Open AccessThe development of worker-controlled occupational health centers in Canada.
Author(s) -
Annalee Yassi
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.78.6.689
Subject(s) - occupational safety and health , work (physics) , distrust , business , occupational health nursing , control (management) , occupational medicine , environmental health , medicine , public relations , nursing , public health , health policy , psychology , political science , management , mechanical engineering , pathology , engineering , economics , psychotherapist
Over the past decade worker-controlled occupational health centers have been established in three Canadian provinces. This development has been a response to the slowness in recognizing occupational medicine in the Canadian medical community, the limited availability and questionable acceptability of existing services, as well as the growth of worker control in occupational health matters generally. The history, funding, organizational structure, personnel, resources, and programs of these worker-controlled centers are outlined, illustrating the extensive programs that can be provided despite small budgets of these operations. Advantages to workers include direct access to resources as well as expert professional advice with the focus on work place hazards. Furthermore, the centers provide for extensive interaction among workers on their common concerns. Disadvantages of the model include restricted access to work places associated with frequent distrust of employers. Employer-based and university-based models are compared to worker-controlled centers, and it is suggested that the latter may influence the pattern of practice of occupational health as well as the ability of workers and their unions to promote improved occupational health and safety conditions.