IWH in the media

Findings from the Institute's study on claim suppression were among those cited in this column highlighting the under-reporting or under-recognition of work-related injuries and fatalities. Without a more accurate picture of work-related suffering, much needed workplace and government interventions will be stalled or fail to materialize altogether, the column states.

According to a study by the Institute for Work and Health (IWH), small businesses participating in health and safety incentive programs, such as the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) Health & Safety Excellence Program (HSEp), are better able to make positive health and safety changes in their workplace, despite facing challenges like limited time and resources. Participants in these programs achieve significant benefits, such as increasing health and safety awareness and effective implementation of occupational health and safety (OHS) policies. However, small businesses often require additional support due to resource constraints and limited OHS knowledge.

Artificial intelligence is steadily infiltrating Canadian workplaces—not just to boost productivity, but also to protect worker health and safety. Yet, despite growing optimism about its potential, new research shows that the actual adoption of AI in occupational health and safety (OHS) remains limited. That’s one of the key takeaways from a landmark study presented by Arif Jetha during the Institute for Work & Health’s (IWH) Speaker Series

Competent and supportive supervisors can help reduce injuries experienced by workers, especially when supervisors are properly trained, states article that cites research by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH). It found that workers most likely to suffer an injury were those who reported that their supervisors were unaware of hazards and/or didn’t provide reasonable protection.

Severe pain is the main factor associated with opioid use after a work-related injury, regardless of the employee’s return-to-work timeline, a recent study out of Canada suggests. Findings show that 35.6 per cent of the workers used opioids more than once in the past year. However, those who experienced severe post-injury pain were nearly three times more likely to use opioids than the participants who had mild or zero pain.

Public safety personnel—police, fire, paramedics, and corrections officers—face high risks of post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI), often leading to extended work absences. Shane Mercer reports on new research from the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) on how Ontario’s public safety employers are supporting their return to work (RTW).

People who have previously experienced a work-related injury are more likely to experience opioid poisonings and other opioid-related harms than the general population. That’s according to research conducted by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC), using data from 1.7 million Ontario workers who had an accepted lost-time workers’ compensation claim between 1983 and 2019.

The mental health of injured workers isn’t a one-size-fits-all. A study by IWH highlights how workers with physical injuries often struggle with mental health challenges that affect their recovery and ability to return to work. The findings carry critical implications for workplace safety professionals, employers, and compensation boards, writes Shane Mercer.

The feds say reducing immigration will alleviate housing demand, but with a chronic worker shortage, the construction sector has increasingly relied on immigrant labour to build new homes, writes Inori Roy, drawing on data compiled for The Local by IWH.

Marijuana legalization is not associated with an uptick in the percentage of employees consuming cannabis either during or prior to work, according to data provided in a briefing paper by the non-profit research organization Institute for Work & Health.