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Joanna Carastathis, Health Promotion Planner
Staff members at the TBDHU now have a fleet of 4 workplace bikes, providing employees the opportunity to add exercise to their workdays by cycling to and from meetings, or to use during breaks or lunch. The workplace bike fleet program is designed to…
The TBDHU is following a revised province-wide risk assessment for food premises called the Operational Approaches for Food Safety Guideline, 2019.
This guideline is expected to make better use of the time spent inspecting food premises.
Food premises include places…
Opioids
Opioids are drugs that are used primarily to treat pain, Opioids can also induce euphoria (feeling high) and are sometimes used for this purpose. Opioids can be prescribed medications dispensed from a pharmacy or obtained through the illicit market. Some commonly used opioids include:…
The effects of pesticides (including herbicides, fungicides and insecticides) on human health are complex and not completely understood. However, there are clear links between pesticide use and illness. The Thunder Bay District Health Unit’s role is to provide recommendations and information about…
Is Your Organization Interested in Serving Wild Game to the Public?
TBDHU has recently revamped its process for approving applications to serve wild game to the public.
You can apply to serve wild game on a one-time basis such as a fundraising event, or if you are a non-profit, you can apply to…
Section 32 of Ontario Regulation 493 requires that every food premises operator must ensure that at all times during operation there is at least one food handler or supervisor on the premises who has completed provincially-approved food handler training. The Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU…
What is Food Poisoning?
Foodborne illness, commonly known as food poisoning, happens when people eat food containing harmful germs or organisms including bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi. Many foods naturally contain small amounts of these germs, but our bodies can usually handle them without…
If you are planning to sell or give away food to the public, learn how to put food safety first! Download a copy of TBDHU’s Special Event Guidelines – Operating Guidelines for Event Organizers and Food Vendors (PDF)
All persons and/or organizations planning to hold an event where food will be…
Providing food to the public carries an immense responsibility. Proper food handling steps must be followed to reduce the risk of foodborne illness (food poisoning) whether you are a national food producer/manufacturer, a restaurant owner, or operating a home-based business. The role of the Thunder…
West Nile Virus is transmitted, or spread, to humans through a bite from an infected mosquito.
TBDHU has been monitoring the local mosquito population for many years to identify any risk. This is done by trapping mosquitos and testing them. To date, West Nile Virus is not endemic in our area and…
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit provides a variety of resources and services for health-care workers, educators and employers. In this section, you can access useful information about common public health topics such as communicable disease reporting, immunization, general health…
Bed bugs are insects with oval-shaped bodies and no wings. Unlike most public health pests, bed bugs are not known to transmit or spread disease. However, they are certainly a pest - feeding on blood, causing itchy bites and generally irritating their human hosts and they can cause other…
Rodents and insects can be a big problem for both homeowners and business owners. The Thunder Bay District Health Unit provides information about prevention and control, and public health inspectors inspect businesses in the District – particularly restaurants and food vendors – for signs of pests…
In this section, you can access useful information relevant to organizations, businesses and employers such as COVID-19 information and resources, safe food handling certification, beauty and body art safety, pool and spa operator information, workplace health and more.
Infectious…