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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for OHCOW
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261018T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261024T170000
DTSTAMP:20260928T021146Z
CREATED:20251016T172437Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260928T021146Z
UID:10000259-1792310400-1792861200@www.ohcow.on.ca
SUMMARY:Invisible Disabilities Week
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row bg_color=”#2C1C04″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1760709035391{padding-left: 30px !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Common Disabilities Can Be Invisible” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:left|color:%23FDEFDA” google_fonts=”font_family:Signika%3A300%2Cregular%2C600%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal” css=”.vc_custom_1760708997175{margin-top: 50px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;}”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_single_image image=”53756″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_id=”main”][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Not all Disabilities are Apparent. The third week of October is a week to bring awareness\, education and support to your family\, friends\, co-workers\, community and around the world during Invisible Disabilities Week. \nInvisible Disabilities Week Canada refers to a dedicated week in Canada that aims to raise awareness about disabilities that are not immediately apparent or visible to others. It focuses on educating the public about the unique challenges faced by individuals with invisible disabilities and promoting inclusivity and understanding. Neurodivergence\, bi-polar disorder\, the disease of multiple sclerosis (MS) and conditions like being hearing impaired are just some examples of such unseen disabilities. \nThe Canadian Association for Supported Employment Sponsors this week specifically as it relates to Inclusive workplaces. According to their website\, one fifth of the workforce in Canada experiences some form of disability\, and the most common disability types can be invisible. \n\n\nThe most common disability types reported by persons experiencing disability in Canada can be invisible (Statistics Canada. Canadian Survey on Disability\, 2017 to 2022) :  \n\nPain-related 62%\nFlexibility 40%\nMobility 39%\nMental health-related 39%\n\n\n\nHow can Workplaces help an Employee with an Invisible Disability?\n\n\n\n\nWhen there is no “visible proof” of disability\, requesting accommodations can be complex. An employee may not wish to disclose their disease or condition to everybody\, to avoid stigma or protect privacy. \nDisclosure can  help to positively shift an inclusive culture in a workplace where there is good communication and respect. See the below resources for more information. \n\n\n\n\nRelevant Websites:\nInvisible Disabilities Association \nStats about Disability in Canada \nMore References: \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStatistics Canada. Labour force status of persons with and without disabilities aged 15 years and over\, by age group and gender. Released March 28\, 2024.\nTillotson\, Jack et al. How to Make Workplaces More Inclusive for People with Invisible Disabilities. Harvard Business Review. Published April 4\, 2023.\nDepartment of Justice Canada. Serious Problems Experienced by Diverse People with Disabilities: Western Canada. January 18\, 2022.\nPrince\, Michael. Persons with invisible disabilities and workplace accommodation: Findings from a scoping literature review. January 2017. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 46(1):75-86. Copy of draft manuscript.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/event/invisible-disabilities-week/
CATEGORIES:External Event
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261021T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261022T170000
DTSTAMP:20261005T142313Z
CREATED:20261005T141840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T142313Z
UID:10000461-1792569600-1792688400@www.ohcow.on.ca
SUMMARY:Occupational Hygiene Association of Ontario Conference
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_single_image image=”58104″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text] \nWednesday October 21\, 2026\nFall PDC\nIn-person only \n8:30 am – 4:30 pm \nOHAO Presents:\nFinding Approaches to Address Chemical Exposure and Health Risk Using IH Mod 2.0 and SDM2.0 \nIn Person – Humber College Conference Centre\, North Campus[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text] \nThursday\, October 22\nFall Conference\nIn person or virtual \n8:30 am – 4:00 pm \nOH-Related Topics and Case Studies \nOHAO: Connecting People and Ideas to Advance Workplace Health and Safety. \nIn Person – Humber College Conference Centre\, North Campus\nVirtual Via Zoom Platform – All Times EST[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″]REGISTER[/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]CLICK TO ENLARGE[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image onclick=”img_link_large” image=”58111″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/event/occupational-hygiene-association-of-ontario-conference/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261029T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261029T133000
DTSTAMP:20261007T184014Z
CREATED:20260914T120158Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T184014Z
UID:10000457-1793275200-1793280600@www.ohcow.on.ca
SUMMARY:Occ-tober and Beyond Webinar Series 2026
