Assessing a safety climate tool adapted to address respiratory illnesses in Canadian hospitals.

Background: Studies have shown an association between workplace safety climate scores and patient outcomes. This study aimed to investigate (1) performance of the hospital safety climate scale that was adapted to assess acute respiratory illness safety climate, (2) factors associated with safety climate scores, and (3) whether the safety scores were associated with following recommended droplet and contact precautions.

Methods: A survey of Canadian healthcare personnel participating in a cohort study of influenza during the 2010/2011-2013/2014 winter seasons.

Sustaining a Workforce: Reflections on Work from Home and Community Care Nurses Transitioning out of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on nurses' well-being and desire to practice; however, the experience of Canadian home and community care nurses remains less well understood. As the health human resources crisis in this sector persists, understanding these nurses' experiences may be vital in creating more effective retention strategies.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the working experiences, motivations, and attitudes of home and community care nurses in the Greater Toronto Area.

Factors influencing self-reported facial-protective equipment adherence among home care nurses and personal support workers: A multisite cross-sectional study.

Background: Facial-protective equipment (FPE) use increased during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This study explored factors influencing home care personal support workers' (PSWs) and nurses' self-reported adherence to FPE.

Methods: A cross-sectional, electronic, survey was distributed to PSWs and nurses (1,108 complete responses) at 3 home care agencies in Ontario, Canada, in May to June 2022.

Factors influencing nursing professionals' adherence to facial protective equipment usage: A comprehensive review.

Background: Facial protective equipment (FPE) adherence is necessary for the health and safety of nursing professionals. This review was conducted to synthesize predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors that influence FPE adherence, and thus inform efforts to promote adherence.

Methods: Articles were collected using Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and MEDLINE and screened for inclusion.

"You Have to Be Careful About Every Detail" How the COVID-19 Pandemic Shaped the Experiences of Canadian Personal Support Workers Working in Home Care.

Objectives: Personal support workers (PSWs) are an essential but vulnerable workforce supporting the home care sector in Canada. Given the impact COVID-19 has had on healthcare workers globally, understanding how PSWs have been impacted is vital.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study to understand the working experiences of PSWs over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Silicosis, asbestosis, and pulmonary fibrosis in Ontario, Canada from 1996 to 2019.

Background: Silicosis is a fibrotic lung disease caused by exposure to respirable crystalline silica. Historically, silicosis was common among miners and other professions in the 20th century, and in recent decades has re-emerged in coal mining and appeared in new workplaces, including the manufacture of distressed jeans and artificial stone countertops.

Methods: Physician billing data for the province of Ontario between 1992 and 2019 were analyzed across six time-periods (1993-1995, 1996-2000, 2001-2005, 2006-2010, 2011-2015, and 2016-2019).

Occupational Hand Dermatitis in Health Care: Development and Evaluation of an Online Training E-Module.

Occupational hand dermatitis (OHD) is an important health concern for health care workers (HCWs), yet there is a lack of accessible training materials on this topic. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate an OHD training e-module for HCWs. The e-module was created in collaboration with an expert advisory committee and tested by Ontario HCWs through pre- and post-training OHD knowledge tests, a usability survey, and a survey about intent to change work skin care practices.

Barriers and Facilitators in the Creation of a Surveillance System for Solar Radiation-Induced Skin Cancers.

Outdoor workers are exposed to many hazards, including solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Identifying, reporting, analyzing and tracking the exposures or health outcomes of outdoor workers have not generally been formally considered. This article aims to summarize the best practices/strategies for creating an occupational sun exposure or skin cancer surveillance system for outdoor workers and to understand the key barriers and facilitators to the development of such a system.

Tailored Sun Safety Messages for Outdoor Workers.

Background: Messaging surrounding skin cancer prevention has previously focused on the general public and emphasized how or when activities should be undertaken to reduce solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. Generic messages may not be applicable to all settings, and should be tailored to protect unique and/or highly susceptible subpopulations, such as outdoor workers. The primary objective of this study was to develop a set of tailored, practical, harm-reducing sun safety messages that will better support outdoor workers and their employers in reducing the risk of solar UVR exposure and UVR-related occupational illnesses.

Spot It, Prevent It: Evaluation of a Rapid Response Algorithm for Managing Workplace Violence Among Home Care Workers.

Background: Workplace violence incidents remain pervasive in health care. Home care workers like personal support workers (PSWs) provide services for clients with dementia, which has been identified as a risk factor for workplace violence. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the implementation of a rapid response algorithm resolved unsafe working conditions associated with responsive behaviors and decreased perception of risk.

Workers' compensation experience in some Indigenous Northern Ontario communities.

Background: There is a dearth of research about occupational health and safety experience in Indigenous communities and compensation applications from Indigenous workers appear limited.

Objective: This qualitative descriptive study was designed to explore workers' compensation experiences in some Canadian Indigenous communities.

Methods: A community-based participatory research approach was used to conduct focus groups (n = 25 participants) in three Northeastern Ontario (NEO) Indigenous communities and at one NEO Indigenous employment centre.

