OCRC Report: Occupational Disease Surveillance Program: Reporting on Progress up to 2022

The Occupational Disease Surveillance Program (ODSP) is a program of research led by OCRC that aims to develop systems to monitor patterns and trends in occupational disease in Ontario. It is funded by the Ontario Ministries of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) and Health (MOH).

Since its launch in 2018, the ODSP has received long-term funding to expand the scope of the program, explore new areas of occupational disease and exposure surveillance, make strides in knowledge translation and exchange, and continue to train graduate students. This report provides a brief overview of the program’s progress, with a focus on recent developments.

Achievements include:

• Expansion of the Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS) to include a broad range of health outcomes:
  • Diseases such as silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischemic heart disease, asthma, and dermatitis, with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada
  • Opioid-related harms, in partnership with the Institute for Work and Health and with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada
  • COVID-19 infections and effects, with funding from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)
• Expansion of knowledge translation and exchange efforts:
  • Publication of a series of bulletins and alerts highlighting high-risk occupational groups, specific exposures, or emerging issues, and a series of construction exposure profiles produced in collaboration with the Ontario Building Trades Council
  • Launch of the Ontario Occupational Disease Statistics website in 2020, developed in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) and funded by WSIB
  • Publication of the Chronic Respiratory Disease Report in 2022, highlighting results from the Occupational Disease Surveillance System