Table of Contents

Introduction to Info Source

Info Source: Sources of Government and Employee Information provides information about the functions, programs, activities and related information holdings of government institutions subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. It provides individuals and employees of the government (current and former) with relevant information to access personal information about themselves held by government institutions subject to the Privacy Act and to exercise their rights under the Privacy Act.

The Introduction to Info Source: Sources of Government and Employee Information and an index of institutions subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act are available centrally.

The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act assign overall responsibility to the President of Treasury Board (as the designated Minister) for the government-wide administration of the legislation.

Background

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) operates under the legislative authority of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Act S.C., 1977-78, c. 29 which was passed by unanimous vote in the Canadian Parliament.

The purpose of this Act is to promote the fundamental right of Canadians to a healthy and safe working environment by creating a national institute (CCOHS) concerned with the study, encouragement and co-operative advancement of occupational health and safety.

If you would like more information on the background of CCOHS please see About CCOHS.

Responsibilities

CCOHS' mandate is to serve Canadians - and the world - with credible and relevant tools and resources to improve workplace health and safety programs. We believe that all Canadians have a fundamental right to a healthy and safe working environment. Through our programs, services, knowledge, commitment, and action, CCOHS will continue its efforts to advance health and safety in the workplace.

The goal of this program is to provide free information on occupational health and safety to support Canadians in their efforts to improve workplace safety and health. Citizens are provided information through a free and impartial personalized service via telephone, e-mail, person-to-person, fax or mail. Alternatively, they can independently access a broad range of electronic and print resources developed to support safety and health information needs of Canadians. This may include cost recovery products and services and is supported financially by contributions from various stakeholders.

Through health and safety information development, CCOHS collects, processes, analyzes, evaluates, creates and publishes authoritative information resources on occupational health and safety for the benefit of all working Canadians. This information is used for education and training, research, policy development, development of best practices, improvement of health and safety programs, achieving compliance, and for personal use. When the product or service provided by CCOHS is to identifiable external recipients with benefits beyond those enjoyed by the general taxpayer, a user fee is charged.

CCOHS promotes and facilitates consultation and cooperation among federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions and participation by labour, management and other stakeholders in the establishment and maintenance of high standards and occupational health and safety initiatives for the Canadian context. The sharing of resources results in the coordinated and mutually beneficial development of unique programs, products and services. Collaborative projects are usually supported with a combination of financial and non- financial contributions to the programs by partners and stakeholders and result in advancement of the health and safety initiatives.

CCOHS has a broad range of collaborative arrangements with many national and international health and safety organizations. These include the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Pan- American Health Organization (PAHO) the World Health Organization (WHO), North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH), European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Health Canada and Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Collaborative projects serve many purposes at CCOHS. They are opportunities to enhance our OHS information resources, generate revenues and collaborate with partners worldwide. This collaboration among nations serves to promote the sharing of information and knowledge for social and economic programs relating to health and safety, to reduce injuries and illness, and improve conditions for workers. They also contribute to Canada's role in the world and bring the wealth of global OHS information for use by CCOHS to benefit Canada and to improve the health and safety of Canadians. Further information on the many partnerships is available at http://www.ccohs.ca/ccohs/partner.html and in our annual report.

Institutional Functions, Programs and Activities

The goal of this program is to provide free information on occupational health and safety to support Canadians in their efforts to improve workplace safety and health. Citizens are provided information through a free and impartial personalized service via telephone, e-mail, person-to-person, fax or mail. Alternatively they can independently access a broad range of electronic and print resources developed to support safety and health information needs of Canadians. This may include cost recovery products and services and is supported financially by contributions from various stakeholders. CCOHS collects, processes, analyzes, evaluates, creates and publishes authoritative information resources on occupational health and safety for the benefit of all working Canadians. This information is used for education and training, research, policy development, development of best practices, improvement of health and safety programs, achieving compliance, and for personal use. When the products or services provided by CCOHS are used by identifiable external recipients with benefits beyond those enjoyed by the general taxpayer, a user fee is charged. CCOHS promotes and facilitates consultation and cooperation among federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions and participation by labour, management and other stakeholders in the establishment and maintenance of high standards and occupational health and safety initiatives for the Canadian context. The sharing of resources results in the coordinated and mutually beneficial development of unique programs, products and services. Collaborative projects are usually supported with a combination of financial and non-financial contributions to the programs by stakeholders and result in advancement of occupational health and safety initiatives.

Chemical Products and Services:

Chemical databases including RTECS, IPCS Intox, IPCS Inchem, Chemical Evaluation Search and Retrieval System, Material Safety Data Sheets, (MSDS) and its French counter part FTSS, MSDS Management System, CHEMINFO, Chemical Hazards Response Information System (CHRIS). Related records for the production, development and maintenance of the above databases. This includes agreements with suppliers of information and detailed records on the development of records.

Client Information

This data bank contains information on individuals and businesses requesting information on CCOHS products and services. It also contains information on companies that actually purchase the information, including customer service report logs.

E-Learning and Class Room Courses

Information relating to on-line learning, interactive and engaging courses adapted for the common learning needs for occupational health and safety. This includes information on agreements with suppliers and customers. Classroom courses includes development of presentation materials and handouts.

