Occupational health

COVID-19: Temporary foreign workers in Preventive Isolation (Quarantine)

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 government for the general population and the basic recommendations for all workplaces (in French only) apply, unless more restrictive measures are specified. These recommendations are based on the hierarchy of COVID-19 control measures (updated in French only).

Special attention must be given…

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Temporary Foreign Workers Exempt From Federal Quarantine

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 employees, subcontractors, or clients must still comply with provincial health measures. Although ETFWs are exempt from federal quarantine, they must still minimize their contact with others for their safety and the safety of their coworkers.

  • ​Since they are not placed in preventive isolation, unknowingly infected ETFWs could transmit SARS-CoV-2 to anyone they come into contact with. To prevent this, ETFWs must avoid all social contact during the first 14 days of…
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Recommendations Concerning the reduction of Psychosocial Risk Factors at work in the context of a Pandemic - COVID-19

Preventative Measures for Employers

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)1.

The main PSRs recognized in the scientific literature are​:

A. Workload;

B. Social support from the superior and colleagues;

C. Decision-making autonomy;

D. Recognition.

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 and then 2) implement as soon as possible preventive actions…

Groupe de travail SAT-COVID-19

COVID-19: Conditions Necessary for the Maintenance of Essential Services and the Gradual Opening of Other Workplaces

COVID-19 Preventive Measures in the Workplace

These measures apply in the context of sustained community transmission.

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. Failure to respect these conditions could lead to a significant increase in the number of cases and thus potentially to reconsideration of the strategy for reopening workplaces (number and type of workplaces, required distancing and protection measures) in order to restore balance and limit the impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare system. This strategy may vary from region to region depending on regional epidemiology.

These conditions are:

Groupe de travail SAT-COVID-19

COVID-19: Interim Recommendations on Preventive Workplace Measures for Pregnant and Nursing Workers in Community transmission context

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-urgent appointments, remain at home except for essential trips (groceries, pharmacy, urgent healthcare), observe social distancing, and follow the established procedures when they present symptoms.

Since there is no effective vaccine or specific treatment for COVID-19 at the time of drafting of these recommendations, public health measures remain the best available tools to mitigate the incidence of the disease. The implementation of the “Pour une maternité sans danger” program is one such w…

Negative Psychosocial Effects of Heat Waves, Flooding, Forest Fires, and Storms on Québec Workers

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.

It aims to briefly examine the literature and knowledge of various key actors in order to propose more significant next steps for research projects that respond to Québec’s workplace and public health needs and issues.

This study has shown:

  • The extreme weather events studied can have psychosocial effects on workers, but the knowledge of these effects varies greatly by event.
  • The psychosocial effects on workers have been the most thoroughly documented in the scientific literature for storms, less well documented for floods and…

Asbestos

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 in Québec shows that there are serious difficulties in enforcing the recommended measures for the safe use of asbestos.

Additional information on Asbestos in Québec


Chrysotile: A proven human carcinogen

Several organizations, such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the Occupa…

Asbestos

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 in Québec shows that there are serious difficulties in enforcing the recommended measures for the safe use of asbestos.

Additional information on Asbestos in Québec


Chrysotile: A proven human carcinogen

Several organizations, such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the Occupa…

Best Spatial Planning Practices to Prevent the Effects of Environmental Noise on Health and Quality of Life

  • There are many sources of noise, which increase the difficulty of mitigating the effects. Some examples are noise from road and air traffic, as well as rail noise, noise from port (harbor) facilities or from construction sites.
  • Land-use planning and management are some effective and key noise control and mitigation measures. These measures are planned and implemented by regional county municipalities (RCM), municipalities and proponents.
  • There are various best environmental noise mitigation practices, from active transportation to street design, by way of the orientation of buildings and inner rooms, not to mention noise barriers and the addition of plants arranged in an optimal manner. Although the effectiveness of several of these measures has been quantified, they are poorly known.
  • Since environmental noise has harmful effects on people’s physical and psycho-social health and quality of life, applying these solutions will help properly protect…

Fact Sheets on the Indicators of the Tool for Identifying Psychosocial Risk Factors in the Workplace

This collection of fact sheets, which was prepared in response to numerous requests for simple and accurate information on psychosocial risk (PSR) factors in the workplace, is intended to serve as a practical tool for occupational health workers as a whole. The fact sheets were drawn up by experts from the Équipe de prévention des risques psychosociaux du travail et promotion de la santé des travailleurs (Team for the prevention of psychosocial risk factors in the workplace and the promotion of workers’ health) of the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), in collaboration with the Groupe scientifique sur l’impact des conditions et de l’organisation du travail sur la santé (Scientific panel on the impact of working conditions and work organization on health), made up of researchers and specialists in the field.

These fact sheets supplement the Tool for Identifying Psychosocial Risk Factors in the Workplace, whose use require…