Occupational Disease Panel (Industrial Disease Standards Panel)
Annual Report 1995/96
II. A BRIEF HISTORY OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE COMPENSATION IN ONTARIO
Completed Projects
Ongoing and New Investigations
Projects Funded and Sponsored by the ODP
IV. PREVENTION AND DISEASE RESEARCH
Panel Meetings
Outreach
Staff Development
Publications by the Panel
The Occupational Disease Panel marked its 10th anniversary in April 1996. In recognition of this milestone the Panel decided to review its accomplishments and activities and evaluate these in light of its original mandate.
Panel's History
In 1985, the Progressive Conservative Government established the Panel to make the process, by which occupational diseases are recognized, public and to ensure that occupational diseases are given due attention by the workers' compensation system. When he introduced the legislation, Minister Ramsay stated:
... the creation for the first time of the industrial disease standards panel will be of considerable assistance in improving the overall quality of medical determinations in industrial disease claims.
They will permit the development of appropriate and up-to-date adjudication standards relating to medical questions, as well as ensuring that independent, expert judgement will be brought to bear on issues that ... are difficult ones on which to achieve any kind of consensus.
The history leading up to the creation of the ODP provides context for its ongoing work. In 1914 when Ontario decided to establish a system to compensate workers for the results of work accidents, it also decided to compensate workers incapacitated by work-related diseases. The need to treat all workers equally was recognized by Sir William Meredith in his Final Report on Laws Relating to the Liability of Employers presented to the Government of Ontario in 1913. Specifically he wrote:
By my draft bill, following in this respect the British act, industrial diseases are put on the same footing as to the right of compensation as accidents..... It would, in my opinion, be a blot on the act if a workman who suffers from an industrial disease contracted in the course of his employment is not to be entitled to compensation. The risk of contracting disease is inherent in the occupation he follows and he is practically powerless to guard against it. A workman may to some extent guard against accidents and it would seem not only illogical but unreasonable to compensate him in the one case and to deny him the right to compensation in the other.
The Government followed Meredith's advice and when the Act was drafted, six diseases were included in Schedule 3. The WCB has cautiously pursued the recognition of occupational disease since then and Schedule 3 has been amended 14 times.
The recognition of occupational diseases was not a major issue for the Board until the 60s and 70s, when concerns about the health of workers in newly opened uranium mines began to emerge. The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) began to actively lobby for improved working conditions for all its members including the uranium miners. In 1969 following a lengthy four month strike, the Steelworkers and INCO, the world's largest nickel producer, agreed to establish a joint health and safety committee.
Concerns about the health of uranium miners did not disappear. Following a 1974 strike over health and safety issues in an Elliot Lake mine, the Government established the Royal Commission on the Health and Safety of Workers in Mines. Dr. J. Ham, the Commissioner, subsequently became the first Chairman of the Panel.
In its 1976 report, the Commission made many recommendations including the need for:
Dr. Ham concluded that a viable health and safety system would only be functional if it was maintained and supported by labour and management.
In the late 1970's, concern about the health effects resulting from the use of asbestos captured the headlines. There was particular concern for the workers at the Johns-Manville asbestos pipe manufacturing plant. From that location the WCB had recognized 68 asbestos related deaths by 1983 in a factory that had never had an annual employment of greater than 714. Again following concerns voiced by the labour movement including the Ontario Federation of Labour, the Progressive Conservative Government established The Royal Commission on Matters of Health and Safety Arising from the Use of Asbestos in Ontario to deal with these issues in April 1980. (Dr. Stefan Dupré, the Chairman of the Royal Commission, became the second Chair of the Panel.) Following its review of the manner in which the WCB handled the asbestos issue, the members of the Commission recommended:
The Workers' Compensation Act should be amended to provide for the creation of an Advisory Council on Industrial Disease Policy responsible for advising the Corporate Board on eligibility rules regarding disease compensation and other matters of industrial disease policy. The Council's advice should be developed either as a matter of its own initiative or in response to an explicit request from the Corporate Board. The Council should be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and be composed of a Chairman, who would be an ex officio Director of the Corporate Board, and not more than eight members appointed for stated terms. The legislation should authorize the Council to appoint expert Panel's from time to time and should stipulate that both the Council's Advice and Corporate Board's response be public documents.
The Commission was particularly interested in creating a forum which would "formalize and open the process of devising and reviewing eligibility rules" for industrial disease claims.
Finally, in response to growing public concern for occupational health and safety and the viability of the workers' compensation system in Ontario, the Government asked Professor Paul Weiler to prepare a report. In the second part of his report released in April 1983, Professor Weiler commented specifically on the need for and the composition of an Industrial Disease Standards Panel and wrote:
The Panel I envisage would have as members the kind of eminent medical specialists now regularly consulted by the Board. But it should not be limited to people of this discipline. The Panel should also have a clinician, an industrial engineer and hygienist, a lawyer or someone else with experience in compensation adjudication. The reason, I reiterate, is that while the scientific component is obviously vital in industrial disease guidelines, it should not be the exclusive element. Inevitably, the guidelines will be the primary route to compensating disease victims under the statute. In formulating the relevant criteria, then, after the scientific research has been explored, one needs the perspective of the clinician who must diagnose his patient's disease, the engineer familiar with industrial processes, the hygienist who must investigate the actual exposure at work, and the lawyer who has experience in decision making on the basis of practical probabilities rather than scientific certainty.
The Progressive Conservative Government accepted the advice of the members of the two Royal Commissions and Professor Weiler and introduced the legislation necessary for the creation of the Panel in 1985. The Panel was meant to be independent of the WCB with the authority to collect expert evidence on specific occupational diseases and to provide an open forum for the development of adjudicative guidelines.
The composition of the Panel has been in keeping with Professor Weiler's vision for the most part. The Panel was originally chaired by a professor of engineering, then a political scientist and most recently an experienced workers' compensation adjudicator. There have always been scientists and clinicians on the Panel. In addition when making appointments to the Panel, Governments led by all three political parties in Ontario, have appointed individuals to represent labour and management perspectives as well as public interests. Most recently the Panel has been able to have the benefit of the input of an engineer with particular experience in mine processing and ventilation.
Panel's Activities
During its developmental period many of the Panel's recommendations included dissents. As the Panel has begun to formalize its standards, dissenting opinions have occurred much less frequently.(1)
In fact over the past 5 years, there has only been one matter where dissenting opinion was expressed and that focussed on the manner in which compensation should be paid rather than on whether compensation was payable, i.e. guidelines instead of scheduling.
