The majority of the global population works in small and medium-sized enterprises of fewer than 250 employees. These types of firms account for a disproportionate share of all occupational injuries and illnesses. To maintain a focus on addressing occupational health and safety (OHS) at small and medium-sized enterprises, periodic conferences are held under the auspices of a voluntary, international collaboration called Understanding Small Enterprises (USE).
The fourth international Understanding Small Enterprises (USE) Conference was held in Denver, Colorado, on October 25–27, 2017, hosted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Center for Health, Work and Environment (CHWE) at the Colorado School of Public Health. Included in the proceedings from the conference is a paper on OHS vulnerability in Canadian small enterprises, authored by Institute for Work & Health's Dr. Cameron Mustard, Morgan Lay and Dr. Peter Smith.