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row bg_image=”57578″ top_padding=”60″ bottom_padding=”60″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Every Exposure Tells a Story…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top_padding=”40″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text] \nWeekly Every Thursday from October 29\, 2026 to November 26\, 2026\n12:00 PM – 1:30 PM EST\nOcc|tober and Beyond returns for its 11th annual occupational illness and disease prevention webinar series. This five-week series showcases lived workplace experience\, research developments\, and practical resources related to occupational illness and disease prevention. \nThis year\, each week will explore a different story: worker histories\, hidden exposures\, hearing loss risks\, women’s health experiences\, monitoring data and more. \nRegister today and join the discussion on worker experience to workplace prevention.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text] \nPart 1: Occupational Disease Cluster Investigations: Current Status & Emerging Success\nSpeakers: Dr. Andrew Zarnke\, Executive Director\, OHCOW \nPart 2: Algoma Steel: voluntary worker employment exposure history initiative\nSpeakers: Derrick Chung\, ROH\, OHCOW\, Jessica Montgomery\, OHC\, OHCOW \nThis presentation provides an overview of OHCOW’s Algoma Steel Voluntary Worker Employment Exposure History Initiative. It describes the project’s objectives\, development and worker interview process\, and standardized work history reports used to document jobs\, tasks\, occupational exposures and exposure modifiers. It also explains how the resulting information will support current and future occupational disease claims and contribute to a searchable exposure database.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]Register on Eventbrite[/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/event/occ-tober-and-beyond-webinar-series-2026/
CATEGORIES:eventNew,Occ-tober Webinar Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/featuredicon_occt2026b.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261105T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261105T133000
DTSTAMP:20261007T184753Z
CREATED:20261007T184559Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T184753Z
UID:10000462-1793880000-1793885400@www.ohcow.on.ca
SUMMARY:Occ-tober and Beyond Part 2
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row bg_image=”57578″ top_padding=”60″ bottom_padding=”60″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Every Exposure Tells a Story…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top_padding=”40″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Weekly Every Thursday from October 29\, 2026 to November 26\, 2026 \n12:00 PM – 1:30 PM EST \nIt’s time to improve occupational exposure and disease statistics in Canada\nDr. Paul Demers\, Director\, OCRC\nThe International Labour Organization (ILO) is in the process of updating its guidance on occupational health and safety statistics to better address occupational diseases\, workplace exposures\, and emerging risks. It will be the first comprehensive update in 30 years. We need to use this as an opportunity for Canada to improve the counting and/or estimation of occupational diseases and exposures at both the provincial and national levels and to use these to campaign for prevention. \nNavigating the nuances of dermal exposure assessment\nDr Melanie Gorman Ng\, Adjunct Professor\, UBC\nCharacterizing dermal exposure presents challenges for occupational hygienists because no “gold standard” methodology exists. There are standard methods for evaluating inhalation exposure to many substances but few standard methods exist for dermal sampling. Evaluating dermal exposure requires an understanding of the strengths\, biases and limitations of multiple methods. This presentation will explore the practical realities of assessing dermal exposure\, selecting the appropriate measurement methodology\, and assessing dermal exposure risk when measurement is not possible or practicable. Overall\, this presentation will provide insight into navigating the nuances of dermal sampling\, selecting pragmatic assessment tools\, and understanding the broader multi-pathway mechanics of dermal exposure. \nExamining healthcare workers’ exposure to hazardous drugs\nDr. Chun-Yip Hon\, Associate Professor\, TMU\nThe risk of healthcare workers exposed to hazardous drugs has been known since the 1970s. Occupational exposure typically occurs by touching drug-contaminated surfaces which can lead to damage to genetic material and reproductive toxicities. There are no acceptable occupational exposure limits and\, therefore\, it is important to keep exposure as low as reasonably practicable. In 2011\, we conducted a pilot study to ascertain the likelihood of dermal (skin) exposure at BC hospitals. We found that some healthcare workers had detectable levels of hazardous drug residue on their hands. Given the potential for exposure\, it prompted us to undertake various research studies to better understand the exposure risk as well as identify or evaluate mitigation strategies to reduce the risk amongst healthcare workers. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of the body of scholarly work surrounding Canadian healthcare workers’ exposure to hazardous drugs over the past 15 years.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]Register on Eventbrite[/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/event/occ-tober-and-beyond-webinar-series-2026-part-2/
CATEGORIES:eventNew,Occ-tober Webinar Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/featuredicon_occt2026b.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261112T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261112T133000