General Health and Safety Information and Databases

Includes general databases for legislation, bibliographic databases, ILO Encyclopedia, OSHline, Canadiana, Fatalities, Transport of Hazardous Materials. Also includes information used in the development of records, agreements with information providers, internal reviews, quality control and other product development information.

Corporate Health and Safety

Health and safety awareness programs, accident claims and investigations, employee assistance program, training, committee meetings, workplace inspections and facilities reviews

Health and Safety Information Packages

Packages prepared to answer specific occupational health and safety related questions. These pre-approved packages are used to provide information to the general public in response to questions.

Inquiries

A toll-free person-to-person service that answers questions on specific occupational health and safety matters. Records include management and administration of the program,client satisfaction, usage and call logs.

Inquiries Database – Bank number: CCOHS PPU 041

This database contains client requests for information about specific occupational health and safety matters. Callers are not required to provide any identifying information to obtain service. The personal information collected, if provided, includes the following: individual's name, mailing address, phone number, e-mail address, description of the information required, stakeholder group (type government, union or employer), industry, answer class and response delivery method.

Library

Information related to the delivery of library services, documentation and reference services and research tools.

OSH Answers

Questions and Answers on occupational health and safety used to respond to routine public inquiries. Development and review of

Records Management

Information related to the management of departmental records and documents, records retention, disposal of records, off site storage and transfer to archives.

Training and Development

Administration of training and professional development activities, training plans, orientation, internal and external sources, policy and routine information relating to performance appraisals, awards, recognition and professional association memberships.

Internal Services

Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; Acquisition Services; and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Acquisition Services

Acquisition services involve activities undertaken to acquire a good or service to fulfil a properly completed request (including a complete and accurate definition of requirements and certification that funds are available) until entering into or amending a contract.

Communications Services

Communications services involve activities undertaken to ensure that Government of Canada communications are effectively managed, well-coordinated and responsive to the diverse information needs of the public. The communications management function ensures that the public - internal or external - receives government information, and that the views and concerns of the public are taken into account in the planning, management and evaluation of policies, programs, services and initiatives.

Financial Management Services

Financial management services involve activities undertaken to ensure the prudent use of public resources, including planning, budgeting, accounting, reporting, control and oversight, analysis, decision support and advice, and financial systems.

Human Resources Management Services

Human resources management services involve activities undertaken for determining strategic direction, allocating resources among services and processes, as well as activities relating to analyzing exposure to risk and determining appropriate countermeasures. They ensure that the service operations and programs of the federal government comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and/or plans.

Conflict of Interest – Bank number: CCOHS PPE 801

Description: This bank contains voluntary disclosures by employees concerning potential conflict of interest situations, investigation reports and correspondence about potential and actual employee conflicts between the private interests or holdings of employees and their official duties.

Class of Individuals: Departmental employees.

Purpose: The purpose of this bank is to maintain information about potential and actual conflict of interest situations for employees of a government institution, to record potential conflicts of interest and to resolve actual conflicts of interest.

Consistent Uses: To support decisions on transfers, discipline and termination of employment.

Retention and Disposal Standards: Two years after potential conflict of interest no longer exists or actual conflict of interest has been resolved, after which the records are destroyed.

RDA Number: 86/001

Related Record Number: CCOHS PRN 926

TBS Registration: 000992

Bank Number: CCOHS PPE 801

Information Management Services

Information management services involve activities undertaken to achieve efficient and effective information management to support program and service delivery; foster informed decision making; facilitate accountability, transparency, and collaboration; and preserve and ensure access to information and records for the benefit of present and future generations.

Information Technology Services

Information technology services involve activities undertaken to achieve efficient and effective use of information technology to support government priorities and program delivery, to increase productivity, and to enhance services to the public.

Legal Services

Legal services involve activities undertaken to enable government departments and agencies to pursue policy, program and service delivery priorities and objectives within a legally sound framework.

Management And Oversight Services

Management and oversight services involve activities undertaken for determining strategic direction, and allocating resources among services and processes, as well as those activities related to analyzing exposure to risk and determining appropriate countermeasures. They ensure that the service operations and programs of the federal government comply with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and/or plans.

Materiel Services

Materiel services involve activities undertaken to ensure that materiel can be managed by departments in a sustainable and financially responsible manner that supports the cost-effective and efficient delivery of government programs.

Real Property Services

Real property services involve activities undertaken to ensure real property is managed in a sustainable and financially responsible manner, throughout its life cycle, to support the cost-effective and efficient delivery of government programs.

Travel And Other Administrative Services

Travel and other administrative services include Government of Canada (GC) travel services, as well as those other internal services that do not smoothly fit with any of the internal services categories.

Additional Information

Please see the Introduction for information on access procedures under the provisions of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

For additional information about the programs and activities of the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, please contact:

• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
• Inquiries and Customer Service
• 135 Hunter Street East
• Hamilton, Ontario L8N 1M5
• Telephone: 905-572-4400
• Toll-free: 1-800-668-4284
• Facsimile: 905-572-4500
• E-mail: clientservices@ccohs.ca

Reading Room

In accordance with the Access to Information Act, an area on the premises of this institution has been designated as a public reading room. The address is:

• 135 Hunter Street East
• Hamilton, Ontario