In recent years, the Panel has conducted its investigations in the open with the full participation of the workplace parties. As part of its commitment to public process, the Panel has also taken steps to visit the workplaces which were the subject of its investigations including a nickel mine, a car engine plant, a pulp and paper mill. During the last 6 years the Panel has hosted meetings to which the workplace parties, Ministry of Labour staff, WCB staff and members of the medical community have been invited. The participants have had the opportunity to hear and critique expert evidence on a variety of issues. The Panel also provided resources necessary for the workplace parties to engage independent experts to present competing evidence in the appropriate circumstances. The agenda has included:
In addition to the need to involve the workplace parties in the evaluation of occupational disease, those who have studied disease adjudication consistently articulated the need for policies to standardize the process. To date the WCB has not developed the policies. In this vacuum the Panel has consistently applied the only standard of proof which exists in Ontario, that being that work should be a "significant contributing factor" to the onset of a disease. (2) The Panel has also developed guidelines for its decision-making process applying the Bradford-Hill criteria.
Recently a few members of the employer community have criticized the Panel for its attempts to set decision-making standards. In their opinion, the establishment of policy criteria should have been borne by the WCB itself. However, the Panel members recognized that they would not have been able to conduct Panel business without standard approaches. The Panel, therefore, publicly created standards and filled the void left by the WCB, so that it could do the Panel's job.
The role of the Panel was subject of further comment in 1993. The Occupational Disease Task Force reported that the Panel should function largely as it does now but recommended that there be direct links between the WCB and the Panel, including a recommendation that the Panel chair be invited to WCB Board of Directors meetings when Panel recommendations were being introduced. Further, the WCB should be required to publish its response to Panel recommendations along with a time frame for implementation or reasons for not implementing them. The Task Force concluded:
"If these changes are made, the role of the IDSP will be clear, and it will be both unnecessary and counterproductive for the WCB to have a policy department devoted to reviewing the scientific bases and decision-making process of the IDSP. The accountability for the process of developing policies for occupational diseases should rest with the Panel."
Over time the Panel has built strong evidentiary foundations for its recommendations. It continued to hone the criteria used to arrive at specific recommendations (i.e. should the disease be included in guidelines, Schedule 3 or 4, or adjudicated on a case by case basis, should there be additional investigations etc.). The guidelines developed by the Panel were published in an occasional paper entitled Decision Making - Theory and Practice . The Workers' Compensation Board was invited to participate in this activity but it declined.
Over the past ten years the Panel has issued 18 Reports of Findings. Eleven of the Reports were issued in the last five years. It has also released 10 occasional and scientific papers. In addition there are currently 4 Reports of Findings and 3 research papers in press. Its average annual budget has been approximately $750,000.00 - 10% of which has been transferred to Ontario's universities for research grants. In addition the Panel conducted its own large cohort study of Metropolitan Toronto Firefighters. These annual costs equal the approximate capitalized costs of three claims for individual work-related fatalities.
The WCB has accepted the Panel's findings in four cases, accepted the findings with amendment in an additional three cases. The WCB has never rejected the conclusions of the Panel. However, in two cases it has requested additional information and to date has not responded to nine of the Panel's reports.
While in large part the Ontario WCB has chosen to remain silent on the work of the Panel, WCBs in other provinces and other countries have found the work of the Panel helpful and instructive. For example the conclusions reached by the Panel on scleroderma formed the foundation of the policy created by the Workers' Compensation Board of Newfoundland and Labrador. More recently the work of the Panel has been used by the Supreme Court of British Columbia when it heard an appeal of a firefighter's claim. ODP reports have been used and relied upon in numerous Ontario claims.
The Panel's work over the past 10 years has changed the working lives of Ontario citizens directly. The totality of available information accumulated by the Panel on a given issue has caused changes to workplace practices.
For example, as part of its analysis of a growing body of literature which identified health problems associated with oil mists from fluids used to lubricate machinery, the Panel found that a probable connection existed between those fluids and cancer of the larynx. This finding was not challenged by the employers in the Ontario automotive sector. In a proactive move the automotive employers have taken major steps to reduce the amount of cutting fluid exposure in the workplace. Recently Otto Peter, an Occupational Hygienist employed by General Motors wrote that GM and the UAW negotiated lower machining fluid exposures from 1.0 mg/m3 to 0.5 mg/m3 by 1996.(3) The same standard is being applied to GM in Canada. To achieve these standards millions of dollars will be spent in re-tooling operations. When the two GM plants were upgraded in St. Catharines approximately $1,700,000.00 was spent to control oil mist emissions. The employer in this circumstance was persuaded on the basis of scientific evidence that preventive action was required and such action made long term business sense.
On a more local level, members of the ODP and its staff had the opportunity to present their findings to firefighters across the province. During all of the presentations the chemical hazards specific to firefighting which were identified in the world literature were described. The firefighters in Timmins, as elsewhere, took this information to heart and with management support improved the ventilation system in the fire halls and began to consistently wear their self-contained breathing apparatus during all phases of the firefighting.
Panel's Goals
Having reviewed its accomplishments, the Panel then reflected on the goals set for it by the Commissioners who were influential in its creation. In the first instance pre-Panel critics of the system were convinced that there was a need for a body independent of the operational divisions of the WCB. They were also convinced that there was need for a body which would handle these contentious issues in a open and public way.(4)
Finally and of equal importance, the people who looked at the Ontario occupational disease adjudicative process were also concerned that sufficient resources in terms of time and research money be allocated to the study of occupational diseases.
The members of the ODP believe that they have met those goals:
The Panel has guarded its independence. It has, therefore, been able to make recommendations based on the available data and has not been required to make politically acceptable recommendations. The Panel has measured its success by carefully examining the criticism of its work. With the exception of the opinions of a few person engaged by the Ontario Mining Association there has been no significant criticism of the scientific foundation of the Panel's work. This success is the result of the combination of excellent advice received from international experts and the Panel's insistence that all evidence be subject to scientific peer review.
The extent to which the Panel has provided public access to its investigative processes is significant. Public meetings are now the norm rather than the exception. Workplace parties have access to all of its data and are actively engaged in the investigative process. When an evidentiary problem is raised during the course of an investigation (eg. the lack of exposure data in the firefighters' studies) the Panel attempts to resolve the issues with the parties familiar with the workplace. All of the research material is made available to the public at the WCB's library when the report is released.
During the last five years the Panel members have consistently devoted 4 days a month to the work of the Panel. It is only with this concentrated expenditure of time that the Panel has been able to increase its productivity. Even with this effort the Panel has a 2 year wait before urgent agenda items like the health effects of electromagnetic fields can be placed on the active agenda. The financial resources necessary to have an active research body have not been allocated by the government of Ontario(5).
