January 2020

5 most-read At Work articles in 2019

As you head into a new year, make sure you didn’t miss any of our most popular articles last year reporting on Institute for Work & Health (IWH) research findings. From workplace violence trends to trouble spots in return-to-work communication, here are the five most-read At Work articles in 2019.

1. Supportive supervisors help reduce risks when workers face hazards, lack protection
2. Workplace violence against women rising, driven by growing rates in education sector
3. Review confirms prevention system’s message about injury risks and new workers
4. Addressing communication issues faced by supervisors, case managers key to well-run RTW process
5. Claimants’ perceptions of fair treatment linked to lower odds of poor mental health

If you have colleagues who should be keeping abreast of IWH research and resources in 2020, please invite them to sign up for IWH News.

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Pan-Canadian strategy on disability and work unveiled at conference

After two years of extensive consultation with a host of stakeholders, the pan-Canadian strategy on greater inclusion of people with disabilities in the labour market is now out. The strategy was unveiled in December at the 2019 Disability and Work in Canada Conference, where participants looked ahead for opportunities to make progress with concrete, achievable initiatives.

Read about the strategy

Using coroner data to examine role of cannabis in workplace deaths among recently funded IWH projects

Exploring the use of coroner data to understand the impact of cannabis on work-related deaths, anticipating future labour-market challenges facing young people with disabilities, tracking long-term outcomes for workers’ compensation claimants: these are just some of the new projects under way at IWH, thanks to external grants awarded over the past year.

Read the grant round-up

What are the costs to society of work-related injuries and illnesses? IWH completes EU estimate

Knowing the full costs of work-related injuries and illneses can help a society make choices and set priorities. A team led by IWH Senior Scientist Dr. Emile Tompa, at the request of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, recently completed an estimate of the economic burden of work-related injuries and illnesses in five European Union (EU) countries. His IWH Speaker Series presentation about that work is now available as a slidecast. Findings are also summarized in a new At Work article.

See the slidecast or read the article

Upcoming IWH Speakers Series: OHS training for newcomers and CSA disability management standard

The Winter 2020 IWH Speaker Series season kicks off January 28 with a presentation on occupational health and safety (OHS) training for newcomers to Canada. IWH Research Associate Dr. Basak Yanar joins Eduardo Huesca of Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers to discuss supporting settlement agencies to provide OHS information to their newcomer clients. Then, on February 4, IWH’s Dr. Emile Tompa introduces the new CSA Group’s standard on workplace disability management systems, expected to be released later this year.

Sign up to attend in person or via webinar

Submit your award-worthy prevention-related media creations to the WC2020 media festival

Thank you to everyone who submitted a presentation proposal to World Congress 2020. There’s now another submission deadline to keep an eye on. As part of the XXII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, the International Media Festival for Prevention (IMFP) will showcase outstanding media initiatives focused on work health and safety. Submit your award-worthy prevention videos, websites, apps, e-learning programs and other eligible media by February 29. Submissions can be made by national and international organizations or institutions, as well as by agencies, filmmakers or individuals. IWH and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety are the national co-hosts of World Congress 2020 and IMFP 2020, taking place in Toronto on October 4-7.

Find out more on the IMFP website

Using patch tests in occupational health surveillance in Ontario

Patch tests are a common tool for diagnosing and treating contact dermatitis. They help identify the chemicals causing the disease in individual workers. In the aggregate, this information can help target key risk exposures across sectors and identify emerging allergens. In a new Research Flash, the Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease (CREOD) discusses how its researchers are working with seven years of data to identify the sectors most at risk and the most common allergens to avoid.

Read the Research Flash

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