Occupational Disease

Preventing occupational illness

Industrial hygiene means keeping workplaces safe by predicting, identifying, evaluating, and managing potential dangers that could harm workers' health. An occupational disease is a health problem caused by the work environment or related activities. It can be serious, cause disabilities, and sometimes be fatal. Examples include hearing loss, asthma, infections, and cancer.

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Auxiliary Ventilation: Good Installation and Maintenance Practices for Miners

Beat the Heat Safety Meeting Talk

Beyond Safety in Mining: What about Occupational Hygiene?

Closure and Re-entry Into Abandoned and Inactive Mine Workings

Diesel Exhaust - Need to Monitor Exposure and Further Reduce Occupational Exposure Limit

Diesel Survey of Mines and Mine Contractors

Dust Control Using Water Curtain During Shotcrete Application

Good Practice Guidance on Occupational Health Risk Assessment

Hazards Associated with Diesel Exhaust Emissions

Industrial Hygiene Basics: Setting up and Implementing an Effective IH Program

Infographic: Health effects of diesel exhaust

Infographic: Proper Use of Respirators in Mines and Mining Plants

Mining Workplace Environment Checklist

Noise: Hearing Conservation Program

Occupational Diseases in the Ontario Mining Industry: An update from the Occupational Cancer Research Centre

Ontario Mine Rescue Heat Stress Report and Standard

Poster: Top Occupational Disease Risks in Mining Industry

Poster: Top Occupational Disease Risks in Forestry Sector

Poster: Top Occupational Diseases Risks in Pulp and Paper Sector

Radon Management through the Life Cycle of an Underground Mine

Reducing diesel particulate matter in underground mines: Two successful examples

Welding Safety

Workplace health and safety snapshots for Ontario forestry sector

Workplace health and safety snapshots for Ontario mining sector

Workplace health and safety snapshots for Ontario paper, printing, and converting sector

Related video

Video: Respirable Hazards – Mining

Napo in...the hidden killers - European Agency for Safety and Health at Work

Webinar: Understanding and addressing occupational disease risks in key industries - WSN recording, slide deck and resources

Related training and services

Auxiliary Mine Ventilation Manual

Free training material on diesel emission hazards (all industries)

Industrial Hygiene Testing

Radon Assessment

Supervisor Common Core Training: Occupational Health & Industrial Hygiene (Mining)

Supervisor Common Core Training: Mine Ventilation – Underground (Mining)

Ventilation Assessment

Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) – training

Related articles

Occupational disease risks in key industries: Protecting workers’ health

Protect Outdoor Workers from Tick Bites and Lyme Disease

External resources

Mesothelioma – Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC)

Ontario Occupational Disease Statistics by Industry - OCRC

Occupational Disease Surveillance System - Ontario

Simple Solutions for Dusty Environments at Metal and Nonmetal Mines – NIOSH

Silicosis – Occupational Cancer Research Centre