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
- Robson LS, Clarke J, Cullen KL, Bielecky A, Severin C, Bigelow P, Irvin E, Culyer AJ, Mahood Q. Effectiveness of occupational health and safety management system interventions: A systematic review. Safety Science. 2007;45(3):329-353.
- Shannon HS, Ibrahim S, Robson LS, Zarinpoush F. Changes in job stressors in the Canadian working population. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 2006;97(3):225-229.
- Bigelow P, Robson LS. Occupational health and safety management audit instruments: a literature review. Institute for Work & Health; 2005.
- Robson LS, Clarke J, Cullen KL, Bielecky A, Severin C, Bigelow P, Irvin E, Culyer AJ, Mahood Q. Effectiveness of occupational health and safety management systems: a systematic review. Institute for Work & Health; 2005.
- Cole DC, Robson LS, Lemieux-Charles L, McGuire W, Sicotte C, Champagne F. Quality of working life indicators in Canadian health care organizations: a tool for healthy, health care workplaces. Occupational Medicine (London). 2005;55(1):54-59. doi:10.1093/occmed/kqi009.
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
- 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