Janice Martell speaks with mine workers during the McIntyre Powder intake clinic held in Sudbury on Oct. 4,…
The following posts highlight newsworthy items from OHCOW.
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News
Apr 12 2023
Dec 09 2022
Former mine workers who were made ill from their exposure to McIntyre Powder have received an apology from Ontario Labour Minister Monte McNaughton. Thanks in large part to the spearheading of the McIntyre Powder Project by activist Janice Martell and her partnerships with OHCOW and others, the substance has been identified as having caused respiratory illness,…
Aug 30 2022
OHCOW Researchers Make Valuable Contributions to Study of Occupational Illness Caused by McIntyre Powder McIntyre Powder (MP) was administered to miners for decades in Ontario mines in the belief that it prevented silicosis. OHCOW researchers have helped determine the harmful and life-long damage to miners’ health caused by preventable…
Aug 24 2022
The 2021-22 OHCOW Annual Report is now available online, filled with important events, presentations, additional resources and case studies from the past year.
May 05 2022
Authors: L. M. Bickley; D. Cowan; F.E. McNeill; D.R. Chettle – McMaster University J. Martell; D. Wilken; W. Yan; A. Zarnke; K. Hedges – Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) Published: May 4, 2022 Discussions held between attendees from OHCOW including Janice Martell and Dave Wilken,with Professor Fiona McNeill…
Apr 14 2022
On this Day of Mourning, the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) honour the workers who have suffered from occupational disease, injury, and death due to the workplace. We pay special homage to those who served others throughout these unprecedented times amidst a global pandemic and suffered immeasurable loss.…
Feb 02 2022
OHCOW contributes to important Coroner’s File Review Report highlighting numerous gaps in the protection of Migrant Agricultural Workers throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic. This project was lead by Dr. C. Susana Caxaj, RN, PhD*, and conducted by members of the Migrant Farm Worker Health Expert Working Group which includes OHCOW staff .…
Nov 22 2021
[Daily Commercial News] Sixty contractors in Ontario are taking part in a 12-month pilot testing the merits of a digital tool developed to quickly prepare control plans to mitigate the potential health risks of overexposure to crystalline silica. The proprietary software tool evaluates the conditions of a construction site and provides…
Aug 23 2021
OHCOW's Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) Audiogram Calculation Tool is designed to assess values based on the worker’s audiogram to clarify if their NIHL meets the minimum requirement for establishing a NIHL claim with the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). The NIHL Audiogram Calculation Tool allows anyone who has…
Aug 10 2021
In a first for the British Columbia Construction Safety Alliance's (BCCSA) proprietary Silica Control Tool™, a group of workplaces outside the province will begin using the Tool under a 12-month pilot program involving 70 Ontario workplaces, beginning this summer. The pilot will be funded by the Occupational Health Clinics for…
Apr 21 2021
[EXTERNAL] The WSIB will no longer reduce non-economic loss and permanent disability benefits for most people with claims for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), who also have a smoking history. In some cases, we may still consider a pre-existing condition caused by smoking when determining non-economic loss or permanent disability…
Jan 12 2021
Trusted Sources and External Milestones NEW! January 12, 2021 - Public Health Agency of Canada Guidance on Indoor Ventilation During the Pandemic January 4, 2021 - Open Letter, Time for government to take aerosol transmission of COVID-19 seriously December 30, 2020 - Public Health Agency of Canada, Evidence Brief on SARS-CoV-2 Aerosol Transmission. November 4,…
Dec 15 2020
Read about our study with Institute For Work and Health on workers' experience during the pandemic in the Toronto Star article, Unsafe workplaces during COVID-19 taking huge toll on workers’ mental health. .Pandemic Experience and Impact The study was conducted jointly by John Oudyk (Occupational Hygienist, OHCOW) and Peter Smith…
Oct 05 2020
OHCOW hygienists John Oudyk and Kevin Hedges participated in a national Best Brains Exchange about transmission science and worker protection hosted by federal health and research agencies last week. View John’s powerful October 1st presentation comparing practices and cases in Canada vs China, recognizing the differing (and entrenched) scientific perspectives, but…
Sep 25 2020
Providing Colour-Coded COVID-19 Prevention Advice Regional Risk Tool/Tips View the rolling 14-day average of COVID-19 cases in each Public Health region in Ontario (from data published weekdays) against a backdrop of 5 coloured risk levels, plus a current At a Glance chart, then follow the coordinated tips for Communicating, Cleaning, Handwashing, Ventilating, Distancing, Screening, and Masking to protect your…
Apr 28 2020
Part of the 2020 Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Day Webinar Series: What is a Workers’ Life Worth? Date: February 28, 2020
Apr 28 2020
Day of Mourning 2020 Every April 28th we pause to honour the memory of workers who have lost their lives on the job, to think of the many thousands injured or made ill by workplace conditions, and to consider the impact on their families and our communities. The National Day…
Aug 23 2018
StressAssess, OHCOW’s new Workplace Psychosocial Survey Tool which was developed in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), has been selected as a finalist in the worldwide Adobe Government Creativity Awards. This is an international competition garnering 488 submissions, and it is a fantastic achievement to…
