Workers across Ontario can now track hazardous workplace exposures through a new provincial digital portal.
The Ontario government has launched Canada’s first occupational exposure registry, a secure online self-tracker that allows workers to record exposure to 11 designated hazardous substances, including asbestos, lead, mercury and silica.
The registry is part of the province’s plan to strengthen workplace health and safety and responds to recommendations from Ontario’s 2023 Occupational Disease Landscape Review, said officials.
Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini, who also serves as Ontario’s minister of labour, immigration, training and skills development, said the tool will help workers better understand exposure risks and support prevention efforts before occupational illness develops.
Workers can anonymously submit details about how exposure occurred and what protective measures were in place, such as ventilation, training or personal protective equipment. Each entry generates a confirmation email and downloadable record.
Occupational illnesses are often underreported and can take years to appear, making them difficult to diagnose. According to the province, occupational illnesses accounted for about 76 per cent of workplace fatalities in Ontario between 2010 and 2019.
The registry is designed to support workers throughout their careers, including those in construction, manufacturing, mining and emergency services in communities such as Cobourg, Port Hope and Brighton.
The initiative builds on Ontario’s Working for Workers legislative packages, which have introduced additional safety measures including requirements for properly fitting protective equipment and naloxone availability in certain workplaces, added officials.
The Occupational Exposure Registry is now available online through the Ontario government website.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)