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 Toronto Metropolitan University. She is also a member of the Canadian Standards Association Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (Z45001) Technical Committee.
Robson obtained her PhD in biochemistry from the University of Toronto, but later changed fields through additional education at the university's former Graduate Department of Community Health.
Robson's research interests include using both quantitative and qualitative methods to study occupational health and safety (OHS) management, organizational change in OHS and the evaluation of prevention programs, especially OHS training 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
- 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)
- Evaluating an internal responsibility system audit tool for Ontario’s mining sector. Funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour. Completed.
- Implementation of workplace violence legislation in Ontario hospitals. Funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour. Completed.
- Breakthrough change: understanding why and how workplaces make large improvements in OHS performance. Funded by Workplace Safety & Insurance Board of Ontario's Research Advisory Committee, Ontario Ministry of Labour. Completed. (PI on the project)
- Ontario Leading Indicators Project. Completed.
Publications
- 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.
- Kosny A, Tonima S, Ferron EM, Mustard C, Robson LS, Gignac MA, Chambers A, Hajee Y. Implementing violence prevention legislation in hospitals: final report. Institute for Work & Health; 2018.
- Kosny A, Tonima S, Ferron EM, Mustard C, Robson LS, Gignac MA, Chambers A. Implementing violence prevention legislation in hospitals: summary. Institute for Work & Health; 2017.
- Robson LS, Ibrahim S, Hogg-Johnson S, Steenstra I, Van Eerd D, Amick B. Developing leading indicators from OHS management audit data: determining the measurement properties of audit data from the field. Journal of Safety Research. 2017;61:93. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2017.02.008.
Speaker Series presentations
- Is in-person training more effective than online training? Findings from a study of Ontario workers. IWH Speaker Series. September 19, 2023.
- Preventing falls from heights in construction: a long-term evaluation of Ontario's working-at-heights training standard. IWH Speaker Series. December 13, 2022.
- The union effect on safety in the ICI construction sector: a study update. IWH Speaker Series. January 12, 2021.
- 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.
Interviews and articles
- What research can do: IWH study on working at heights training well-received. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 114, Fall 2023.
- Study shows worker injuries due to falls from heights declined after Ontario made training standardized and mandatory. On-Site Magazine. November 6, 2023. Available from: https://www.on-sitemag.com/construction/1003980738/1003980738/
- Safer work practices, lower injury rates maintained two years after Ontario’s working-at-heights training came into effect: study. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 114, Fall 2023.
- Climate change could mean longer hours, stagnating wages. Rabble.ca. August 10, 2023. Available from: https://rabble.ca/labour/changing-climate-could-mean-longer-hours-stagnating-wages/
- Standardized working at heights training improves safety, study. Workers Health & Safety Centre. January 26, 2023. Available from: https://www.whsc.on.ca/What-s-new/News-Archive/Standardized-working-at-heights-training-improves-safety-study