Collecting occupation and hazards information in primary care using O*NET.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of collecting occupation and occupational hazard data in a primary care setting, using the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database to assist with classification.

Methods: We collected data from 204 employed adult primary care patients in Toronto, Canada, on their occupation and exposure to occupational hazards, and mapped their job titles to the O*NET database. We compared their self-reported occupational hazard exposures with the likelihood of exposure on O*NET.

Determinants of nurse's and personal support worker's adherence to facial protective equipment in a community setting during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada: A pilot study.

Background: Appropriate and consistent facial protective equipment (FPE) use is critical for preventing respiratory illness transmission. Little is known about FPE adherence by home care providers. The purpose of this study is to adapt an existing facial protection questionnaire and use it to develop an initial understanding of factors influencing home care providers' adherence to FPE during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Construction sector joint health and safety committees: Can their effectiveness be assessed using the JHSC assessment eTool?

Background: Joint health and safety committees (JHSCs) are a legal requirement for most Ontario workplaces. However, few evidence-based tools exist to assess JHSC effectiveness. The JHSC Assessment eTool has been developed and tested in the healthcare and education sectors with positive results.

Assessment of clinical consultations in an academic occupational medicine clinic.

Background: Occupational medicine clinical consultation services are relatively under-recognized and under-utilized in Canada.

Aims: To describe clinical consultations in a university-affiliated general occupational medicine clinic.

Methods: All of the charts of patients seen in referral to our general occupational medicine clinic over a 2-year period were reviewed to extract information to provide a descriptive summary of the nature of these consultations.

Occupational Exposure of Canadian Nail Salon Workers to Plasticizers Including Phthalates and Organophosphate Esters.

Personal exposure of nail salon workers to 10 phthalates and 19 organophosphate esters (OPEs) was assessed in 18 nail salons in Toronto, Canada. Active air samplers ( = 60) and silicone passive samplers, including brooches ( = 58) and wristbands ( = 60), were worn by 45 nail salon workers for ∼8 working hours. Diethyl phthalate (median = 471 ng m) and diisobutyl phthalate (337 ng m) were highest in active air samplers.

Occupational Contact Dermatitis: An Individualized Approach to the Worker with Dermatitis.

Purpose Of Review: To provide an up-to-date, customizable approach to the worker presenting with dermatitis.

Recent Findings: Occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) is often a result of combined allergic, irritant, and endogenous factors. Potential causes of OCD can be categorized in 3 main groupings: workplace materials, personal protective equipment, and skin care.

Occupational contact dermatitis: Return to work using a multidisciplinary clinic model.

Background: Occupational contact dermatitis often results in work disruption. Return-to-work (RTW) is an important outcome.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine RTW outcomes and factors associated with such outcomes using a multidisciplinary clinic model.

Exploratory study to determine if risk factors for occupational skin disease vary by type of food processing operation.

Background: Occupational skin disease (OSD) is a common health issue in the food processing sector. However, risk factors for OSD are suspected to differ according to the nature of the operation.

Objective: To ascertain if the risk factors for OSD vary depending on the type of food processing operation, namely meat processing vs.

Occupational contact dermatitis: Retrospective analysis of North American Contact Dermatitis Group Data, 2001 to 2016.

Background: Patch testing is an important diagnostic tool for suspected allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in occupational settings.

Objective: Provide an overview of occupational skin disease (OSD) and an analysis of occupational ACD in North American patients undergoing patch testing between 2001and 2016.

Methods: Patients with OSD were analyzed for frequency of allergic reactions to a screening series of allergens, occupational relevance, location of skin disease, and exposure sources.

A Qualitative Study to Identify Characteristics of a Desirable Training Program for Prevention of Occupational Skin Disease.

Background: Training and education may be effective strategies for the prevention of work-related contact dermatitis. While there is some information in the literature related to skin-specific training experiences, there is very little information available on workers' preferences related to content and format and to barriers and facilitators to training.

Objectives: To understand workers' experiences and preferences for workplace training and barriers and facilitators to training.

Sun Protection Use at Work and Leisure by Outdoor Workers in Alberta, Canada.

Objective: To assess the prevalence and determinants of sun protection behaviours among outdoors workers at work and leisure in Alberta, Canada.

Methods: We collected outdoor workers' demographics, skin cancer risk factors, job information, and sun habits at work and leisure using self-completed questionnaires. For both settings, we compared use of specific behaviours and modelled determinants of sun protection behaviour scores.

The Utility of an Occupational Contact Dermatitis Patch Test Database in the Analysis of Workplace Prevention Activities in Toronto, Canada.

Background: Occupational skin diseases are common suggesting that there are still gaps in workplace prevention. Patch test surveillance systems provide an opportunity to collect work related information in addition to clinical information and patch test results.

Objectives: To examine 5 years of data related to workplace prevention by industry sector in a patch test surveillance database for workers with a diagnosis of occupational contact dermatitis.