In summary, the Panel is satisfied that it has fulfilled its mandate and met the needs which were identified when it was created. The Panel, however also acknowledges, as identified in Minister Jackson's Report on Worker's Compensation Reform, that it has not had a totally satisfactory impact on WCB adjudication.
Panel's Future
The current Government has suggested that this shortcoming might be eliminated if the expertise and functions of the ODP were to be integrated into the WCB.
On first blush this seems like a reasonable approach because it would bring the Panel into closer contact with the adjudicative process. However, on more careful reflection the Panel believes it is necessary to examine where the failure to connect with the adjudicative process occurs. It is not because the Panel has been unable to complete scientific research; nor is it because the Panel has been unable to achieve consensus. The inability to impact on the WCB has resulted from the WCB's failure to process the Reports in a timely fashion.
While some might say this lack of action on the Board's part has been a direct result of its recent experiment with a corporate board which included equal numbers of labour and management representatives, the facts do not support this. The Panel is united in the opinion that the contributions of the workplace parties along with the public, medical, engineering and scientific interests have enhanced the quality of its recommendations. Furthermore, any concern about labour and managements inability to achieve consensus has to be minimized by the recent string of unanimous Panel findings. The contributions of these participants has allowed the process to be open and have eliminated the criticism that plagued the WCB during its 70 year pre-Panel history. The WCB's inability to deal with these issues was the impetus for recommendations for an independent body by two Royal Commissions and an independent consultant, long before the WCB was governed by workplace parties.
Finally, there is no evidence to support the claim that an operating department within the WCB would be capable of carrying out independent research or would be able to provide their own governing body, the Corporate Board, with politically uncomfortable advice. In fact this was the historic scenario prior to the creation of the Panel.
If the Government is committed to restructuring the ODP, the Panel is unanimous in the opinion that an independent research function responsible for occupational disease must be maintained. The research department must be able to give advice to WCB based on the best scientific evidence, even when the advice conflicts with corporate objectives. The need for independence from the operating departments is critical.
Panel's Recommendations
Having benefitted from two Royal Commissions, Professor Weiler, a Task Force report and 10 years of work in the field, the Panel feels obligated to provide the Government with advice on the restructuring. In accordance with Minister Jackson's Report, the Panel understands that the Government believes that there needs to be a more direct relationship between the Panel and the WCB.
To accomplish the goal, the Panel recommends that the Government establish an Occupational Disease Secretariat which would be administratively linked to the WCB. Within the Secretariat there would be an Advisory Committee which would set the agenda for research and provide advice to the WCB Corporate Board.(6) To service the Advisory Committee would be an expert staff responsible for conducting research and monitoring research conducted by external experts.
The membership and tenure of the Advisory Committee must be established in the legislation. This statutory foundation would give the Advisory Committee the security necessary to give unpopular advice when warranted.
The Advisory Committee should include members bringing scientific, legal, management, labour and public perspectives. That broad based membership would insure an open investigative process that has been consistently identified as necessary.
By providing its advice directly to the Board the Advisory Committee would have a greater sense of the information required by the Board and would eliminate the duplicated research currently undertaken by the operating divisions of the WCB.
Finally the Advisory Committee would, because of the limits to its focus, have the time necessary to devote to complicated issues surrounding occupational disease recognition; time which the Corporate Board members would not have since 96% of its core business involves injuries rather than diseases.
An Occupational Disease Secretariat would insure that the advances made with respect to policy development concerning occupational disease recognition would be maintained. It would also continue to provide a solution to the problems concerning occupational disease adjudication and prevention that have plagued the WCB during the first 70 years of its existence.
As the Panel has repeatedly stated, prevention of occupational disease will occur only when research and recognition of workplace occupational disease occurs.
| YEAR | EVENT | AMENDMENT TO ENTITLEMENT |
| 1913 | W.R. Meredith produced "Final Report on Laws Relating to the Liability of Employers" which provided the framework for Workers' Compensation in Ontario. | |
| 1915 | The Workmen's Compensation Act came into effect, included Schedule 3. | Schedule 3 rebuttable presumption applied to 6 occupational diseases: anthrax, ankylostomiasis and poisoning by lead, mercury, phosphorus and arsenic. |
| 1917 | Miner's phthisis added to Schedule 3. | |
| 1925 | Benzol & stoneworker's or grinder's pthisis added to Schedule 3. | |
| 1926 | Silicosis added to Schedule 3; Pneumoconiosis and caisson disease added to Schedule 3. | |
| 1929 | Chrome poisoning added to Schedule 3. | |
| 1932 | Bursitis, cancer arising from manufacture of pitch and tar, dermatitis venenata and infected blisters added to Schedule 3. | |
| 1937 | Retinitis due to electro-welding or acetylene welding, poisoning by carbon bisulphide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, brass, zinc, nickel, or nitrous fumes, inflammation of the synovial lining of the wrist joint and tendon sheaths added to Schedule 3. | |
| 1937 | First claim for silicosis accepted by the WCB. | |
| 1940 | Poisoning by nitro- and amino derivatives of benzene, phenol and the homologues, chlorinated hydro-carbons and cadmium; inflammation, ulceration or malignant disease of the skin or other tissues due to x-rays, radium or other radioactive substances added to Schedule 3. | |
| 1942 | Epitheliomatous cancer or ulceration of the skin or ulceration of the corneal surface of the eye due to tar, pitch, bitumen, mineral oil or paraffin or any compound, product or residue of any of these products added to Schedule 3. | |
| 1944 | Any disease due to x-rays, radium or other radioactive substances and any respiratory disorder due to the inhalation of material used in non-offset sprays added to Schedule 3; existing poison entries changed; ankylostomiasis removed. | |
| 1951 | Tuberculosis in employees of hospital, sanatorium or Provincial laboratory added to Schedule 3; tenosynovitis replaced 1937 provision. | |
| 1956 | Amendment to pneumoconiosis and silicosis entries, beryllium poisoning added to Schedule 3. | |
| 1965 | 1951 tuberculosis entry amended. | |
| 1966-78 | A series of strikes at northern Ontario mines and public concern over environmental health. | |
| 1976 | Report of the Royal Commission on Health and Safety of Workers in Mines released recommending that WCB funds be used to create an Occupational Health and Safety Authority with responsibility to research and monitor. | |
| 1983 | Harvard Law Professor Paul C. Weiler completed his report commissioned by the Progressive Conservative Government. "Protecting the Worker from Disability: Challenges for the Eighties" recommended establishing an Industrial Disease Standards Panel. | |
