New app for Apple devices gives Canadians access to health and safety information on the go

Health & Safety Watch helps Canadians stay informed of updates, warnings and advisories in real-time, including restaurant inspection data

TORONTO, May 24, 2012 /CNW/ - Today, Health & Safety Watch introduced a new app for Apple devices to help Canadians stay on top of recalls, advisories and health warnings. Health & Safety Watch designed the app to provide a simple point of reference for users to check everything from boil water advisories and local disease outbreaks to consumer product and food recalls.

With over 1000 recalls and advisories each year, it is difficult to keep up-to-date, especially during the busy summer months when Canadians travel more and are less likely to be tuned into the news.

"For Canadians heading to cottages and campgrounds and hitting the highways for a good old-fashioned road trip this summer, it's important to have up-to-date health and safety information," says Dr. Jeff Aramini, President of Health & Safety Watch. "Our app makes this quick and easy. Everything can change very rapidly - for example a destination that had safe drinking water when you left on your road trip, may actually be under a boil water advisory by the time you arrive."

The free app, which is based on the Healthandandsafetywatch.com website, aggregates information from various government sources on a variety of topics including product, food and drug recalls, as well as, public health and environmental advisories. A geo-tagging and ranking system enables the app to provide the most relevant and local information to users based on their current location. Category and city search functions also enable users to search coast-to-coast based on their preferences, travel itinerary and interests.

In addition, the app provides local public health inspection results for restaurants in Toronto. This feature lists the establishment's current status and outlines any recent infractions. Health & Safety Watch will be expanding this offering to include other communities in the coming months.

"A quick search of the restaurant name enables users to see the status and any infractions that may impact their decision to eat there," Aramini says. "It's great when planning a night out because you have all of this information at your fingertips, without having to first visit the restaurant and read the inspection notice."

About Health & Safety Watch Inc. Health & Safety Watch Inc. is a science and technology-based organization dedicated to helping Canadians get the most up-to-date and accurate information on all types of health and safety recalls, warnings, and advisories. Information is event-based, with each health and safety issue managed as a single occurrence so visitors can easily find the most recent, accurate updates. Geo-location mapping technology ties each event to a specific location in Canada making it easy to identify where an event is occurring. In addition to the website and smartphone apps, several other products and services are in development. Health & Safety Watch Inc. was established in 2009, the website www.healthandsafetywatch.com was launched in 2010. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @hswtweet.

For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:

Amanda Fearon
Environics Communications
416.969.2654
[e-mail]