Ontario. Ministry of Labour. Occupational Health Branch

• Occupational Health Branch

This branch was formerly known as the Occupational Health Protection Branch, and was transferred to the Ministry of Labour from the Ministry of Health on December 17, 1976, although it was a year or more before the Occupational Health Branch was formed as its clear successor. It was located in the Occupational Health and Safety Division.

In 1987-1988, it was re-named the Health and Safety Support Services Branch and assumed responsibility for the Radiation Protection Service (which had formerly been in the Special Studies and Services Branch).

The Occupational Health Branch was responsible for establishing standards and guidelines for monitoring industrial environments in order to protect the health and safety of workers, and was responsible for the biological monitoring of work environments.

Its activities were primarily of a consulting nature and were divided amongst a number of services. The Occupational Health Medical Service consisted of medical and nursing consultants who advised those organizations providing in-plant health care facilities. It also ran the Occupational Chest Disease Section, which operated six Chest Clinics across the province to conduct surveillance to identify and prevent respiratory illness due to exposure to hazardous materials; the Occupational Health Branch Chest Service became its own service in 1983.

The Occupational Health Laboratory, performed chemical analyses of biological specimens, air samples, and industrial materials.

The Occupational Health Hygiene Service assessed health hazards associated with chemical and biolgical agent exposure at workplaces.

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

KWIC Index to Government Services; RG 7 inventory

Archivist(s):
John Dirks