DTSTAMP:20261007T194130Z
CREATED:20261007T194045Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T194130Z
UID:10000463-1794484800-1794490200@www.ohcow.on.ca
SUMMARY:Occ-tober and Beyond Part 3
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row bg_image=”57578″ top_padding=”60″ bottom_padding=”60″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Every Exposure Tells a Story…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top_padding=”40″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text] \nYou’ve completed an OH assessment\, now what?\nKelly Fernandes\, Specialized Consultant (OH)\, WSPS\nYou’ve completed an occupational hygiene assessment and received the report\, but what comes next? This session will walk through common recommendations from chemical and noise exposure assessments\, and the practical steps workplaces can take to address them. We’ll explore the hierarchy of controls\, discuss how to evaluate and document control options\, and identify actions that can be taken while longer-term solutions are being investigated or implemented. Real-world examples will help connect assessment recommendations to workplace action. Attendees will also be introduced to free resources\, tools and links that can support the management of occupational hygiene hazards and help turn assessment findings into an actionable plan. \nNoise and ototoxicants\nIna Chomyshyn\, MLITSD\n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]Register on Eventbrite[/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/event/occ-tober-and-beyond-part-3/
CATEGORIES:eventNew,Occ-tober Webinar Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/featuredicon_occt2026b.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261119T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261119T133000
DTSTAMP:20261007T194303Z
CREATED:20261007T194303Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T194303Z
UID:10000464-1795089600-1795095000@www.ohcow.on.ca
SUMMARY:Occ-tober and Beyond Part 4
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row bg_image=”57578″ top_padding=”60″ bottom_padding=”60″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Every Exposure Tells a Story…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top_padding=”40″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text] \nNail salon workers\nTDr. Victoria Arrandale\, Associate Professor\, Uof \nRecognizing the impact of menopause at work\nDr. Roberta Heale NP\, DNP\nMenopause can have a significant impact on women’s experiences at work; however\, it’s often overlooked in the workplace. Menopause is not a medical condition\, however\, symptoms such as hot flashes\, sleep disruption\, fatigue\, cognitive changes\, anxiety\, migraine\, and more have the potential to seriously disrupt women’s work life and career. The purpose of this session is to explore the menopause transition and the potential workplace impacts. Practical strategies will be discussed to provide participants with a range of possible approaches to enhance the quality of life and work of women in mid-life.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]Register on Eventbrite[/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/event/occ-tober-and-beyond-part-4/
CATEGORIES:eventNew,Occ-tober Webinar Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/featuredicon_occt2026b.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20261126T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20261126T133000
DTSTAMP:20261007T194505Z
CREATED:20261007T194505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T194505Z
UID:10000465-1795694400-1795699800@www.ohcow.on.ca
SUMMARY:Occ-tober and Beyond Part 5
DESCRIPTION:[vc_row bg_image=”57578″ top_padding=”60″ bottom_padding=”60″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Every Exposure Tells a Story…[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row top_padding=”40″][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text] \nOccupational illness and disease prevention research\nSteve Gore\, WSN\nThe Occupational Illness and Disease Prevention Research Project\, funded by the WSIB and delivered by Workplace Safety North (WSN) in partnership with the Institute for Work & Health (IWH)\, aims to build occupational health capacity in Ontario’s mining and forestry sectors. The project uses a graduated approach to help workplaces move from hazard awareness to practical exposure assessment and control. Participants complete e-learning on key occupational health hazards\, followed by hands-on industrial hygiene workshops covering hazard assessment\, sampling\, monitoring\, and control strategies. Selected workplaces receive additional support through qualitative hazard assessments\, quantitative exposure monitoring\, and hands-on coaching from WSN Industrial Hygiene Specialists. The project also evaluates how training and workplace-based mentorship can build sustainable internal capacity to identify\, assess\, and control occupational health hazards and ultimately prevent occupational illness. \nUpdates on prevention tools\nMeghan Friesen\, ROH\, OHCOW\, Krista Thompson\, ROH\, OHCOW\nThermal stress (heat & cold)\nMasood Ahmed\, ROH\, OHCOW\, Andre Gauvin\, ROH\, OHCOW\n[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]Register on Eventbrite[/vc_column][/vc_row]
URL:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/event/occ-tober-and-beyond-part-5/
CATEGORIES:eventNew,Occ-tober Webinar Series
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.ohcow.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/featuredicon_occt2026b.jpg
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