Workplace Health: Health and Safety Measures for Designated Officers / Emergency Service Workers

What are Designated Officers?

To protect the health of Emergency Service Workers (ESW) and to prevent further spread of infectious diseases, ESW organizations (police, fire, paramedic) have a Designated Officer who receives, and reviews reports from the Health Unit or workers directly regarding possible exposures to communicable diseases.

Roles and responsibilities

Halton Region Public Health:

• Is available to DOs within Halton region for consultation.
• Reviews information on ESW exposures reported by a DO.
• Assists the DO with the assessment of the exposure risk
• Provides recommendations for the DO to provide to the ESW following an exposure such as when and how to seek medical attention, testing and follow up.
• Notify the DO if an ESW was identified as a contact of a reportable disease.
• The Health Unit will not gather information from the ESW who was exposed; this is the role of the DO.

The DO:

• Obtains information from the ESW following an exposure and report to Halton Public Health as appropriate.
• Provides counselling, guidance, and support to exposed workers.

Resources for Designated Officers

• Designated Officer Form: Possible Infectious Disease Exposure (PDF file)
• Ontario Public Services Health and Safety Association DO program overview (external link)
• Vaccination Recommendations for Emergency Service Workers (external link)

Training for Designated Officers

Ontario Public Services Health & Safety Association offers a 1-day training course for designated officers on the identification, treatment and control of communicable diseases that can be contracted in the workplace: Public Services Health & Safety Association DO Training.

Additional resources

• Halton Region - Preventing Communicable Diseases: A-Z Index
  • Accidental Exposures to Blood and Body Fluids
• Halton Region - Diseases of Public Health Significance
• Ontario Public Health Standards: Requirements for programs, services, and accountability (external link)