TORONTO — The Ontario government has launched Canada’s first Occupational Exposure Registry (OER) – a portal that allows workers to record and track exposure to hazards in the workplace.
“This first-in-Canada Occupational Exposure Registry will give workers the ability to securely track and better understand their exposure risks, helping inform prevention efforts and stop occupational disease before it starts,” said David Piccini, minister of labour, immigration, training and skills development, in a statement.
Effective immediately, workers can securely and anonymously submit exposure information through the online self-tracker in just a few minutes for one of 11 designated hazardous substances, such as asbestos, lead, mercury and silica. Workers can record details such as how their exposure occurred and what protective measures were in place, such as ventilation, training or personal protective equipment.
Each submission generates a confirmation email and a record that can be downloaded, the release explains.
An occupational illness is a condition that results from exposure to a physical, chemical or biological agent in the workplace to the extent that the worker’s health is impaired.
Between 2010 and 2019, occupational illnesses accounted for approximately 76 per cent of workplace fatalities in Ontario, the release notes.
According to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, there were 20,886 allowed occupational disease claims in 2025.
