Working bent over a mouth eight hours a day, helping a patient back to their feet, absorbing an anxious patient's anger: in a private clinic, it's the caregiver's body that wears out. Medical clinics, dental offices, physiotherapy — from the first employee, the OHS action plan is mandatory.
Dentists and hygienists spend their days bent and twisted over the patient; physiotherapists mobilize limbs and help people up. Static postures and patient transfers dominate injuries in the sector — ASSTSAS's PDSB training (safe patient handling) exists precisely for this.
Recapping a needle is still the classic cause of accidental sticks. Safety-engineered needles, wall-mounted sharps containers and a written post-exposure protocol (who to call, where to go, within what timeframe) — that's what an inspector will ask to see.
Contact with blood and saliva, the instrument sterilization chain (cleaning, packaging, autoclave, cycle traceability), hepatitis B vaccination for the team. In a clinic, the "biological" category of your assessment cannot stay empty.
Pain, anxiety, disputed billing, cognitive disorders: verbal — sometimes physical — aggression comes from the very people you treat. Since Bill 59, external violence is a psychosocial risk you must assess and log in your register.
High-level disinfectants, cold-sterilization products, nitrous oxide in dentistry, daily X-rays: up-to-date WHMIS sheets, adequate ventilation and dosimeters for staff exposed to X-rays.
A questionnaire built for private clinics — care postures, needle sticks, sterilization, difficult patients. Auto-generated plan, CNESST-compliant PDF.
Start — free trialYes. Since October 1, 2025, all establishments with fewer than 20 workers are covered, including private clinics. Owner-dentist, hygienists, assistants, receptionist: as soon as there is one employee, the OHS Act applies and the plan is mandatory.
Let it bleed, wash with soap and water, consult the designated service without delay to assess post-exposure prophylaxis, then log the event in your register. Your OHS plan must set out this protocol in writing, with the contact details of the service — before the incident happens.
No. The Ordre des dentistes or the OPPQ regulate professional practice and public protection. CNESST protects your workers. The two regimes coexist: being in good standing with your order waives none of your OHS Act obligations.
Yes. Violence from patients or their relatives is a psychosocial risk that Bill 59 requires you to assess. Log incidents, set up a procedure (code word, call button, reception layout) and train the team in de-escalation.