About the ODSS

The ODSS was launched in 2016

It links job information and health records to detect and monitor occupational disease.

Visit ODSS Site

Methods

A worker who is compensated for a workplace-related illness or injury that resulted in missing work is captured in the provincial compensation board’s time loss database. This database captures job information such as a worker’s occupation and industry of work associated with the claim. The ODSS was created by linking this source of job information to administrative health databases.

To identify disease cases, the ODSS cohort of 2.4 million workers was linked to tumour registry data, hospital records, ambulatory care records, and physician billing records. By combining occupation and industry from time-loss compensation claims data with disease information from administrative health databases, the ODSS provides an efficient approach to study work-related diseases.

Data sources

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board’s (WSIB) Time Loss Claims Database
Occupation and industry data for 2.4 million Ontario workers.

Registered Persons Database (RPDB)
Helps link WSIB records to health databases.

Ontario Cancer Registry (OCR)
Tumour registry data to identify cancer cases.

Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) eClaims Database
Physician billing records to identify diseases other than cancer.

National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS)
Ambulatory care records such as day surgery, outpatient clinic and emergency department visits to identify diseases other than cancer.

Discharge Abstract Database (DAD)
Inpatient hospitalization records to identify diseases other than cancer.

Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS)
Laboratory test results to identify diseases other than cancer.

Funding

The ODSS is currently funded by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development and the Ontario Ministry of Health. Research on opioid-related harms using the ODSS is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Research on COVID-19 using the ODSS is funded by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

Development of the ODSS was initially funded by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Partners

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety
(Occupational Disease Statistics website)

Institute for Work & Health
(Opioid-related harms among Ontario Workers)

Ontario Building Trades Council
(Construction profiles)

Current OCRC Team

Paul Demers, Director
Jeavana Sritharan, Scientist
Jill MacLeod, Manager
Choajie (Daniel) Song, SRA
Tanya Navaneelan, SRA
Fanni Eros, RA
Kate Jardine, KTE Lead
Tiffany Lieu, KTE Specialist