| 1984 | The Royal Commission on Asbestos recommended that asbestosis and mesothelioma be added to Schedule 3, that a mechanism for an irrebuttable presumption be added to the Act, and that an Advisory Council on Industrial Disease Policy be created. | |
| 1985 | The Progressive Conservative Government established the Industrial Disease Standards Panel (IDSP), the Workers' Compensation Appeals Tribunal, the Office of the Worker Adviser, the Office of the Employer Adviser and added Schedule 4 to the Act which provides for an irrebuttable presumption. | |
| 1987 | The IDSP found a probable connection between lung cancer and gold mining. | |
| 1988 | The IDSP made varying (dissenting) recommendations about cancer among CGE Lamp Plant workers. | |
| 1988 | The IDSP recommended adding asbestosis and mesothelioma to Schedule 4. | |
| 1989 | The IDSP found a probable connection between lung cancer and uranium mining. | |
| 1990 | The IDSP found a probable connection between asbestos exposure and cancers of the trachea, bronchus, lung, larynx, esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum and recommended that these cancers be added to Schedule 3. | |
| 1990 | The independent Workplace Health and Safety Agency was established. | |
| 1991 | WCB policy on lung cancer and gold mining adopted resulted in readjudication of claims, most of which were compensated. | |
| 1992 | The IDSP found a probable connection between scleroderma and occupational exposure to silica. | |
| 1992 | The IDSP did not identify a probable connection between occupational aluminum exposure and neurological health effects but funded further research. | |
| 1992 | The IDSP found a probable connection between compensable respiratory disease and the development of cor pulmonale. | |
| 1992 | Asbestos, mesothelioma and nasal cancer added to Schedule 4. | |
| 1993 | The IDSP found a probable connection between the occurrence of non-malignant respiratory disease and the occurrence of respiratory infections. | |
| 1994 | The IDSP found a probable connection between lung cancer and hardrock mining. | |
| 1994 | The IDSP found a probable connection between firefighting and cardiovascular disease and brain, lymphatic and haematopoietic, colon, bladder and kidney cancers. No such connection was found for lung or rectal cancers. | |
| 1994 | The IDSP completed the first phase of its review of Schedule 3. | |
| 1995 | The IDSP found a probable connection between metalworking fluid exposure and cancer of the larynx. | |
| 1995 | The role of the Workplace Health and Safety Agency was amalgamated with the WCB. | |
| 1996 | Minister Jackson completed his review of Workers' Compensation and recommended that the Occupational Disease Panel (ODP, formerly called IDSP) be amalgamated with the WCB. | |
| 1996 | The IDSP found a probable connection between metalworking fluid exposure and cancer of the esophagus. | |
| 1996 | The IDSP found a probable connection between gold mining and stomach cancer. | |
| 1996 | The IDSP found a probable connection between Dupuytren's Contracture and vibration and hand trauma. No such connection was found for manual labour. |
Completed Projects
Addendum to Cor Pulmonale Report
In July of 1992 the Panel issued a "Report to the Workers' Compensation Board on Cor Pulmonale". Linda Jolley, Senior Vice-President of Strategic Policy and Analysis Division of the WCB wrote and asked additional questions about the condition and its possible occupational origin. The ODP struck a special committee to deal with the issues. The Committee was chaired by Dr. M. Wills, and included Dr. M. Hutcheon, a Toronto Hospital respirologist; Dr. A. Wardekar a WCB staff cardiologist and Dr. M. Gribbin, a WCB staff epidemiologist.
In early 1996 the Panel received the report of the Special Committee. That report and the additional comments from the Panel formed the contents of the Panel's Addendum to its original Report of Findings on Cor Pulmonale. The Addendum should be of assistance in the implementation of the ODP's original recommendations by setting out methods for diagnosing and monitoring cor pulmonale and its precursor condition of pulmonary hypertension. The Committee's Report may also be useful to primary care providers, WCB adjudicators, worker advocates and employer representatives. This Report was completed in April 1996.
Dupuytren's Contracture (DC) is a slowly developing condition which results in a clawing of the hand. The possible work association of this condition has been the subject of ongoing discussions and numerous WCAT decisions.
A comprehensive literature review on Dupuytren's Contracture was completed by Dr. G. Liss, Medical Consultant at the Ministry of Labour, and was evaluated by peer reviewers.
In its September 1996 the Panel found a probable connection between trauma and DC and between work with vibratory tools and DC. The Panel also concluded that the evidence about a relationship between DC and manual work was insufficient to support a finding of a probable connection.
Addendum to the Hardrock Mining Report
Following completion of the Nickel Workers Morbidity study conducted by McMaster University, the ODP revisited its conclusion that lung cancer was associated with all hardrock mining (other than open pit mining) in the province. The results in that most current and extensive piece of primary research on the health of nickel workers supported the Panel's original finding that hardrock mining, including nickel mining, contributed to lung cancer. These conclusions were shared with the Board in a report dated August 1996. The original HRM report was issued March 1994.
Metalworking Fluids/Oil Mists. Cancer of the Esophagus
In consideration of a request from the Canadian Auto Workers, the Panel is investigating the potential health effects of occupational exposure to metalworking fluids/oil mists.
The Panel has obtained an independent review of the world literature and comments on that review by experts chosen by the employer and worker stakeholders. Consultations on the issue have been held with the CAW, Ford, General Motors and Chrysler, among others.
The Panel plans to report its findings about each possible disease outcome separately. The first of those reports on cancer of the larynx, was released in the June of 1995. The second report on the incidence of esophageal cancer among metal working fluid exposed workers was released in August 1996.
Stomach Cancer in Ontario Goldminers
The WCB originally asked the Panel to investigate the possible association between stomach cancer and goldmining in 1986. When the Panel originally responded it determined that there was insufficient evidence to support a relationship; however the Panel said it would look at the issue again when more information became available. Subsequently, Kusiak et al. of the Ministry of Labour completed an additional study of the Ontario goldmining cohort and they reported statistically significant elevated rates of stomach cancer. This evidence persuaded the Panel to reopen its investigation on the issue.
As a result of this additional research and the work of its own staff, the Panel re-evaluated its previous conclusions and found that a probable connection did exist between stomach cancer and goldmining. This finding together with recommendations on entitlement were reported to the Board in August 1996.
Ongoing and New Investigations
In keeping with its long term plans to develop a current schedule of occupational diseases, the Panel requested research papers on the following subjects:
These issues were chosen because of the general acceptance in the scientific community of the occupational origins of these illnesses. The results of this work together with in-house work conducted by Panel staff on silicosis and tuberculosis will be released in a third report on the update of Schedule 3 late in the fall of 1996.
