Health and Safety ReportVolume 24, Issue 10

When we think about health and safety at work, we usually picture obvious hazards we can see, like slippery floors, working at heights, heavy loads or moving machinery. But some risks come from less obvious connections between people, animals, plants and our environment. Helping us understand those connections and use them to protect workers is at the centre of an approach to health and safety called One Health.

What does One Health mean?

One Health treats the health of people, animals and the environment as closely linked. When one is affected, the others often are, too. The approach brings together experts from many fields, such as doctors, veterinarians, environmental scientists and public health officials, from local to global levels. By working together, they can better prevent, predict, spot and respond to shared threats like climate change, pandemics and illnesses that pass between animals and humans.

The idea of One Health isn't new. The link between animal and human health has been recognized since the early 1800s. In 2008, the World Health Organization and other international groups created a formal framework for the approach, and today it guides the work of organizations such as the Public Health Agency of Canada.

What it looks like in action

Responding to outbreaks of avian influenza, often called bird flu, is a good example of One Health in action. The virus usually spreads among wild water birds, but it can also infect poultry, dairy cattle, and the people who work with them. Managing an outbreak means keeping a close eye on animal health, using biosecurity measures such as isolating sick animals, and protecting workers with good ventilation, safe work practices and personal protective equipment. Working closely with animal health experts, public health officials and environmental agencies is also important. No single group could reasonably manage the problem on its own.

Why it matters for your workplace

Contact between people, animals and the environment is growing. People and goods travel more than ever, farming is more intensive, natural habitats are shrinking, and the climate is rapidly changing. As a result, hazards that were once rare, like new viruses, are becoming a greater concern for more workers.

Building One Health into your safety program

Fortunately, One Health fits into the safety processes your workplace already has. When you identify hazards and assess risks, think about biological hazards like bacteria, viruses and fungi, as well as chemical and environmental hazards such as extreme weather. Update inspection checklists where it makes sense, for example by making sure standing water is removed regularly to reduce mosquito exposure. Train workers on the specific threats they may face. Include pandemics, disease outbreaks and climate-related events in your emergency plans. And involve your health and safety committee or representative, since they often notice issues first.

Who is at risk?

The range of risks is broad. Tick- and mosquito-borne illnesses like Lyme disease and West Nile virus are spreading as temperatures rise. Workers at animal shelters, veterinary clinics and grooming businesses can catch diseases from cats and dogs. People who work on or near lakes and rivers can be exposed to harmful algae. Farmers, meat processing workers and healthcare workers may face germs that no longer respond to common medications, making it harder to treat certain infections in animals and workers.

Mental health still matters

One Health isn't only about physical health. Getting sick with an animal-related illness can be stressful and frightening, and research suggests environmental stressors like air pollution and climate change may be linked to anxiety and depression. Psychological hazards deserve the same attention as physical ones, so make sure workers know about available mental health supports, such as an employee assistance program.

One Health asks us to look beyond the hazards right in front of us and consider how the health of people, animals and the environment affect one another. By widening the lens of the hazard assessments, inspections, training and emergency plans you already have, you can spot emerging risks earlier and respond more effectively. When animals and the environment are healthy and safe, humans are more likely to be healthy and safe, too.

Resources

• One Health, CCOHS
• One Health, Government of Canada
• One Health and Environmental Stewardship, Infection Prevention and Control Canada

The WorkSafeNB OHS Guide is now available as an online tool, making it easier for employers and workers in New Brunswick to access trusted occupational health and safety information to meet their legislative requirements.  

In addition to essential health and safety information on more than 65 workplace health and safety topics, it provides direct access to the province’s occupational health and safety acts and regulations.  

The guide includes features such as plain-language summaries, helpful definitions, and Google Translate to support users in accessing and understanding health and safety information.  

It can be accessed through any web browser, on any device, and can be added to a device’s home screen for convenient future access. Content can also be accessed offline once it has been loaded.  

The WorkSafeNB OHS Guide was developed through a partnership between CCOHS and WorkSafeNB and replaces the NB OHS Guide mobile app.

Featured podcast: How Emerging Ergonomics Technologies Could Reduce Workplace MSDs  

Work shouldn’t hurt, but for many workers in Canada, it does. Dr. Steven Fischer joins us to discuss how, when paired with the right programs, insights from emerging ergonomics technologies have the potential to help organizations prevent musculoskeletal disorders. 

