Kevin Hedges

Dr. Kevin Hedges is a Certified Occupational Hygienist (COH) and Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) with the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) and American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH), respectively. He holds an undergraduate B.Sc. degree, from the University of Wollongong in NSW Australia, with a major in chemistry. He also obtained both a Masters in Applied Science (M.App.Sc) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.,) from Western Sydney University (Australia). He moved from Australia to permanently reside in Canada in 2010.

His professional experience has included working for a multinational mining and resources company, pharmaceutical industry, as a government occupational health regulator and inspector, in both Australia and Canada, and with academia. His professional employment is with the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc. (OHCOW) through which he has helped facilitate numerous webinars related to COVID-19, where many expert guest presenters have shared learnings. The recordings from these webinars are available on the OHCOW website. “OCC-COVID Webinar Series, Science, Solutions and Success Stories” (An ongoing series of webinars that present the current COVID situation and provide guidance and direction for dealing with it in our workplaces and public settings). Through OHCOW, along with colleagues, he helped develop OHCOW COVID-19 resources, including raising awareness that COVID is airborne, and preventing infection, including guidance on improved respiratory protection, providing a ventilation checklist (indoor air quality) and incorporating a multilayered approach. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) have also acknowledged the work of OHCOW and the “important contributions to workplace safety by increasing awareness of health and safety issues and promoting workplace prevention strategies”. He is also former president and current board member of Workplace Health Without Borders (WHWB) (International). WHWB (international) has hosted many international webinars involving international experts which can be viewed on the WHWB YouTube channel.

Dr. Hedges has been a strong advocate for the acknowledgement of aerosol transmission of coronavirus causing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). To support this advocacy, along with other scientists medical doctors, allied professionals, colleagues, – along with a leading lawyer, and professional engineer (PEng.) helped bring together the Canadian Aerosol Transmission Coalition (CATC) where open

letters from CATC to the government have been posted along with recorded webinars, for both the public and workplaces. Webinars have included Mask Smart 1, Mask Smart 2 and Mask Smart 3.

Dr. Hedges has practiced for about 30 years, in the professional discipline, of occupational hygiene.