Field Inquiries

Our field inquiries address emerging environmental public health issues raised by practitioners. Each inquiry undergoes expert consultation to understand the context, a rapid literature review to capture the existing evidence, and a review of existing guidance to understand the various potential approaches. We use a question-based approach to guide readers through the scenario and then summarize the key considerations for policy action. These documents are internally reviewed before publication.
A Public Health Inspector (PHI) has raised a concern about a local middle school with a small, poorly ventilated computer room containing computers over 10 years old. The PHI has read that brominated…
Pepper spray in the indoor environment and in the vicinity of food products and preparation surfaces
Pepper spray is discharged during an attempted robbery of a jewellery store in a large urban mall. The robbery site is located next to the mall’s food court. For several days, mall patrons continue…
A Public Health Inspector calls about an issue flagged at an older elementary school. As part of a teacher complaint process, the provincial health and safety agency has been conducting a workplace…
As an EH director at a local health authority, helping to review provincial guidelines on swimming pools, you want to know if scientific evidence supports pool closure orders when free available…