Trusted research, with reach and impact
The Institute for Work & Health (IWH) is an independent, multidisciplinary, not-for-profit research organization located in Ontario, Canada. IWH conducts and mobilizes research that supports policy-makers, employers and workers in creating healthy, safe and inclusive work environments.
Latest news & findings
Rises in opioid harms highest in machining, construction, sales
A new study has found that opioid harm rates have increased among injured workers over the last two decades. The study breaks the trends down by occupation, and high-hazard roles saw the biggest increases. However, some typically low-hazard occupations, like clerical and sales jobs, also saw large increases in harms.
IWH welcomes new board chair and vice-chair
The Institute for Work & Health is pleased to announce Kim Froats as the new chair of its board of directors and Sandra Miller as its new vice-chair.
IWH Speaker Series: New business owners on why and how OHS starts to matter
New businesses are expected to begin managing occupational health and safety (OHS) by the time they hire their first employee. But against the many demands for their attention, when, why and how does OHS begin to matter to new business owners? On October 27, Dr. Basak Yanar builds on previously shared survey findings and discusses insights from interviews with new business owners on how they begin managing OHS and what supports they need.
IWH Speaker Series: Complex and evolving perspectives on workplace support and accommodation
The IWH Speaker Series is back for a new season! On September 29, Dr. Monique Gignac will share findings from a study of HR professionals, disability managers, union representatives, OHS professionals and managers. She will discuss how perspectives on, and expectations about, disability accommodation have evolved.
New tool for measuring risk of occupational stress injury now validated by IWH study
An IWH study has found that a tool developed by the Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA) is a reliable, valid measure of an organization’s risk of occupational stress injury. The study finds the overall score produced by the tool correlates with workers’ level of burnout, psychological distress and work-related mental health injury.
IWH Speaker Series
Learn directly from IWH researchers themselves about their latest findings in health, safety and disability prevention. Coming up next:
New business owners on why and how OHS starts to matter
Presented by Basak Yanar.
Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 11:00AM EST
Explore the site
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.