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
- Tompa E, Hogg-Johnson S, Amick B, Wang Y, Shen E, Mustard C, Robson LS. Financial incentives in workers' compensation: an analysis of the experience-rating programme in Ontario, Canada. Policy and Practice in Health and Safety. 2012;10(1):117-137.
- Robson LS, Macdonald S, Van Eerd D, Gray GC, Bigelow P. Something might be missing from occupational health and safety audits: findings from a content validity analysis of five audit instruments. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2010;52(5):536-543. doi:10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181dbc87c.
- Speers J, Robson LS, Mustard C. OHSCO System Performance Measurement Report 2008. Institute for Work & Health; 2010.
- Robson LS, Bigelow P. Measurement properties of occupational health and safety management audits: a systematic literature search and traditional literature synthesis. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 2010;101(0):S34-S40.
- Robson LS, Stephenson C, Schulte P, Amick B, Chan S, Bielecky A, Wang A, Heidotting T, Irvin E, Eggerth D, Peters R, Clarke J, Cullen KL, Boldt L, Rotunda C, Grubb P. Systematic review of the effectiveness of training and education for the protection of workers. Institute for Work & Health; 2010.
Speaker Series presentations
- 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
- New IWH study looks at why companies make big improvements. OHS Insider: Bongarde Media (Penticton, BC). March 23, 2016. Available from: https://ohsinsider.com/search-by-index/safety-programs/new-iwh-study-looks-at-why-companies-make-big-ohs-improvements
- External influences motivate firms to improve OHS performance. Canadian Occupational Safety Newswire: Thomson Reuters Canada (Toronto, ON). March 17, 2016. Available from: http://www.cos-mag.com/safety/safety-stories/4969-external-influences-motivate-firms-to-improve-ohs-performance-study.html
- External factors influence improvements in workplace safety performance: IWH study. Canadian Chiropractor: Annex Business Media (Simcoe, ON). March 14, 2016. Available from: http://www.canadianchiropractor.ca/programs/external-factors-influence-improvements-in-workplace-safety-performance-iwh-study-4342
- Evidence-based questionnaire helps JHSCs pinpoint strengths, weaknesses. At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 81, Summer 2015.
- Success stories offer new guidance to organizations on path of OHS change . At Work: Institute for Work & Health; No. 78, Fall 2014.