The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) is an independent departmental corporation under Schedule II of the Financial Administration Act and is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Labour.
CCOHS functions as the primary national agency in Canada for the advancement of safe and healthy workplaces and preventing work-related injuries, illnesses and deaths. Additional work in this area is carried out by provincial and territorial labour departments and workers' compensation boards.
CCOHS was created in 1978 by an Act of Parliament - Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Act S.C., 1977-78, c. 29. The act was based on the belief that all Canadians had "...a fundamental right to a healthy and safe working environment." .
The Centre, located in Hamilton, Ontario, is governed by a tripartite Council of Governors representing government (federal, provincial and territorial), employers, and workers.
CCOHS promotes the total well-being - physical, psychosocial and mental health - of working Canadians by providing information, training, education, management systems and solutions. It makes credible information about workplace hazards and conditions easily and widely accessible to all Canadians - promoting safe and healthy workplaces.