Treating physicians' perceptions of barriers to return to work of their patients in Southern Ontario.

AIMS: The aim of this paper is to understand the treating physician's perspective with respect to the barriers that their patients face returning to work from injury and illness. METHODS: The methodology used was focus groups conducted in Southern Ontario with treating physicians. RESULTS: The main barrier identified by the treating physicians in the return to work process was the lack of accommodated work. The main areas identified for the use of additional resources was facilitated investigations, assessments and treatments for their patients and education and training for treating physicians. With respect to communication, physicians indicated that they wanted to know more about the work to which their patients were returning. CONCLUSIONS: Treating physicians believe that the most significant barriers for the timely return to work for their patients exist in the workplace, specifically related to lack of knowledge about appropriate modified work. The treating physicians' role in the return to work process is demanding due to insufficient time to deal with return to work issues, lack of training, not enough of the appropriate information and the treating physicians' role ambiguity.

The application of Ontario human rights legislation to the practice of occupational medicine.

Although human rights legislation has important implications for occupational physicians, these implications may be overlooked in the practice of occupational medicine in other countries where human rights legislation may be different. The potential for significant oversights becomes greater as organizations continue to centralize international business support functions, such as occupational health services, operating from a single site. Human rights legislation has important implications with respect to policy decisions upon which an occupational physician has influence. This includes decisions about whether to conduct drug and alcohol testing; the performance of medical examinations; evaluating issues related to health and safety concerns of pregnant employees; and the need to work accommodate those with handicaps as defined by human rights legislation. This article examines the application of the Ontario human rights legislation in these areas.

Occupational health and safety management systems in the Canadian pulp and paper industry: methods of auditing.

The Canadian Pulp and Paper Association has developed eight "Guiding Principles for Management of Occupational Health and Safety" (OH&S) for its member companies. As part of a study to assess member companies' OH&S activities, an on-site audit was performed for 11 sites. The audit assessed five key components of a management system for a number of OH&S activities. Management-system components more likely to be in place included system ownership and goals and procedures, whereas measures of performance, a review of measures, and corrective action were less likely to be present. Environmental surveillance and injury reduction were most actively monitored, as indicated by the number of measures of performance relating to these activities. The auditing process demonstrated leadership and communicated the OH&S priorities of the Canadian Pulp and Paper Association to the sites.