Services

More than 50% of all WSIB claims are from strains and sprains. The cost to the WSIB – and to the employers that fund the rehabilitation and accommodations – are reaching unmanageable levels.

Current and pending workplace legislation requires companies to make job tasks and equipment ergonomically sound. Companies that experience injuries must be able to demonstrate that the tasks and equipment were suited to the needs and capabilities of the workers assigned to do the work. We can assist you in meeting the legislation and your own specific requirements by:

• Reviewing the ergonomic factors associated with all jobs,
• Rating the overall effectiveness of your ergonomic program,
• Providing a summary of your costs for back and repetitive strain injuries,
• Conducting a loss source analysis on injury data related to back and repetitive strain injuries,
• Identifying and prioritizing an action plan for the jobs with high back or repetitive strain injury costs or frequency.

We have the technical expertise to identify measure, analyze and implement corrective actions for all of your workplace hazards. We conduct the following measurements and evaluations based on legislated standards and industry standards:

• Occupational hygiene monitoring for noise, dust and solvents
• Engineering and procedural controls analysis
• Ergonomic evaluations of work area and job task
• Accident/incident trend analysis
• HAZOP and risk analysis
• Indoor air quality evaluation

The Clinic operates to assist small industries in their endeavours to maintain compliance with the Ministry of Labour’s Occupational Health and Safety Act and to set up comprehensive Occupational Health and Safety Programs.

For employees who require testing as specified in the Provincial Regulations or your own Company’s H&S Program/Policy, we offer the following:

• Mobile Chest Clinic services consist of pulmonary function testing and chest x-ray for employees exposed to Designated Substances such as Silica, Asbestos, Isocyanates. Tests are conducted on an annual or bi-annual basis
• Mobile Audiometry services (hearing testing and noise sampling) are utilized as a part of an Industrial Hearing Conservation Program, usually every one or two years
• Biological Testing- both on-site and through satellite clinics- for workers who require testing (e.g. lead, cadmium, mercury, benzene, etc.).
• On-site Consultation services such as Physician Consultation, Hepatitis B Shots, TB Testing, Ergonomic Assessments, Allergy Testing, Industrial Hygiene Sampling & Analysis, Respirator Fit Testing, Noise Assessments, etc.
  Enclosed are a few information sheets on these services.

The testing will consist of a pulmonary function test (PFT) and a single view chest x-ray (cxr). The pulmonary function services are provided and reviewed by trained technicians and respiratory health specialists from our Department. The x-ray services are provided by our colleagues at Diagnostic Imaging and read according to the I.L.O. standards by our Clinical Respirologist as specified in the Occupational Health and Safety Act Regulations Regarding Silica.

Each employee receives a confidential report. If employee consent is given, copies of the reports can be sent to a company physician. The Joint Health and Safety Committee or Health & Safety Representative receives a list of the employees tested for their records. All reports are stored for the required period of time set out in the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Pulmonary function records are stored at our office confidentially, and x-ray films are stored at WSIB.

The Portable X-Ray Unit requires two rooms inside your building. One room at least 10ft by 15ft with a thick, concrete, or outward-facing wall to x-ray in; and a second small room that is light tight for changing films which can be the same as the x-ray room as long as it can be completely darkened. The machine is approximately 150 lbs., on wheels, and is moveable laterally, but can only be moved vertically by elevator. The unit requires a standard 110 volt (3 prongs) electrical outlet, an outside wall or very thick (concrete) interior wall to shoot towards. Pulmonary Function Testing will require a private room with a table and two chairs.

If conducting the Chest Clinic without any of our other services, we can test approximately 12-15 employees per hour; therefore, 3 employees per 15 minutes would be a good rate for scheduling.

Utilizing audiometry as a part of your Industrial Hearing Conservation Program can identify hearing loss in individuals before they notice it themselves. Early diagnosis and intervention is the key to prevention of occupationally related hearing loss.

Using the services of Occupational Health Care-A-Van Inc. we will test each worker individually using the GSI-17 Audiometer. The results of the test [normal, noise-induced hearing loss (nihl), or non-noise-induced hearing loss (non-nihl)] are confidentially discussed with the worker following completion of their test. The audiograms are reviewed and compared to previous reports (if available) by our Occupational Health Nurse and Industrial Audiometry Consultant.

A copy of the reviewed audiogram is sent to the employees upon request. A list of employees tested along with the resulting category (nihl, non-nihl, or normal) is sent to the Joint Health and Safety Committee for their records.

Discounts are available for over 100 employees or if it is not necessary to bring our mobile unit (your company already has a hearing booth). There are no set-up or cancellation fees, no contracts to sign, no minimum charges, and you do not have to guarantee the number of people to be tested.

Our rate of testing is approximately 6-8 employees per hour*, unless patient history has not been taken. Although some hearing conservation companies test up to six employees at a time, we prefer to have our trained technician testing employees in a one-on-one setting to ensure: an immediate, comprehensive and complete personal consultation about their test; less patient confusion; decreased ‘down-time’ for smaller companies.
**if you are conducting Chest Clinic services and Audiometry the same day, our rate of testing is 4/hour (1 every 15 minutes)

All that is required is a quiet** area outside your workplace to park. All workers must wear hearing protection prior to their hearing test. Any employee working in an environment of over 85 decibels must be tested within 4 hours of the start of his/her shift.
**if you are unsure of the noise levels outside your site, we may have to make an extra visit to measure dB.

• Physician Consultation
• Hepatitis Vaccinations
• TB Testing
• Allergy Testing
• Ergonomic Assessments
• Industrial Hygiene Sampling & Analysis (noise, dust, gases)
• Respirator Fit Testing

FIRST AID & CPR

Ontario First Aid regulation (Reg. 1101) states that at least one worker per shift must be qualified in the delivery of first aid who works in the vicinity of a first aid station with a first aid box. Organizations must ‘be prepared’ by having trained employees to deal with emergencies.

key benefits

• Compliance to relevant legislation
• Reduced insurance costs and liability
• Immediate first aid save lives, reduce the severity of injuries and promotes speedy recovery
• Skills to administer life-saving first aid to injured

Learning Outcome

• Provide employees with the knowledge and ability to take charge and react at an emergency scene
• Identify and deal with life-threatening emergencies
• Understand the methods to protect oneself from disease transmission

First Aid Course Description

The following courses are offered to help you schedule your next first aid course. We will be pleased to schedule first aid course(s) at your location. Course(s) can be arranged to address your specific concerns and workplaces specific hazards

Standard First Aid

This two-day course focuses on teaching the most up-to-date techniques in prevention, primary & secondary assessment and handling of life-threatening emergencies. It addresses first aid for common injuries that may occur in the workplace, or anywhere else. It gives participants the confidence and basic skills needed to reduce shock, manage injuries and save lives. The core topics are supplemented with electives to round off the training.

Emergency First Aid

This is a one day course which focuses on some practical, hands-on lesson format as in the Standard level course, but with a narrower selection of elective topics and is designed to address selective emergency situations. This program is also offered as a refresher on the expiration of the standard certificate.