Dr. Lynda Robson
Dr. Lynda Robson is a scientist at the Institute for Work & Health, where she has worked since 1997. She is an adjunct professor in the School of Occupational and Public Health at Ryerson University. She was also a member of the technical committee developing the second edition of the Canadian Standards Association OHS management standard, CSA Z1000.
Robson obtained her PhD in biochemistry from the University of Toronto, but later changed fields through additional education at the university's Department of Public Health Sciences.
Robson's research interests include occupational health and safety (OHS) management, organizational change in OHS and the evaluation of prevention programs.
“The lab research in which I was involved, though ultimately intended to benefit people, was in itself lacking in the social/human dimension. Now, I often study people and their organizations, and more often interact with users of the research, and I find that personally rewarding." – Dr. Lynda Robson
Projects
- Evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of Ontario’s working-at-heights training standard. Funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour. Ongoing. (PI on the project)
- Occupational health and safety performance in Ontario's unionized construction sector. Funded by Ontario Construction Secretariat. Ongoing. (PI on the project)
- Evaluating the implementation of a participatory organizational change intervention in long-term care. Funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour, Centre for Research on the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD). Completed.
- Strengthening disability management in Ontario’s municipal sector. Funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Social Sciences Humanities Research Council Signature Initiative. Completed.
- IWH Organizational Performance Metric: Developing and evaluating a simple workplace OHS tool. Funded by Workplace Safety & Insurance Board, Ontario Ministry of Labour. Completed. (PI on the project)
Publications
- Yanar B, Robson LS, Tonima S, Amick B. Understanding the organizational performance metric, an occupational health and safety management tool, through workplace case studies. International Journal of Workplace Health Management. 2020;13(2):117-138. doi:10.1108/IJWHM-09-2018-0126.
- Robson LS, Mustard C. Evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of the Ontario working-at-heights training standard: final report. Institute for Work & Health; 2019.
- Robson LS, Mustard C. Evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of the Ontario working-at-heights training standard: executive summary. Institute for Work & Health; 2019.
- Biswas A, Severin C, Smith PM, Steenstra I, Robson LS, Amick B. Larger workplaces, people-oriented culture, and specific industry sectors are associated with co-occurring health protection and wellness activities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018;15(12):2739. doi:10.3390/ijerph15122739.
- Shevchenko A, Pagell M, Johnston D, Veltri A, Robson LS. Joint management systems for operations and safety: a routine-based perspective. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2018;194:635-644. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.05.176.
Speaker Series presentations
- Evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of Ontario’s working-at-heights training standards. IWH Speaker Series. February 26, 2019.
- Managing safety and operations: The effect of joint management system practices on safety and operational outcomes. IWH Speaker Series. November 8, 2016.
- A model of "breakthrough change" in workplace health and safety performance. IWH Speaker Series. May 13, 2014.
- A systematic review of the effectiveness of training and education for the protection of workers. IWH Speaker Series. March 9, 2010.
Interviews and articles
- Can an eight-item questionnaire pick up on real-world differences in OHS practice?. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 99, Winter 2020.
- Ontario’s working-at-heights training led to safer practices, reduced injury claims rates. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 96, Spring 2019.
- Regulated working at heights training works and needed: studies. Workers Health & Safety Centre. April 9, 2019. Available from: https://www.whsc.on.ca/What-s-new/News-Archive/Regulated-working-at-heights-training-works-i-and-i-needed-studies
- WAH training standards show 'significant' results: IWH. Daily Commercial News: ConstructConnect (Markham, ON). March 12, 2019. Available from: https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/news/labour/2019/03/wah-training-standards-show-significant-results-iwh
- What research can do: OHS change model informs WSPS’s approach to small businesses. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 92, Spring 2018.