Metalworking Fluids/Oil Mists: Cancer of the Pancreas/Rectum
In the last two years the Panel has been able to complete reports on the relationship between laryngeal and esophageal cancer and exposure to oil mist. Recently the UAW/GM study team which conducted the largest cohort study to specifically examine the health effects of metal working fluids and oil mist has completed additional work in the form of nested case-control studies. This work and other international work in the field will form the foundation of the Panel's ongoing investigations of the association between rectal, pancreatic and stomach cancer and metal working fluids. This work should result in individual papers to be released by the Panel over the next few months.
Health Effects of the Administration of Anti-neoplastic drugs
In the past few years the Panel has been aware of the absence of a focus on occupational health issues related to predominantly female workplaces. To insure that women are being properly served the Panel looked at female workplaces and was confronted repeatedly with a concern about the health effects among women who administer toxic medication for cancer treatment. To deal with this issue the Panel asked Dr Jeanne Beauchamp Hewitt of the University of Wisconsin to prepare a review of world literature on this issue. A preliminary review was made available to the Panel and stakeholders in March 1996. The final version of this research document is expected to be available to the public in November 1996.
Computerized Recording of Occupations Made Easy (CROME)
In the winter of 1994, Panel staff oversaw the completion of a self-administered, computer questionnaire program developed to collect, store and retrieve work history information. This program, CROME, was designed in cooperation with the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre and the Occupational Health Centre for Ontario Workers for direct user input of work history information via a touch-screen terminal. The staff also met with various stakeholders (e.g. Workers' Compensation Board, Ministry of Labour, Workplace Health & Safety Agency) and agreed on the choice of standardized industry and occupational coding systems to use for occupational data. These coding systems will be used by CROME to code the different industrial and job classifications in the program and allow for that data to be matched with other data bases.
The completion of CROME also marked the start of a pilot project in Windsor to examine the program's feasibility, reliability and practicality to collect work history information from cancer patients. Data collected by other methods will be used for comparison. It is anticipated that data collection will be completed in the fall of 1995 and then be analysed and the results reported by the end of this year.
Hearing Loss
A report is being prepared which reviews the Board's policy on occupational noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus to assess if it is in line with the current scientific research and findings.
Welding
The Panel asked Dr. Liss to update his 1984 review on the Health Effects of Welding. He is completing that project and it should be available to the stakeholders during a meeting in November 1996.
Projects Funded and Sponsored by the ODP
OCTRF Data Linkage
Dr. Lorraine Marrett and colleagues at the Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation presented the results from their pilot project, "The Study of the Feasibility of Linking Census Occupational Data and the Ontario Cancer Registry and Mortality Database". The final report, presented in April 1996, concluded that the linkages involved were of sufficient quality to enable the establishment of a cancer-occupation database for Ontario. Such a database, if funded, could have long term potential to identify and corroborate suspected occupation-cancer associations.
Cancer Incidence in Ontario Nickel Workers
In June 1990, the Panel funded the Occupational Health Programme at McMaster University to conduct a study of cancer incidence among the nickel workers at INCO and Falconbridge. The objective of the investigation was to assess the risk of cancer in a large cohort of Ontario nickel workers, many of whom were known to be exposed to airborne carcinogens.
The authors, Jim Julian and David Muir, found elevated rates of lung and laryngeal cancer among certain groups of workers. The final version of the study was presented to the Panel in December 1995 and the stakeholders held a meeting in Sudbury in January 1996.
Northern Ontario Miners Health Survey
A two-year follow-up study of Northern Ontario Miners who participated in a 1990 Health Survey, under the direction of Dr. S.L. Rifat and colleagues in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, was funded by the ODP in April 1994. The miners had varying degrees of exposure to aluminum dust which was thought to prevent silicosis.
Field data collection, which involved miner and informant interviews, neuropsychologic and neurologic examinations and the abstraction of available medical records, was completed in the summer of 1995. The Panel has received an interim report In April 1996 and is awaiting the comments of peer reviewers. It is anticipated that the final report will be presented to the workplace parties in Sudbury and Timmins in October.
Ontario Working Women's Health Survey
A study designed to target women's issues of health and safety and narrow down a focus of occupational health concerns for women in Ontario was initiated by the ODP. A proposal was then developed by Dr. Georgina Feldberg, Director of York University's Centre for Health Studies, and in November of 1994, a contract was signed between the parties and the Workplace Health and Safety Agency, to proceed with the project.
With the completion of the formalities, the study team met a number of focus groups. Participants represented unionized and non-unionized work sectors; female dominated and male dominated occupations; private and public sectors; and came from a variety of geographic locations throughout Ontario. The main purpose of the focus groups was to retrieve qualitative information about working women's health concerns. The questionnaire was distributed in the fall of 1995 and the Final Report was tabled with the Agency in July 1996.
During the past year there have been some initiatives related to the Panel findings that are worthy of note.
Firefighting
The Toronto firefighters together with management are developing a protocol to allow them to evaluate quantify exposures at fires with the long term goal of developing more efficient protective equipment.
The Timmins Fire Department has taken steps to insure that equipment is not being run in enclosed spaces and has improved the ventilation in the fire halls.
The ODP Report on firefighting is being used as an educational tool for young people wanting to enter the fire service as part of the curriculum of the Fire Protection Technology Programme at Seneca College.
The ODP Report has become a reference document for individuals studying the health effects of firefighting internationally. Over 1500 copies have been distributed. Currently the British Home Office and Industrial Injuries Advisory Council are considering its applicability to their environment.
Metalworking Fluids
As a result of the collective bargaining process in the US the automobile manufacturers have agreed to make significant steps to limit exposure the metalworking fluids in their operations. GM and Ford in Canada are following the US lead and when re-tooling make efforts to limit exposure with properly designed equipment. The Canadian Autoworkers and the Chrysler Corporation agreed that the same limit to exposures should be included in their agreement.
The Canadian Auto Workers who represent workers in the machine shops for Via Rail in Winnipeg were able to persuade Via to use canola based oil as substitute for mineral oil in their machining operations. This practice of substituting products will limit workers exposures to PAH's which are known human carcinogens.
Mining
Following the release of the Study of Cancer Incidence conducted by McMaster for the Panel, the INCO Steelworker Joint Health and Safety Committee agreed to turn its attention to some very high cancer rates among workers in hot spots like the Tankhouse.
The Diesel Ad Hoc Committee, a committee representing many facets of concern for exposures in the mining environment has now been expanded. The Diesel Emission Evaluation Program(DEEP) was established to generate support, cooperation and contributions from all sections of industry in North America. DEEP will evaluate emission reduction strategies; evaluate diesel exhaust measurement methodologies; expand diesel exhaust and oil mist exposure data bases and explore untested emission control technologies.
