we know and are striving to learn. Dr. Nancy Carnide, PhD, Associate Scientist, Institute for Work and Health
Re-examining management of substance use impairment in workplaces – Moving the “dial” from zero tolerance to harm reduction and support. Kathy Martin, Coordinator, Research, Stakeholder & Public Relations, Mental Health and Wellness Specialist, Infrastructure Health and Safety Association

Register at Eventbrite

COPSOQ Joint Session - Research into Practice
2023-05-10 09:30 - 15:30
A unique opportunity to look at the international use and impact of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, an important workplace mental health/stress prevention survey tool
OHCOW is hosting the biannual COPSOQ (Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire) Network meeting in Hamilton on May 11 & 12 which will discuss the technicalities of the survey and its use around the world. We have deliberately scheduled it in May to intersect with our annual Mayday, Mayday Symposium on Workplace Mental Health and Injury Prevention. Research into Practice is a combined event including our regular audience of worker activists and advocates, Workers Compensation and OHS professionals, regulators, and researchers as well as others interested in the COPSOQ from around the world. This is one of three virtual sessions as a complement to the full-day, in-person* Joint COPSOQ & OHCOW Network Meeting in Hamilton, ON.
Agenda:
9:30 – 11:00 am
A. Canadian Survey Results and Trends
Agenda:

Canadian National Survey Results & Trends: How Stressed are We?
The Big Picture, Data Analysis, Details and Patterns, John Oudyk
The Current Story – Qualitative Comments, Daryl Stephenson
Finding trends – Comparing 2016, 2019 and Today, John Oudyk
Discussion, All

Register for session A
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
B. Survey Use and Challenges in Canada
Agenda:

StressAssess Success Stories
Short “Pulse” survey experience
Logistic and Cultural Challenges from Manitoba perspective

2:00 – 3:30 pm
Register for session B
C. Workplace Mental Health Survey Use Around the World
Agenda:

New US Healthy Worker Survey Update, Dr. Marnie Dobson,
International Survey Highlights, COPSOQ Network Panel
Discussion: Use of WMH Surveys given existential risks like war, disease and climate change?, All

Register for session C

Youth Mental Health in the Community and at Work
2023-05-17 13:30 - 15:00
Young workers have recognized vulnerabilities to workplace injuries & harms, including to psychosocial risk factors, made worse in the pandemic.
Learn more about challenges faced by these frequently exposed front-line staff in their daily jobs, and some solutions to reduce risk and mitigate harm from an agency, industry and advocacy perspective.
Agenda:

Introduction and Welcome, Melissa Statham, Ergonomist, OHCOW
Youth Mental Health Outreach/Support, challenges and solutions, Ashleigh Erdelyan MSW RSW, Zahra Abou Elhassan MSW RSW, Youth Wellness Hub, CMHA-Windsor Essex
Essential Public Services, Essential Workers’ Health: Union-based Initiatives to Protect the Mental Health of Young Public Transport Workers

Introduction and Canadian context for the International Project and Report, Shirly Yan, Occupational Hygienist, OHCOW
On the ground: Young Worker advocacy and support, Krista Lee Hanson, President, Unifor Road Transport Council

Register here.

Crisis Planning for Worker & Responder Mental Health
2023-05-24 13:30 - 15:00
Raising awareness and recognizing planning and operational strategies that can make a difference in the short & long term impact of trauma.
Health and safety professionals, first responders and other workers in many sectors have suffered disproportionate stress, along with mental and physical harm/injury since the beginning of the pandemic. However, there are also long-standing challenges in a workforce that is programmed to smile and go the extra mile when the inevitable effects linger and accumulate. How can we help individually and collectively, especially from a workplace health and safety perspective?
In order to stop the harm, we need to recognize the patterns of impact and injury and the points of intervention that can influence change to prevent, mitigate, support and recover.
Agenda:

A Safety Professional’s Experience with Mental Health, Andy Kerr, Director, Health, Safety and Environment, Alectra Utilities
PTSD from a public safety perspective, Tanya Morose, Director, Prevention, Retention and Engagement, Public Safety, Health and Community Care, Public Services Health & Safety Association
Help on “hand”: PeerOnCall/Support Apps, Sandra Moll, Associate Professor, Rehabilitation Science
Worker trauma support planning in Crisis management, Kathy Martin, Coordinator, Research, Stakeholder & Public Relations, Mental Health and Wellness Specialist, Infrastructure Health and Safety Association

Register here.

