Occupational health

These recommendations aim to protect workers (movers) who have to enter homes, as well as clients, their relatives and the general population by reducing the risk of spreading the virus. Preventive measures must be implemented for all moves. Although risk of transmission by surfaces and objects exists, it is currently considered to be minor in the overall context. In the context of a move, the main risk for movers is to have close contact within two meters.

Global warming could have particularly severe impacts on Canada. It is estimated that temperatures in Canada increased at roughly twice the global mean rate over the 1948–2016 period, with a mean annual increase of 1.7°C compared to a global increase of 0.8°C. Periods of extreme heat have become more frequent and more intense in most provinces. Without appropriate preventive actions, these changes could lead to an increase in mortality and morbidity rates, affecting, among others, urban…

This information sheet replaces publication 2962: Reception of Temporary Foreign Workers to Support Agri-Food Activities

These measures apply when community transmission is confirmed by public health authorities. Based on current knowledge, it is known that COVID-19 can be transmitted by presymptomatic, symptomatic, and asymptomatic carriers of the disease. Preventive measures are therefore recommended at all times.

The prevention measures recommended by the…

The Canadian Quarantine Act provides exemptions from quarantine upon arrival in Canada for temporary foreign workers who are deemed by the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada to provide an essential service. It is the responsibility of the host company to verify that the temporary foreign workers it employs meet the exemption criteria. Workers may only be exempt from quarantine if they have no symptoms upon arrival. Despite this exemption, companies and the ETFWs they bring in as…

Psychosocial risk in the workplace are defined as factors related to work organization, management practices, working conditions and social relationships which increase the likelihood of adverse effects on the physical and psychological health of workers exposed (INSPQ, 2016). In the context of a pandemic that significantly affects the usual working conditions, many of these risks may be exacerbated. It is therefore recommended to: 1) Be attentive to the presence of these risk factors…

Any resumption of non-essential services must be carried out in such a way as to control the transmission of COVID-19. In fact, it is of paramount importance to avoid an important increase in the number of people infected, hospitalized or in intensive care, and of deaths. A number of conditions must be respected to ensure the control of COVID-19 in Québec.

The recommendations presented in this document are to be implemented when the Québec national public health director declares that there has been sustained community transmission of COVID-19 in the Québec population. Community transmission may be declared locally, regionally or province-wide.

In the current context, the underlying premises for these recommendations are those issued by the public health authorities for the entire Québec population, who are required to postpone non-…

In the implementation of Québec’s 2013-2020 Climate Change Action Plan, the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux mandated the Institut national de santé publique du Québec with conducting an exploratory study on the psychosocial effects experienced by workers as the result of four extreme weather events, the frequency of which will be exacerbated by climate change: heat waves, flooding, storms, and forest fires.

Since 2003, the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ – Québec’s public health institute) has produced some fifteen publications describing asbestos exposure and asbestos-related diseases in Québec’s general population and its workers. The current state of knowledge leads to the conclusion that chrysotile asbestos is a human carcinogen and as a result, all the preventive and protective measures for the health of workers and the public must be enforced. However, the experience…

Since 2003, the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ – Québec’s public health institute) has produced some fifteen publications describing asbestos exposure and asbestos-related diseases in Québec’s general population and its workers. The current state of knowledge leads to the conclusion that chrysotile asbestos is a human carcinogen and as a result, all the preventive and protective measures for the health of workers and the public must be enforced. However, the experience…