OHCOW

Occ-Covid Webinar: Year 5, Health/care Impact & Lessons...
2024-01-30 13:30 - 15:00 (America/Toronto)
This free webinar will feature:

a review of recent medical experience and research
field-tested prevention strategies to support workers’ well-being
real life case studies
practical ways to implement transmission control and harm mitigation

Host: Kevin Hedges, OHCOW Occupational Hygienist
Guests:

Dr. Kashif Pirzada, Emergency Medicine specialist (and RavenApp & Masks4Canada founder)
Franz Hochholdinger, clean air conscious chef and restauranteur of the Apricot Tree Cafe and leading the industry in prevention for customers and staff

REGISTER FOR WEBINAR

Bell Let's Talk Day
2024-01-24
Since 2010, Bell has been proud to have partnered with over 1,500 organizations providing free mental health support and services in communities big and small around the country. For Bell Let’s Talk Day, 25 organizations that create real change in mental health every day are highlighted.
Bell Canada’s annual event that encourages Canadians to take meaningful action to create positive change for mental health. Everyone can play a role in our homes, schools, workplaces and communities.

January is Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month
2024-01-03 08:00 - 17:00
January is Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month, and 2024 is the first year this designation has been recognized in Canada. Its purpose is to highlight the dangers posed to firefighters by toxic substances in the course of their jobs, and to provide the tools and protocols for illness prevention.
Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month

Navigating Workplace Mental Health - Data Unveiling and Proactive Strategies for Improvement
2023-12-05 14:00 - 16:00
Join us as we delve into the results of our latest reports in partnership with Workplace Strategies for Mental Health, compliments of Canada Life. Get ready to be inspired as we welcome the renowned workplace mental health expert, Mary Ann Baynton, who will be guiding us through the revelations of this report and unveiling strategies for enhancing mental wellness in the workplace. Get more info on their website.
FREE
SIGNUP ON ZOOM

Airborne Hazard Management - Reducing Exposures in Mining
2023-11-24 13:00 - 15:00
Occ/tober and Beyond Webinar Series
Friday November 24 , 1pm – 3pm

Speakers include:
Kevin Hedges, PhD, CIH, COH Occupational Hygienist, OHCOW
Scott Secord, Provincial Mining Specialist & Kyle Watson, MLITSD
Ralph Deayton, Mammoth Equipment & Exhaust
Daniel Rose, Pinssar
Judit Nelson, Industrial Hygiene Specialist, WSN
Janice Hobbs Martell, Founder McIntyre Powder Project

Register on Eventbrite

Exposures & Disease - Making the Link
2023-11-17 13:00 - 15:00
Friday, November 17, 1pm – 3pm
Dermal exposure: An integral part of overall exposure assessment
Speakers:
Masood Ahmed MS, CIH, CRSP , Occupational Hygienist, OHCOW
Derrick Chung , MHS, ROH, Occupational Hygienist , OHCOW
Sarah Rhodes, PhD, Director (Projects), OHCOW

Register on Eventbrite

Get info on Occ|tober webinar series here

2023 CMF Conference on Mesothelioma
2023-11-16 | MARS DISCOVERY DISTRICT, Toronto, 101 College St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Attend to learn about early detection, promising research directions, and new treatments for mesothelioma. Together, we can develop a comprehensive Canadian response to asbestos and asbestos disease.
Date: November 16, 2023
Location: MaRS Discovery District, 101 College St., Toronto, ON
Conference objectives:

Provide information on asbestos and mesothelioma to health and safety practitioners, patients, family members, advocates
Provide information on early detection and innovative treatment for mesothelioma for general practitioners and specialists
Engage researchers, clinicians, health and safety professionals, and advocates in Canada and internationally
Promote asbestos awareness and support for mesothelioma research
Link these efforts to the broader efforts to develop a comprehensive Canadian response to asbestos and asbestos disease

More info and register: https://www.cmfonline.org/2023-cmf-conference-mesothelioma

Collaborating to Reduce and Control Workplace Exposures
2023-11-10 13:00 - 15:00
Occupational Disease Landscape Review Highlights & Solutions
Ontario Occupational Disease Landscape Review, Highlights & Solutions
Dr. Linn Holness, MD, FRCPC, FFOM (Hon),MHSc Scientist, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Director of CREOD
ECHO OEM Providing the Tools for Primary Care to Get Work Done!
Dr. Anil Adisesh, MB ChB, MSc, MD, FRCP, FFOM, FRCPC, Dalhousie University
Register on Eventbrite

Occ/tober 2023: Silica Control Tool Launch
2023-11-03 13:00 - 15:00
Silica Control Tool Now Available in Ontario
As part of the Occ/tober 2023 Event, the Silica Control Tool will become available in Ontario in November. Workers and employers in the Ontario Construction Industry will receive full access to the Silica Control Tool™, its associated data, and outputs. The Tool’s user interface has undergone a facelift for Ontario and has been fully customized to meet Ontario’s health and safety regulation and standards.
Register For Webinar