Workplace Mental Health Programs and Opportunities
2023-05-31 13:30 - 15:00
Wrapping up this important webinar series with a focus on success strategies, tools and other resources to support workers and workplaces.
Agenda:

StressAssess Survey Success, A Case Study, Jordan Bray-Stone, Chairperson, Air Canada Component of CUPE Occupational Health and Safety Committee and CUPE Airline Division Health and Safety Committee and Nicola Schnell, Vice-chairperson – Air Canada Component of CUPE Occupational Health and Safety Committee
Walk the Talk – Creating a Psychologically Safe Workplace, Esther Fleurimond, Health & Safety Consultant (Workplace Mental Health), Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS)
Psychological Health and Safety Program and Resources, Tegan Slot, R.Kin MSc PhD CRSP CCPE, Lead, Specialized Services, Public Services Health & Safety Association (PSHSA)

Register here.

WHWB Asbestos Webinars
2023-06-21 07:00 - 09:00
Presented by Workplace Health Without Borders.
Asbestos remains by far the major killer of workers worldwide. Although progress has been made toward a global ban, asbestos is still used in many countries. And even in countries with a ban, prevention measures are still insufficient to protect millions of workers exposed to legacy asbestos. In response, WHWB has formed an Asbestos Working Group. We have organized three webinars – the first on the extent of the hazard, the second on prevention measures, controls and efforts to achieve a global ban and the third on technical issues relating to asbestos management and remediation.
Next segment on July 12.
REGISTER for June 21

Occ-Covid Conversations: Understanding Post-COVID-19 Conditions in Canada
2023-06-23 13:30 - 15:00
PHAC Chief Science Officer reports what we know, don’t know, and a framework for action: Research, Patient/Family Support & Preparedness
What can we do in workplaces to recognize, assess and control the hazards that contribute to COVID-19 infection and prevent and mitigate the associated harm? Join the conversation to learn and share experiences and ideas.
Guest Speaker:
Dr. Sarah Viehbeck,
Chief Science Officer, Public Health Agency of Canada and Member, Chief Science Advisor of Canada’s Task Force on Post-COVID-19 Condition
Hosted by: Kevin Hedges, Ph.D, CIH, COH, Occupational Hygienist, OHCOW Eastern Region/Ottawa Clinic
More info and Register

National Injury Prevention Day
2023-07-05
On Wednesday, July 5, 2023, Canada celebrates the seventh National Injury Prevention Day in Canada to raise awareness about the devastating effects of predictable and preventable injuries. The goal: to educate others and help all Canadians live long lives to the fullest.

Asbestos: Technical Issues and Measurement Limitations
2023-07-12 07:00 - 08:30
Please join us for the third in our webinar series, Asbestos: its global impact and how to eliminate it.
For more details on this webinar and other WHWB news, please look at Marianne Levitsky’s recent email. If you missed it you can read it here.
For over a century, we have known about the risks from asbestos, both to workers and to community members from second hand and environmental exposures. It remains by far the major killer of workers from occupational exposures worldwide. Although progress has been made toward a global ban, asbestos is still used in many countries. And even in countries with a ban, prevention measures are still insufficient to protect millions of workers exposed to legacy asbestos. In response, WHWB has formed an Asbestos Working Group. We have organized three webinars – the first on the extent of the hazard. The second will be on prevention measures, controls and risk management practices, including substitution, as well as advocacy efforts towards achieving a global ban. The third will focus on technical issues, including measurement limitations and the way forward, as well as exploring the risks for emergency responders including firefighters.
Hosts: Alec Farquhar, Kevin Hedges, WHWB International and Bernie Fontaine and David Goldsmith, WHWB-US
REGISTER

“Where there’s smoke…” Understanding Particulate Hazards Indoors and Out
2023-07-21 13:30 - 15:00
A key topic (and risk) in occupational and environmental health, affecting thousands of Canadians, at work, at home and everywhere they go.
Wildfire smoke has spread widely across North America this spring and summer, raising awareness and elevating concern.
Join Dr. Dave Stieb, a Health Canada physician and epidemiologist in conversation with John Oudyk, OHCOW Occupational Hygienist to:

Learn more about the hazards and measurement of particulates in air (particularly in the size range PM2.5)
Understand the AQHI (AirQuality Health Index) and how it can help individuals and workplaces interpret information and apply it to their situation
Recognize who is most vulnerable and why
Compare environmental messaging and occupational limits and what they mean for individuals and workers with respiratory challenges
Gain practical ideas for homes and workplaces to minimize exposure at peak times

Register today to join the conversation!
The Conversation will be recorded and streamed on FaceBook.
Visit OHCOW’s website for many Occupational Illness resources, including a Wildfire Smoke infographic and still relevant Covid Prevention resources e.g. Ventilation calculation tool and Checklist plus dozens of valuable Occ-COVID webinars
And Contact Us for more information about, and assistance in, protecting workers and workplaces from occupational health hazards and chronic injuries.
REGISTER

Self Care Day
2023-07-24
Self-care is a lifelong habit and culture. It is the practice of individuals looking after their own health based on the knowledge and information available to them. It is a decision-making process that empowers individuals to look after their own health efficiently and conveniently, in collaboration with health and social care professionals as needed. – Global Self-Care Federation
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.
Find Out More