Listen to the podcast now 

Featured podcast: Understanding the Criminal Code and Canadian Workplaces   

Despite workplaces making significant investments in programs meant to improve occupational health and safety, serious incidents still happen. Criminal Code expert Rob Stewart joins us to discuss why compliance at the leadership level may not be making things safer on the ground in the workplace, and how employers can learn to identify warning signs before they turn into tragedies. 

Listen to the podcast now

See the complete list of podcast topics or, better yet, subscribe to the series on YouTube or Spotify and don't miss a single episode.

Ergonomics is so much more than comfort. The science of fitting the job to the worker reduces the risk of musculoskeletal disorders while improving employee wellness, morale and the overall quality of work. These resources can help you support an ergonomic work environment and healthier workforce.

• Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders – This manual helps employers and workers to identify and control the sources of musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace. It will help you understand the risk factors that can lead to musculoskeletal disorders when performing manual material handling tasks and develop a prevention program.
• How to Lift Safely – Share this poster in your workplace as a visual reminder of safe work practices and proper lifting techniques to help prevent musculoskeletal disorders and other injuries.

For more resources on workplace ergonomics, see our topic page.

Occupational health and safety laws are always evolving. This month’s highlights include changes to regulations in British Columbia and Manitoba, and acts in Alberta and Ontario. 

British Columbia 

Hazardous Waste Regulation (Environmental Management Act): B.C. Reg. 101/2026 came into effect July 1, 2026, and makes several amendments in Section 45, “Transport licence,” including repealing and replacing subsection 45 (3) and adding new subsection 45 (4.1). 

Alberta 

Traffic Safety Act: S.A. 2025, c. 25, s. 6 came into effect July 2, 2026, and adds new Sections 51.1 “Use of operator’s licences for Government programs and services,” Section 51.2 “Use of operator’s licences for purposes other than as motor vehicle documents,” and Section 51.3 “Collection, use, disclosure of information and display on operator’s licences.” 

Manitoba  

Periodic Mandatory Vehicle Inspection Regulation (The Highway Traffic Act): Man. Reg. 73/2026 amends Section 1 by repealing the definition “Act”, adding the definitions “oil well service vehicle” and “semi-trailer” and amending the definition "inspection station"; by adding subsections 5(2)(a.1), (2.1), (2.2) and other minor edits throughout the document. 

Ontario 

Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002: S.O. 2026, c. 8, Sch. 8 amends the definition of municipal drinking water system in subsection 2 (1) to include a drinking water system owned by a corporation designated as a water and wastewater public corporation. New subsections 53 (5.1) and (5.2) were added to provide for deemed consents under that section. 

Did you know? Navigating health, safety and environmental laws just got faster and easier with the all-new enviroOSH Legislation Service. Updated daily, the subscription service keeps you informed about health, safety, and environmental legislation across Canada. Subscribers also receive a monthly summary of proposed and repealed legislation, amendments, and new documents.

We’re now accepting applications for the Dick Martin Scholarship Award. The award is open to any to college or university student enrolled in an occupational health and safety course or program leading to an occupational health and safety related certificate, diploma, or degree.

Two students will be awarded a $3,000 prize. To be considered, students must complete an online application and submit an essay. 

Applications are due by January 31, 2027. Scholarship rules, essay criteria, and other guidelines are available at: www.ccohs.ca/scholarships/dmartin. Winners will be announced in early Spring 2027.

CCOHS Forum 2026: The Changing World of Work is sold out and registration is now closed.  

Our speaker lineup is set to deliver key insights on health and safety issues to spark positive change among workplaces across Canada. 

Completing the lineup is a joint presentation featuring Katyana Aragão Menescal, Manager, Occupational Health and Safety, and Edgar Vieira Inácio, Senior Policy and Industry Specialist, SESI. Katyana and Edgar discuss how SESI is working to transform occupational health and safety across Brazil, sharing lessons and innovative strategies to inspire Canadian workplaces. 

Check out the complete speaker lineup that includes Alan Doyle, Lee Jeyes, and Mary Ann Baynton, on our website at www.ccohs.ca/forum.  

Special thanks to our Forum sponsors for their support. See you in St. John’s.