At Work
IN THE CURRENT ISSUE...
Return-to-work challenges in policing.
The impact of depression on years of employment over a lifetime
A research agenda on artificial intelligence and its impact on worker health and safety
And more....
Research that matters to protecting the health and safety of workers
The Institute for Work & Health (IWH) is a Canadian leader in work injury and disability prevention research. An independent, not-for-profit organization, IWH conducts and shares actionable research to promote, protect and improve the health and safety of working people.
Latest news & findings
Just launched: New data tool illustrates patterns of opioid-related harms among Ontario workers
Which workers are most at risk of opioid harms? Find out with an interactive data visualization tool launched today. With the Opioids and Work Data Tool, members of the public can view patterns of opioid-related harms by occupation and industry, and by demographic factors like age, sex and geographic region. The tool was created through a collaboration between IWH and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre.
New research award in work disability policy now open
Applications are now open to the David C. Onley Postdoctoral Research Award. This award, from Inclusive Design for Employment Access (IDEA) and the Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN), will be given to a researcher who embodies the values espoused by the late Honorable David C. Onley. Onley was the 28th lieutenant-governor of Ontario, a disability advocate, a champion for inclusive employment and a former broadcast journalist. Applications are due by January 15, 2024.
5 Things We Think You Should Know
Our annual edition of 5 Things We Think You Should Know is out now! This publication outlines five IWH research findings from the past year that we think can make a difference to workplace injury and disability prevention programs. It's available online and as a sharable PDF.
Media release - Worker injuries due to falls from heights declined after training made standard and mandatory: study
November 3, 2023 (Toronto, Ontario)—In the three-year period after Ontario made working-at-heights training in the construction sector standardized and mandatory, the rate of fall-from-height injuries leading to time off work fell by 19 per cent, a study by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) has found.
What is the impact of depression on years of employment among working-age adults?
If someone experiences depression, what is the impact on the length of their future working life? It depends on how, and when, someone experiences depression. An IWH study found five trajectories of depression in working adults, each with varied impacts on their future years of work.
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Tools and guides
Integrate evidence-based policies and practices into your occupational health and safety, return-to-work and rehabilitation programs. IWH has created a number of tools and guides based on our research findings that can help improve program outcomes.
Impact case studies
Find out how IWH research is making a difference. Read our impact case studies, in which policy-makers, workplaces and other stakeholders in health, safety and disability prevention tell how IWH research helped improve their policies, programs and practices.
Research summaries
Whether it’s a policy briefing, a systematic review summary or the highlights of a specific research project, we’ve compiled a number of plain-language summaries to help you understand the research we’re doing, what we have found, and how we found it.
Events
Learn directly from the researchers themselves about their latest findings in health, safety and disability prevention. We host regular presentations (in person or live stream) through our IWH Speaker Series and our annual Nachemson lecture.