Panel Meetings
Although Panel meetings are usually held in Toronto, the Panel attempts to visit other communities in Ontario when possible. In June the Panel held its monthly meeting in Thunder Bay. Representatives of the local occupational health and safety community including the District Ministry of Labour Office, Office of the Employer and Worker Advisers, local union, city officials and employer groups were invited to meet the Panel and listen to Steve Mantis, (formerly member of the Workers' Compensation Board of Directors, currently with Discovery Computers) and an officer for the Toronto Branch Injured Workers Association share ideas about health and safety in the Thunder Bay area.
During its visit, the Panel toured Manitoba Pool Elevators' grain elevator, and Provincial Papers' paper mill. Francis Bell, from the injured Workers' Group in Thunder Bay, had expressed interest in meeting with the Panel and presenting concerns he had about occupational disease in his community. Mr. Bell provided the Panel with background material on four areas of concern including: a) grain dust exposure, b) red cedar disease, c) welding and, d) the health effects of reopening old mines.
On January 17, 1996, Dr. Laurence Fechter , from the University of Oklahoma addressed the Panel and invited stakeholders on hearing loss and occupational chemical exposure. This subject was an outcome of the previous ODP Firefighters Report.
On May 21, 1996, Dr. Jeanne Beauchamp Hewitt, from the University of Wisconsin, presented her report on the health effects of antineoplastic drugs to the Panel and invited stakeholders.
On May 21, 1996, Dr. Gina Feldberg, from York University's Centre for Health Studies, presented her survey on Women's Health issues to the Panel and interested guests.
Outreach
USWA, Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference
Elliot Lake, April, 1995
Nicolette Carlan and Homer Seguin were invited speakers.
Thirteenth Biennial Symposium on Occupational Health and Hazards of the Fire
Service
San Francisco August 27-31, 1995
Nicolette Carlan was an invited speaker
Provincial Federation of Ontario Fire Fighters, Health and Safety Conference
Toronto, October 17, 1995
Nicolette Carlan was an invited speaker.
University of Toronto, Perspectives in Occupational Health and Safety
Toronto, November 2, 1995
Nicolette Carlan was an invited speaker.
Nickel Morbidity Study meeting with INCO, USWA Steelworkers, Falconbridge and
CAW.
Sudbury, January 3, 1996
Dr. Muir and Jim Julian presented their paper "A Study of Cancer Incidence in Ontario
Nickel Workers" to stakeholders.
Meeting with Minister Jackson
Toronto, March 13, 1996
Panel members met with the Minister for Workers' Compensation Reform.
CAW Retirees Council (Cancer in the Workplace)
Windsor, April 22, 1996
Nicolette Carlan and Jim Brophy were invited speakers.
Canadian Manufacturers' Association, Occupational Health and Safety Committee
Toronto, April 23, 1996
Nicolette Carlan, Bill Elliott, John Macnamara and Michael Wills were invitees.
Motor Vehicle Manufacturer Association
Windsor, May 3, 1996
Nicolette Carlan was invited to report on the progress made on metalworking fluids.
1996 Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board Hearing on
Cancer and Heart Disease among Firefighters
Regina, May 16-18
Nicolette Carlan was an invited speaker.
Occupational Disease Conference. Canadian Auto Workers
Port Elgin, May 24-26, 1996
Homer Seguin, Jim Brophy and Nicolette Carlan were invited speakers.
Canadian Disability Insurance Underwriters
Toronto, May 29, 1996
Nicolette Carlan was an invited speaker.
Communication Energy and Paperworkers Union, Health and Safety Conference
Toronto, June 4, 1996
Nicolette Carlan and Jim Brophy were invited.
Canadian Auto Workers Retirees
Windsor, July 22, 1996
Jason Tung was invited to address the CROME volunteers.
Staff Development Days
A Staff Development day is scheduled every second month. Outside organizations are often invited to attend a planned event if it is thought to be of benefit to the group (e.g. the Workers' Compensation Appeals Tribunal; the Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers, Ministry of Labour, etc.).
On September 28, 1995, the ODP staff toured the Petro Canada - Lubricants Centre. After a classroom review of the production of lubricants, the participants did a roadside tour of White Oil and were shown a production line.
On November 22, 1995, Dr. Michael Archer gave an introductory session on "Nitrates, nitrites and the conversion process to nitrosamines" to the ODP staff.
On July 31, 1996, ODP staff and staff members from WHAT and OHCOW in Sudbury toured INCO's 'Little Stobie' underground nickel mine. After the tour, participants met with INCO staff and were given a presentation on the processes taken in locating ore and establishing a mine.
PANEL REPORTS
No. 1 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON THE ONTARIO GOLD MINING INDUSTRY (April, 1987)
No. 2 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO PCBs (December, 1987)
No. 2A RESPONSE TO SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS ARISING FROM IDSP REPORT NO. 2 ON OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO PCBs (January, 1990)
No. 3 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON THE HEALTHY WORKER EFFECT (July, 1988)
No. 4 FIRST REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON CERTAIN ISSUES ARISING FROM THE REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON ASBESTOS (September, 1988)
No. 5 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON THE CGE LAMP PLANT ISSUE (November, 1988)
No. 6 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON THE ONTARIO URANIUM MINING INDUSTRY (February, 1989)
No.7 SECOND REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON CERTAIN ISSUES ARISING FROM THE REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON ASBESTOS (April, 1990)
No. 8 INTERIM REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON SCLERODERMA (March, 1992)
No. 9 INTERIM REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON ALUMINUM (May, 1992)
No. 10 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON COR PULMONALE (July, 1992)
No. 10A ADDENDUM TO IDSP REPORT NO.10, REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON COR PULMONALE (July, 1996)
No. 11 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON RESPIRATORY COMPLICATIONS AMONG WORKERS RECEIVING COMPENSATION FOR NON-MALIGNANT RESPIRATORY DISEASE (March, 1993)
