He/Him
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 was recently awarded the title of Fellow of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (FAIOH) and he feels honoured for this recognition as he has resided in Canada for the past 15 years, being originally from Australia. He also just completed lecturing of Masters Students, in Occupational Hygiene at the University of Wollongong in NSW Australia for a semester in 2025.
Dr. Hedges’ current professional employment is with the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) Inc. The aim of OHCOW is to protect workers and their communities from occupational disease, injuries, and illnesses. The goal is to accomplish this by identifying workplace factors that damage the health and welfare of all workers. OHCOW are unique as the Board of Directors, are represented by many unions, throughout Canada, which provides a strong level of independence.
Dr. Hedges 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 of Applied Science (M.App.Sc) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.,) from Western Sydney University (Australia). 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.
Dr. Hedges’ helps facilitate OHCOW’s webinar series, “OCC-COVID Webinar Series, Science, Solutions and Success Stories” (an ongoing series of webinars that present the current COVID-19 situation and provide guidance and direction for dealing with it in our workplaces and public settings), where many expert guest presenters have shared learnings. Through OHCOW, along with colleagues, he helped develop OHCOW COVID-19 resources, including raising awareness that COVID-19 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.”
Dr. Hedges is the 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.
Dr. Hedges has practised within the professional discipline of occupational and environmental health for about 32 years.