July 2019

New handout offers evidence-based, practical advice on supporting RTW

How can workers with musculoskeletal or mental health conditions be supported to return to work (RTW)? Based on findings from a series of systematic reviews, the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) has put together a two-page handout that offers practical solutions for workplaces, insurance and workers’ compensation agencies, and health-care authorities.

Get the handout

What an aging workforce means for injury and RTW outcomes

As the average age of Canadian workers continues to rise, employers may wonder about the effects on work injury, recovery, return to work and remaining at work. Some may expect that risks of injury are higher among older workers, that their injuries are more severe, or that timelines to recover and return to work are longer. However, findings from recent studies, including several conducted at IWH, paint a more nuanced picture. We summarized the evidence in an article published in the Ontario Occupational Health Nurses Association (OOHNA) Journal.

Read the article

Understanding the types of workplaces that offer both OHS and wellness programs

Research suggests that occupational health and safety (OHS) and health promotion programs provide greater benefits to workers’ overall health when they are integrated within an organization’s health and safety strategy. To learn about the types of workplaces where such integration might be easier to implement, a new IWH study set out to learn the common characteristics of Ontario workplaces that offer both. Findings are now summarized in a new Research Highlights.

See the findings

When and how do financial incentives work to encourage hiring of people with disabilities?

Wage subsidies and other financial supports are widely used by Canadian governments to encourage employers to hire people with disabilities. Yet, employers, disability advocates, service providers and people with disabilities hold strong and often polarized views about the merits of these incentives. What’s more, the research on the effectiveness of these policy instruments is surprisingly scarce. That’s why a research team from IWH and McMaster University, in a project launched in late June, has set out to produce guidelines and resources on the best use of financial incentives.

Read the media release

World Congress 2020, a global forum on emerging OHS issues, coming to Toronto

OHS professionals, get ready to join experts and decision-makers from around the world to exchange ideas on the latest developments and innovations in safety and health at work. On October 4-7, 2020, the XXII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work will come to Toronto. With the theme of “Prevention in the Connected Age,” this global forum is a can’t-miss event for OHS leaders, policy-makers, employers and advocates to stay current with emerging challenges, innovative solutions and best practices in work-related injury and disease prevention. Organized by the International Labour Organization and the International Social Security Association, the 2020 World Congress is being co-hosted by IWH and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

Find out more

Register for CRE-MSD conference on the use of Ontario’s new MSD Prevention Guideline

Last October, the Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD) released the MSD Prevention Guideline for Ontario (an update of the original 2007 guideline). On October 1 of this year, CRE-MSD is kicking off Global Ergonomics Month with a one-day conference in Mississauga, Ont., at which diverse stakeholders share their experiences in using the new guideline. Space is limited for this free, public event, so register early.

Register now

Uyen Vu
Communications Associate
613-979-7742
uvu@iwh.on.ca