Registration Dates and Locations

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REA 1-Day Course

Structuring and Delivering Workplace Medical Programs Course

  • DURING THE STRUCTURING AND DELIVERING WORKPLACE MEDICAL PROGRAMS COURSE, YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT,

    • Regulatory and best practice requirements for establishing workplace medical programs

    • How to identify program needs and objectives

    • Making the business case for program development and implementation

    • Activities involved in program design, development, management and evaluation

    • Key inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes for workplace medical programs

    • The role of medical assessments in fitness for duty and protection of exposed workers

    • The role of community primary care resources in supporting the workplace program

    • Why health care providers should not be absenteeism managers

    • The place and purpose for medical file review and independent medical evaluations

    • Specific medical surveillance for common workplace chemical, physical and biological hazards

    • Specialty resources for diagnosis and treatment of occupational diseases

    • The fiduciary and non-fiduciary nature of relationships of health professionals to the employer and to employees

    • Functions that should and should not be performed by the employer’s health team

  • WHY ATTEND?

    • Gain understanding of the “how to’s” and “do’s and don’ts” for developing and implementing effective workplace medical programs

    • Learn how to determine what you do and don’t need in terms of medical services

    • Develop understanding of key legal and ethical requirements governing workplace medical programs

    • Learn how to assess the skills and qualifications of potential health services providers

    • Obtain continuing education points (applications submitted for CRSP, CIH, ROH, CCOHN, CHRP)

    • Acquire knowledge to better protect the workforce and your organization

  • Please contact us

  • This course is for you if:

    • Your organization wants to establish and implement an effective occupational medical program

    • Your organization is unsure of whether its operations could harm employee health

    • Your job requires some knowledge of occupational medical programs and concepts

    • You are a safety specialist, nurse working in industry, ergonomist, non-occupational physicians, Government OHS Inspectors, occupational hygienist, EHS manager or director, workplace health and safety committee member

  • SOME DISTURBING FACTS

    • Workplace overexposure to chemical hazards, and the resulting occupational diseases are not “things of the past” in Canada.

    • In Ontario, occupational diseases account for greater mortality than occupational injuries. In 2010, occupational diseases contributed to 70 per cent of all allowed WSIB fatality claims in the workplace (Ontario Ministry of Labour).

    • In 2001, 51% of WSIB fatality claims were for occupational diseases. In 2010, the figure was 70% (Ontario WSIB).

    • In 2010, there were 250 occupational deaths from work-related diseases, compared to 98 occupational deaths from traumatic injuries (Ontario WSIB).

    • Occupational cancer is the leading cause of workplace fatalities in Ontario (Cancer Care Ontario).

    • Noise-induced hearing loss and work-related asthma continue to be significant occupational illnesses in Ontario (Ontario Ministry of Labour).

    • Little is known about the disease risks associated with new emerging technologies and processes (like biotech and nano).

    WHY, IN 2013, ARE OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES ON THE RISE?

    • Between the mid-1980s and 1990s in Canada and the USA, occupational medical programs went from being commonplace in large organizations to almost becoming an “endangered species” (Occupational Health Services, Routledge Taylor & Francis, 2012). Many employers and government agencies simply adopted the idea that exposures were adequately controlled, and that occupational disease problems were a thing of the past. As a result, the demand for, and number of practicing occupational physicians consistently declined. Clearly this was a mistake.

    BUT DOES ONTARIO LAW REQUIRE WORKPLACE MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE?

    • The designated substances regulation requires medical surveillance programs for a number of chemicals. Compliance rates are known to be very low.

    • There are dozens of other workplace hazards for which medical surveillance is indicated and warranted by the reasonable precautions duty. But again, need far exceeds implementation.

    TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES AND MANAGE RISKS, EMPLOYERS NEED TO:

    • Understand when, where, and how employees are exposed to workplace health hazards

    • Ensure compliance with regulatory and best practice requirements for health protection

    • Ensure that proper and effective occupational medical programs are designed and implemented

  • Public: $799 Plus Tax
    In-House: Please contact us

About the Instructor

Dr. Andrew Vellathottam
MD MScCH CCFP ACBOM

is an occupational medical consultant with Resource Environmental Associates. He obtained the Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Western Ontario, and the Master of Science in Community Health from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. He is certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and an Associate of the Canadian Board of Occupational Medicine.