No. 12 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON LUNG CANCER IN THE HARDROCK MINING INDUSTRY (March, 1994)
No. 12A ADDENDUM TO THE IDSP REPORT NO. 12, REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON LUNG CANCER IN THE HARDROCK MINING INDUSTRY (September, 1996)
No. 13 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND CANCER AMONG FIREFIGHTERS (September, 1994)
No. 14 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON IDSP REVISIONS TO SCHEDULE 3: PHASE ONE (November, 1994)
No. 15 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO PETROLEUM-BASED FLUIDS USED FOR THE MANUFACTURING AND LUBRICATING METAL IN MANUFACTURING: CANCER OF THE LARYNX (June, 1995)
No. 16 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON STOMACH CANCER IN ONTARIO GOLD MINERS (August, 1996)
No. 17 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON DUPUYTREN'S CONTRACTURE AND HAND INJURY (September, 1996 )
No. 18 REPORT TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION BOARD ON THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO FLUIDS USED FOR MACHINING AND LUBRICATING METAL IN MANUFACTURING: CANCER OF THE ESOPHAGUS (September, 1996)
** THE PANEL IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THESE PAPERS
ANNUAL REPORTS
1986/87 ANNUAL REPORT
1987/88 ANNUAL REPORT
1989 ANNUAL REPORT
1990/91 ANNUAL REPORT
1991/92 ANNUAL REPORT
1992/93 ANNUAL REPORT
1993/94 ANNUAL REPORT
1994/95 ANNUAL REPORT
OCCASIONAL PAPERS
COMPENSATION FOR INDUSTRIAL DISEASE UNDER THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION ACT OF ONTARIO by Terence G. Ison, LL.D. (September, 1989)
OCCUPATION AND CANCER IN ONTARIO: REVIEW OF THE OPTIONS FOR ESTABLISHING A CANCER-OCCUPATION DATA BASE FOR ONTARIO (SUMMARY REPORT) by Loraine D. Marrett and Eric Weir (May 24, 1989)
IDSP PROGRESS REPORT ON HEALTH EFFECTS OF ALUMINUM IN THE WORKPLACE (October, 1989)
FIRE FIGHTERS IN METROPOLITAN TORONTO: SUMMARY OF THE MORTALITY STUDY by Kristan A. L'Abbe and George A. Tomlinson (April, 1992)
UNIVERSAL DISABILITY: A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES (March, 1993)
DECISION-MAKING: THEORY AND PRACTICE (December, 1994)
RESEARCH PAPERS
THE RELATIONSHIP OF OCCUPATIONAL SILICA EXPOSURE TO SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS OR SCLERODERMA by Duncan Gordon, MD, FRCP(C), FACP, FACR (March, 1992)
HARDROCK MINING AND LUNG CANCER: A LITERATURE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION PAPER by A. Yassi, MD, MSc, FRCP(C) (April, 1992)
A REVIEW OF THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF MACHINING FLUIDS by Paige E. Tolbert, PhD (August, 1993)
OCCUPATION AND DUPUYTREN'S CONTRACTURE by Gary M. Liss, MD, FRCP© (December, 1993)
WOMEN'S OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH: CRITICAL REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF CURRENT ISSUES by K. Messing, PhD (March, 1994)
CANCER IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY: A MAP OF THE LITERATURE by Donald C. Cole, MD, MSc, FRCP© (July, 1994)
GASTRIC CANCER AND OCCUPATION: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE by Susan R. Stock, MD, MSc, FRCP © (September, 1994)
**. CHEMICAL EXPOSURES AND HEARING LOSS
**. THE RUBBER INDUSTRY AND BLADDER CANCER by Dr. Gerry Hill
**. HEALTH EFFECTS OF WELDING AND CUTTING FUME: AN UPDATE by Dr. Gary Liss
**. HEALTH EFFECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO ANTINEOPLASTIC DRUGS: AN INTEGRATIVE RESEARCH REVIEW by Dr.J.B.Hewitt
NEWSLETTERS
VOL.3, NO.1 (January/June 1992)
VOL.3, NO.2 (July/October 1992)
VOL.3, NO.3 (November 1992/April 1993)
VOL.4, NO.1 (May/August 1993)
VOL.4, NO.2 (September/December 1993)
VOL.4, NO.3 (January/April 1994)
VOL.5, NO.1 (May/August 1994)
VOL.5, NO.2 (September/December 1994)
VOL.5, NO.3 (January/April 1995)
VOL.6, NO.1 (May/August 1995)
VOL.6, NO.2 (September/December 1995)
VOL.6, NO.3 (January/April 1996)
1995/1996 FINANCIAL REPORT
All Panel expenses are recoverable from the Workers' Compensation Board.
The Panel's statement of expenditure and variance report for the fiscal year 1995/96(7) are shown below.
VARIANCE REPORT
As at March 31, 1996 ($000's)
| Budget | Expenditure | Variance
$ |
% | |
| Salaries and Wages
Employee Benefits Transportation and Communication Services Supplies and Equipment Transfer Payments |
517.6
58.6 73.3 232.3 32.0 123.2 |
491.9
59.7 68.3 195.3 24.0 123.2 |
25.7
-1.1 5.0 37.0 8.0 -0- |
|
| Total | 1,037.0 | 962.4 | 74.6 | 7.2 |
STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURE
As at March 31, 1996 (in 000's)
| Budget | Actual | |
| Salaries and Wages
Salaries |
517.6 | 491.9 |
| Employee Benefits
Employee Benefits |
58.6 | 59.7 |
| Transportation and Communication
Communication Travel Other T&C Total Transportation and Communication |
14.0
47.1 12.2 73.3 |
14.2
44.9 9.2 68.3 |
| Services
Advertising Rental System & Access Costs *Per Diem & Other Fees **Consulting & Professional Services Repairs & Maintenance Other Services Total Services |
22.2
16.0 7.0 63.2 103.2 3.2 17.5 232.3 |
19.6
13.6 6.6 60.8 77.9 2.0 14.8 195.3 |
| Supplies and Equipment
Computer Hardware/Software Office Furniture/Equipment/Supplies Books/Periodicals/Publications Other Supplies Total Supplies and Equipment |
7.3
12.0 6.9 5.8 32.0 |
6.5
7.4 8.1 2.0 24.0 |
| Transfer Payments
***Transfer payment |
123.2 | 123.2 |
| Total | 1,037.0 | 962.4 |
Explanatory Notes:
* Per Diem payments and travel time were paid to Panel Members to attend monthly Panel meetings.
** Medical opinions were provided by various doctors on the following:
*** The balance of a transfer payment was paid to the University of Toronto to perform an investigation and prepare a report about neurologic disorders among Northern Ontario miners. This agreement covered two fiscal years and was completed at the end of this reporting period - March 31, 1996.
ODP PANEL MEMBERS
Nicolette Carlan, Chair
Ms. Carlan began as Chair of the Occupational Disease Panel in May 1991. Prior to coming to the ODP, she was a Vice-Chair at the Workers' Compensation Appeals Tribunal for five years.
Jim Brophy
Mr. Brophy is executive director of the Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers and Vice-Chair of the Windsor Occupational Safety and Health Council Board. Mr. Brophy sits on the Regional Health Council and is a Senior Visiting Research Fellow at De Montfort University in England. He has been with the Panel since 1992.