Lung Cancer Awareness Month
2023-11-01 08:00 - 17:00
November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month
It is estimated that about 1 in 15 Canadian men will develop lung and bronchus cancer during their lifetime and 1 in 18 will die from it.
It is estimated that about 1 in 15 Canadian women will develop lung and bronchus cancer during their lifetime and 1 in 20 will die from it.
For more information about cancer statistics, go to Canadian Cancer Statistics.
Check out some OHCOW resources addressing Lung Cancer detection and treatment:
DIESEL EXHAUST LUNG CANCER RELATIVE RISK CALCULATOR
Research Paper: Lung Cancer and Exposures in Ontario Hard Rock Mines
Silica Control Tool Launch in Ontario

Occ/tober 2023 Webinar Series: Collaborating to Reduce and Control Workplace Exposures
2023-10-27 13:00 - 15:00
Evidence for Exposures of Concern
Kicking off the 2023 installment of our Annual Occ|tober Webinar Series, our first webinar will focus on finding evidence for exposures of concern. Please join us for expert information on potential dangers posed to workers from exposures to hazardous substances, and what to do about it.
Speakers include:
John Oudyk, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers: EKOS/OHCOW Workplace Exposure Survey
Victoria Arrandale, University of Toronto: Is Silicosis Making a Comeback?
Krista Thompson, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers: Evidence for New Occupational Exposure Limits
REGISTER today on Eventbrite

Occ-Covid Conversation: Managing Mixed Immunity and Infection Risks
2023-10-06 13:30 - 15:00
Dr. Dawn Bowdish and host OHCOW R.N. Cheryl Rook will explore immunity, the complexity of factors affecting infection risk and how it relates to the workplace. Does previous infection of Omicron mean you’re immune? It’s complicated!
Join Professor Bowdish, PhD as she discusses her research and what else is currently known about individual and age group immune susceptibility (and how it can be applied to workplace prevention)
Register here.

Collaborating on Solutions for Cleaner School Air
2023-08-25 13:00 - 15:00
Occ-COVID Conversation: Collaborating on Solutions for Cleaner School Air
Cases rising + Classes returning = Risk to all! Awareness, Engineering & Advocacy are needed now to Clean the Air – for everyone’s health!
As schools open, we certainly do not want to experience another gruelling respiratory “tripledemic” of COVID, Influenza and RSV as occurred in 2022. Viral transmission must be controlled.
As North America often takes epidemiological clues from Australia’s winter, their experience indicates this could again be our future.
However, there is a big opportunity to change the future and create safer work and learning spaces in Ontario and across Canada.

We now have clear guidance on what to advocate for, and how to improve the situation (including Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OPSE) Guidance on Indoor Air Quality, and the new ASHRAE 241 Standard on Control of Infectious Aerosols.
Such information can be leveraged by parents, educators, and school administrators to keep staff and pupils safe and protect us all in the process.
Join our August Occ-COVID Conversation with a look at recent Australia experience, efforts and guidance plus how the new ASHRAE standard can be leveraged, all framed by an introduction to grassroots school safety advocacy efforts from across the country.
Introduction – Collaboration for A Clean Air Future – Amanda Hu (member of the Canadian Covid-19 School Safety Group)
Australian Experience & Guidance for Primary and Secondary Schools – Brad Prezant, Affil. AIRAH, MSPH, MBA, CIH, COH, CAQP, WELL AP Principal Consultant at Prezant Environmental. Former VP, International Society of Indoor Air Climate and Quality (ISIAQ).
The basics of what we all need to know to stay safe into the fall –ASHRAE 241 Part 6, Joey Fox P. Eng. @O_S_P_E IAQ Advisory Group Chair. http://itsairborne.com
How can we make it happen? – 2023 School Safety Advocacy Efforts and Ideas Amanda Hu and other members of the Canadian Covid-19 School Safety Group
Discussion — All
The event will be hosted by: Kevin Hedges, Ph.D, CIH, COH, Occupational Hygienist, OHCOW Eastern Region/Ottawa Clinic
Register

In the Hot Seat? Protecting Workers from Heat Stress
2023-08-18 13:30 - 15:00
As the climate emergency becomes more evident, heat and humidity are affecting more of us, sometimes fatally. OHCOW’s recent heat stress infographic is being snapped up. The high costs for workers and their families are mostly invisible, much of it borne by individuals and society. Employers have few rules to follow, other than their general duty to protect workers. The mantra of “water, shade, rest” is not universally followed or enforced.
Please join this webinar to hear about the basics of heat stress and illnesses, the experiences of workers in Canada and the United States, and efforts to deal with the hazard. Hosted by OHCOW Occupational Health Specialist Dorothy Wigmore, speakers will include:

Juley Fulcher, Worker Health and Safety Advocate, Public Citizen (talking about the financial costs of heat stress and US heat stress prevention efforts)
Chris Ramsaroop, Organiser with Justice for Migrant Workers (discussing what the group heard recently from southern Ontario migrant farmworkers about heat stress)
Eduardo Huesca, Project Manager, Migrant Worker Projects, OHCOW, who provides a little history about OHCOW’s work with migrant farmworkers around heat stress and describes current work in collaboration with the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) focusing on temperature and humidity in worker housing
Lindsay Dixon, Canadian Environmental Law Association (describing CELA’s follow-up to their report about heat stress issues for agricultural workers)
Natasha Luckhardt, Director of Health, Safety and Environment, Ontario Federation of Labour (describing a current campaign for a heat stress regulation in Ontario

There will be plenty of time for discussion.
REGISTER HERE

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

“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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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!

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

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.

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
