July 2020

We’re moving!

After nearly 20 years at 481 University Avenue, the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) has to move out to make way for a 55-storey condominium. We’re not going far. We’ll still be in the same Toronto neighbourhood, close to the Dundas Street and University Avenue intersection. As of August 2020, our new address is:

Institute for Work & Health
400 University Avenue, Suite 1800
Toronto, ON M5G 1S5

Our phone and fax numbers will remain the same.

Urban-rural differences in work disability days not always as expected

We know from past studies that injured workers in rural areas are likely to be off work longer than injured workers in cities. Now, a study involving IWH scientists takes a closer look at urban-rural differences in work disability days across several provinces and industrial sectors. It finds a more nuanced picture, one in which injured workers in more rural areas are not necessarily the ones with the longest disability durations.

Read the summary

CSA standard on work disability management now available

A national standard on work disability management is now available from the CSA Group. CSA Z1011:20, Work Disability Management System, was developed by a technical committee led by IWH Senior Scientist Dr. Emile Tompa. It is designed to help organizations effectively manage disability in the workplace.

Find it at the CSA store (search for Z1011)

Wanted: public input on draft CSA standard on work impairment

You still have time to comment on the draft of a new CSA Group standard on managing impairment in the workplace. The public review period for CSA Z1008, Management of Impairment in the Workplace, ends on July 31. IWH Associate Scientist Dr. Nancy Carnide is a member of the technical committee behind the standard.

See the draft standard

OCRC issues report on using research evidence to determine the work-relatedness of cancer

Every year, about 3,000 Ontarians are diagnosed with cancer due to their work, according to an estimate by the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC). However, only about 400 cancer claims are submitted each year to the province’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, and only about 170 are accepted. Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development recently asked OCRC to lead a review on how scientific evidence can best be used to determine the work-relatedness of cancer claims, particularly in cases with multiple exposures. OCRC’s report, now available, makes 11 recommendations to improve recognition and adjudication of workplace cancers.

Get the report

CRE-MSD webinar series on green ergonomics looks at heat stress

Heat can affect work performance, health and safety. Wind energy service technicians face many challenges on the job, including working in small spaces and managing heat stress. On August 19, a webinar by the Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD)—the third in a series on green ergonomics—provides an overview of the sources of heat stress and approaches to mitigate the threat.

Sign up for the webinar

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