Background and Development of the WSIB Lung Cancer-Gold Miners Policy 16-02-07

The current WSIB Lung Cancer in Gold Mines Policy 16-02-071 (Appendix 1) sets out the guidelines that are considered in the adjudication of lung cancer claims from Ontario gold miners. In brief, the exposure criteria are based on the number of years of “dusty gold mining” and to satisfy the condition of sufficient and consistent evidence of such exposure, a miner must show that he had a weighted dust exposure index of 60 or more.

Prepared by:

Paul Sampara, BSc, DOHS, MEng, ROH, Occupational Hygiene Consultant, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW)

Editorial review by:

Andrew Zarnke, Ph.D. (candidate), H.BSc., Occupational Health Coordinator, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW – Sudbury)

Occupational Hygiene Review by:

Dr. Kevin Hedges, Ph.D., MAppSc., BSc., COH, CIH, Occupational Hygienist, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW – Ottawa)

Editorial review by:

Janice Martell, Occupational Health Coordinator, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW – Sudbury)