Occupational Health

Healthier and safer work environments

Occupational health helps protect workers from occupational hazards while helping employers create healthy work environments, prevent accidents and workplace illnesses, and meet their health and safety obligations.

How can the occupational health team help you?

The main mandate of the occupational health team is to support employers and workers in preventing work-related health problems.

The occupational health team provides support adapted to the realities of Nunavik:

  • To identify and assess health hazards in your workplace: dangerous substances and gases, psychosocial hazards at work, indoor air quality, and many others;
  • To comply with employers' legal requirements regarding occupational health by providing:
    • recommendations for implementing preventive measures specific to the hazards identified in your workplace;
    • information and tools adapted to businesses and organizations in Nunavik;
  • To support the organization of first aid;
  • To assess the risks for the pregnant woman, her unborn child, or breastfeeding, at the request of the pregnancy‑care professional (physician, midwife, specialized nurse practitioner) and make recommendations;
  • To ensure monitoring and follow-up at an establishment where an employee has contracted a reportable disease (MADO) at the request of the public health director or the CNESST.

Hazard identification and analysis and occupational health programs

Occupational health programs provide recommendations for preventing health problems associated with different occupational hazards. They help employers identify preventive measures to include in their prevention program or action plan. For further details on the actions to be taken, consult the CNESST’s health programs.

Types of occupational health hazards:

Physical hazards

Chemical hazards

Biological hazards

Ergonomic hazards

Psychosocial hazards

Occupational diseases in the construction sector

For a Safe Maternity Experience Program (SMEP)

Are you pregnant or breastfeeding? You are entitled to a safe workplace.

The For a Safe Maternity Experience Program allows a pregnant or breastfeeding worker to continue working under conditions that are safe for them and their child. If their job involves hazards, the employer may offer the worker a safe position or safe duties while maintaining the benefits of their usual job. When no safe assignment is possible, the worker may be granted a preventive leave of absence and receive income replacement benefits.

The program’s goal is simple: to protect the health of the mother and child while promoting continued employment whenever possible.

Organization of first aid in the workplace

Prompt action in the event of an accident or medical emergency can help minimize the consequences of an injury and ensure effective care.

The occupational health team can assist employers in organizing emergency response in the workplace.

Available resources:

  • First aid contact poster (to come)
  • Reference sheet for bites (to come)
  • Reference sheet for spitting (to come)

Useful links

Contact us