Greetings all and welcome to the Spring edition of the OHAO Forum. We bring you this issue on the heels of the recent Spring Symposium and PDC offered near the end of March. The education committee did an excellent job putting together these events, and the speakers were fantastic. The presentations were interesting, informative, and garnered a lot of engagement, especially for virtual events. I, for one, am already looking forward to the Fall Symposium.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our outgoing President, James Crichton, and our immediate Past-President, Craig Maunder, for their contributions to the board and the advancement of OHAO. I would also like to welcome Wagish Yajaman as our new President and wish him all the best in carrying the OHAO torch. The President's Message in this issue is provided by Craig and you will be hearing from Wagish in the next issue.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL MESSAGE

As OHAO’s 60th year of operation (the 2024/2025 Board year) comes to an end, I am pleased to say that, with the ongoing commitment of the OHAO Board and Committees, and support from our Executive Manager, we have been able to achieve many of our goals. The year focused on advancing the profession of occupational hygiene and serving the interests of our members. 60 years is an incredible achievement, and a testament to the incredible spirit of service exemplified by all the members who have contributed to our Executive, Board, Committees and other volunteer pursuits over the years, not to mention the pioneers who first established our organization many years ago.

2024/2025 marks the first year of our current 3-year plan, aligned under our overall strategic objectives for the organization. Key focus areas under the current plan include:

  1. Increasing our reach to new audiences across the province;
  2. Promoting recognition of occupational hygiene;
  3. Developing partnerships and increasing our level of collaboration with stakeholders; and
  4. Fostering communication and networking amongst members, while maintaining our already high standards of delivering professional development and training.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL MESSAGE

This article was originally published in the February 2025 issue of The Synergist®, the magazine of AIHA®.

As part of the OHAO/AIHA Memorandum of Understanding, AIHA will
be sharing one article from a recent issue of The Synergist in each issue of the OHAO Forum. Thank you to AIHA for sharing this information with our members. 

Traditional exposure assessments are appropriate in situations where chemical hazards are reliably measurable through validated quantitative methodologies, budgets support a battery of tests, and formal exposure limits exist with which to create the benchmark of acceptable exposures. In non-ideal situations, however, exposure assessments can be costly and require the expertise of an IH professional to interpret data. Utilizing banding logic prior to exposure assessment helps prioritize hazards, ensuring that limited resources are allocated to appropriate areas.

Starting in 2022, AIHA’s Principles of Good Practice (PGP) project aimed to bridge the gap created by these non-ideal situations. The document “Principles of Good Practice for the Industrial Hygienist/Occupational Hygienist” identifies control banding as an “enhanced practice” that can make the exposure assessment and management process more efficient and effective. We propose an integration of the traditional exposure assessment paradigm with the decision logic of banding strategies; this proposed integration serves two purposes. First, it allows for immediate implementation of appropriate control strategies to protect workers sooner; and second, it provides context to the chemical hazard conversation, allowing for better-informed decision-making related to exposure assessment prioritization.

The context of IH involves the collection of information from various
sources, including samples if possible, to quantitatively determine the level of exposure risk and, thus, which controls are most appropriate to reduce risk and protect workers. Application of the decision logic of banding strategies helps prioritize resource allocation and provides the IH professional with additional tools with which to navigate complex situations. 
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Vanadium is an element seldom encountered by occupational hygienists; most would only associate it with the green discoloration of the tongue, caused by high exposures to vanadium pentoxide. Vanadium is mainly used as ferrovanadium in the manufacture of high-strength lowalloy steels and in the production of certain catalysts, ceramics, glasses, pigments, electronics and batteries. In 2022, mined vanadium production was 100,000 tonnes globally.1 Secondary production – recovery from fly ash, petroleum residues, alumina slag, and from the recycling of spent refinery catalysts – is minor.

A 2020 news report drew attention to the potential pollution of watercourses by toxic pentavalent vanadium in wastewater from a petroleum refinery. Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts in petroleum refining may contain vanadium, and FCC feed streams may contain residual vanadium at 5-10 ppm.3 Catalyst efficiency declines through fouling, and reprocessing is periodically required. Reportedly, the vanadium from the refinery’s wastewater treatment system was segregated and removed to a specialized disposal facility off-site. Worker exposure was not an issue.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

For the second year in a row, the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) is conducting two occupational hygiene focused compliance campaigns:

  1. Exposure to Chemical Agents in the Workplace
  2. WHMIS Training based on the amended Hazardous Products Regulations

Inspections have begun and MLITSD hygienists are visiting businesses in any sector where workers work with or may be exposed to hazardous products. They will be checking to ensure compliance with

1990, Regulation 833, Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents; specifically, they will ensure that workers are not exposed to hazardous substances exceeding the occupational exposure limits. 

• R.R.O. 1990, Regulation 833, Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents; specifically, they will ensure that workers are not exposed to hazardous substances exceeding the occupational exposure limits. 

• R.R.O 1990, Regulation 860, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS); specifically, they will determine if retraining is required, checking that hazardous products in the workplace have label and safety data sheets compliant with the amended Hazardous Products Regulations (HPR).

Throughout the campaigns, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) will provide education, outreach and awareness to assist businesses with their compliance efforts. A number of webinars, jointly presented by the MLTISD and WSPS, are scheduled and a list of support resources for businesses can be found on WSPS.ca.

WHMIS Regulation 860 and 833 Compliance Checklist

MLITSD hygienists are currently conducting proactive inspections to ensure compliance with Regulation 833 – Control of Exposure to Biological or Chemical Agents and Regulation 860 – Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS). Inspections run until April 1, 2025 until March 31, 2026.

This free checklist can help workplaces prepare. It can be used to assess compliance with Reg. 833 and Reg. 860, and determine recommended actions.
    DOWNLOAD CHECKLIST

    OHAO Spring PDC, Conference and AGM 2025            

    On Wednesday, March 26 OHAO presented the Spring 2025 PDC virtually on Key Practices in Advancing Hearing Conservation attended by over 75 people.  On Thursday, March 27 the OHAO Conference on OH Related Topics and Case Studies was presented along with the Annual General Meeting.  Thanks to all the amazing speakers who make these events possible and the OHAO Education Committee, Co-Chaired by Wagish Yajaman and Steve Gore, for putting together an excellent day of Education. 

    Before the AGM two awards were presented, the Marc Cousineau OHAO Student Member Award went to Mathew Abraham and the Hugh Nelson Award of Excellence in Occupational Hygiene was awarded to Anne-Marie Landis-Groom. 

    The Annual General Meeting was well received and OHAO is in good financial and organizational health.  During the election Kimberly O’Connell was acclaimed to the President Elect position and Steve Gore and Jason Chevrier were acclaimed to the Director positions. Congratulations to everyone.  And James Crichton finished his term on the Board of Directors and was thanked for his contributions.

    Save the Dates

    OHAO Fall PDC 2025
    October 22 - Format TBC
    OHAO Fall Conference 2025
    October 23 - Hybrid

    Volunteers Needed for Membership, Communications, Education, Mentorship Commitees

    Contact office@ohao.org

    OHS Tradeshows

    OHAO will have a booth at the WSN Mining Health and Safety Conference in Sudbury on April 30-May 1 

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