Carol Buck
Dr. Buck is Professor Emerita in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Western Ontario. She was a member of the Advisory Committee on Health Statistics for Statistics Canada from 1985 to 1995. Dr. Buck has been with the ODP since 1988.
Robert DeMatteo
Mr. DeMatteo is the Coordinator of Occupational Health and Safety for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). He has extensive expertise in occupational health issues and knowledge of the Workers' Compensation legislation. Mr. DeMatteo joined the Panel in April of 1993. (The Government declined to reappoint labour's representative in April, 1996).
William Elliott
Mr. Elliott was Secretary of a unique company/union bi-partite Joint Occupational Health Committee for over eight years. He joined the ODP in November of 1991, bringing his expertise in engineering, hygiene, mining and refining to the Panel.
Nicole Godbout
Ms. Godbout was employed by the Industrial Accident Victims Group of Ontario (IAVGO). She graduated from the University of Toronto Law School with her LLB in 1982. Ms. Godbout completed her articling with Iler, Campbell & Associates, working mainly in the field of civil litigation. (Ms. Godbout chose not to seek reappointment on the Panel with the expiration of her 'Order in Council' in December, 1995).
John Macnamara
Mr. Macnamara joined the Panel in 1991. He is General Manager, Health and Safety and Fire Prevention for Dofasco Inc. and has also worked in the Corporate Secretarial and Commercial functions for Dofasco. He has represented the Ontario Chamber of Commerce on the Government Task Force for the Provincial Environmental Bill of Rights.
Homer Seguin
Mr. Seguin has been with the Panel since 1989. He was also an appointed Member of the Corporate Board of the Workers' Compensation Board until November 1995. Mr. Seguin has been involved in safety, environment and health issues for over 35 years.
Michael Wills
Dr. Wills is an occupational medicine consultant at the Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers (Toronto). He is also an Assistant Professor in the University of Toronto's Faculty of Medicine and a member of the Gulf War Advisory Committee for the Department of National Defence. Dr. Wills joined the Panel in 1991.
ODP STAFF
Carolyn Archer, Senior Research Officer
Robert Chase, Medical Consultant
Gloria Lauris Elkholy, Policy Analyst
Francis Macri, Policy Analyst
Cara Melbye, Policy Analyst
Anne Rekenye, Data Entry Clerk
Salima Storey, Administrative Officer
Tracy Soyka, Project Co-ordinator
Barry Spinner, Policy Analyst
George Tomlinson, Biostatistician
Jason Tung, Industrial Hygienist
EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS PROJECTS
Michael C. Archer, Ph.D., D.Sc. Carcinogenic activity of N-Nitrosodiethanolamine
University of Toronto
William Beckett, M.D. Health effects of welding and cutting fume
Anthony P. Cullen Non-ionizing radiation and work
M.Sc., O.D., Ph.D., F.B.C.O., D.C.L.P.
University of Waterloo
Paul Demers, Ph.D. Cancer incidence in nickel workers
University of British Columbia
Laurence D. Fechter, Ph.D. Carbon monoxide and hearing loss
University of Oklahoma
Jeanne Beauchamp Hewitt,
R.N., Ph.D. Health effects of occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs
University of Wisconsin
Gerry Hill,
M.B., C.L.B., M.Sc., F.R.C.P.(C) Bladder cancer in the rubber industry
Ontario
Richard Hornung, Dr. P.H. Cancer incidence in Ontario nickel workers
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
Neva Hilliard,
M.D., M.H.Sc., F.R.C.P.(C). Hand-arm vibration syndrome
Occupational Health and Safety.
Services
William Lijinsky, B.Sc., Ph.D. Metalworking fluids
Gary Liss, M.D., F.R.C.P.(C) Health effects of Welding and cutting fume: an update
Ontario Ministry of Labour
Jennifer Penny, M.Sc. Benzene
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
Jonathan Samet, M.D. Cancer incidence in Ontario nickel workers
Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health
Jack Siemiatycki, Ph.D. Metalworking fluids and prostate cancer
University of Quebec
Kyle Steenland, M.D. Health effects of welding and cutting fumes
Susan Woskie, Ph.D., C.I.H. Metalworking fluids
University of Massachusetts
Annalee Yassi, M.D.,F.R.C.P.(C) Cancer incidence in Ontario nickel workers
Occupational & Environmental Medicine Health Sciences Centre,
University of Manitoba
1. The Panel's handling of one of the most contentious issues illustrates how an open and independent process sets the stage for consensus. In its most recent history the Panel dealt with the concern of the potential health effects from exposure to aluminum in the aircraft industry. The workers and their union, the Canadian Auto Workers, had legitimate concerns that aluminum exposure could cause neurological deficits which were reinforced by the information in the media which suggested that aluminium in drinking water was contributing to the risk of Alzheimer's Disease. The Panel reviewed the world literature on this issue and solicited advice from international experts and shared all of its findings with the workplace parties. Ultimately the Panel came to the unanimous opinion that it could not find a connection between neurological health effects and occupational exposure to aluminum given the simultaneous exposure to solvents which might be neurotoxic. The Panel did, however, fund a second-phase study of goldminers exposed to aluminum powder to determine if there were cognitive problems among that working population. The Panel's Report on aluminum went to the Board and was adopted with no opposition from the workplace parties. Most comments received from the scientific community were positive and supported the Panel's conclusions.
2. This standard has been endorsed by the Supreme Court of Canada, the Ontario Workers' Compensation Appeals Tribunal and the Ontario Minister's Task Force on Occupational Disease Adjudication. The Ontario WCB has implicitly accepted this standard and applied it when developing guidelines but it has not been formally adopted.
3. Occupational Health and Safety Canada, Metal Working Fluids - Protecting Against the Unknown.
4. The significance of public input into these decisions is exemplified by the comments of a large mining company. Although in it's submission to Minister Jackson it asked for the elimination of the Panel, it also demanded that no policy authorizing coverage for new disease be enacted without stakeholder endorsement.
5. The Royal Commission on the Health and Safety of Workers in Mines recommended:
That under the Workmen's Compensation Act provision be made for the levying of all employers in class 5 an amount of 0.03 per cent of wages currently subject to levy under the Act to create a fund for research on occupational health and safety by the joint labour-management health and safety committees.
6. This Advisory Committee would be similar in structure to the Advisory Committee recommended by the members of the 1996 Task Force on the Restructuring of the Health and Safety Delivery Organizations.
7. The fiscal year runs from April 1, 1995 to March 31, 1996. The Panel began its operations in June of 1986. At the time of printing, the figures for the period April 1 - September 30, 1996 were unavailable.