To date, there is a gap in the research regarding the use of CO2 monitors to assess air quality on public transit in Canada. Most existing studies were large-scale, with monitors mounted in the transit vehicles to assess air quality, rather than being used by individuals for personal risk assessment. This case study aims to address this gap, by evaluating the individual use of CO2 monitors for assessing air quality on a transit authority in a Northern Ontario city, including through cold winter months. The results of this assessment will provide insights into the current state of infection risk on public transit in a Northern Ontario city, while also generating information on tools and factors that workers can use to perform their own assessments to determine infection risk on their commutes using public transit.

A mixed methods research study that is assessing the reliability and validity of the VAT instrument that was created to assess the risk of violence from patients towards healthcare workers in an acute care setting by the PSHSA.

Partners: Public Services Health and Safety Association, St. Lawrence College, Brockville; Northern College, Timmins; Sault College, Sault Ste. Marie

Ontario’s underground workers are being over-exposed to harmful diesel particulates, which cause occupational diseases. Ontario’s Occupational Exposure Limit for diesel particulates need to be reduced to 20 µm/m^3. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to educate mine workers and community stakeholders about the hazards of Diesel Exhaust; and 2) stimulate policy-makers in Canada to take action to both enforce higher standards of protection and induce change in mine workplaces. We helped get the MLITSD to reduce the OEL from 400 µm/m^3 to 120 µm/m&3. Now our goal is to get the OEL reduced from 120 µm/m^3 to 20 µm/m^3. Relatedly, for her Masters work, Megan Wickie is evaluating the healthcare and economic burden of high diesel particulate matter occupational exposure limits in Northern Ontario’s underground mining industry.

Resources: Diesel Particulate Project Infographic, Diesel Particulate Project Brochure, Diesel Particulate Project One-Pager

The prevalence of allergic respiratory diseases, such as allergic rhinitis (AR), has dramatically increased worldwide with global warming being a significant contributing factor. AR causes severe disruptions to one’s quality of life, sleep, and productivity. Nearly 1 in 4 Canadians have allergic rhinitis (e.g. hay fever) and up to 78% of individuals in specific work environments develop occupational rhinitis with the primary treatment strategy being over-the-counter anti-histamine medications.

Chronic exposure to foot-transmitted vibration (e.g. in mining and construction industries) can increase risk of vibration-induced white foot. This condition can cause pain, numbness, and cold sensitivity in the feet and toes, as well as blanching of the toes (House et al., 2010).