Longstanding work and health issues
Many longstanding issues related to work injuries and their consequences continue to negatively affect the lives and health of workers. For example, musculoskeletal injuries remain the leading cause of disability and discomfort among Canadian workers. Rates of workers’ compensation claims for traumatic fatalities have remained constant for the past decade. Persons with disabilities continue to be employed at lower rates, or in poorer work conditions, than those who do not live with a disability. Our research aims to provide new knowledge to help regulators and workplaces address persistent occupational health and safety (OHS) risks, workers’ compensation challenges and barriers to labour market inclusion.
Latest findings
Program raised workplace mental health awareness, but not likelihood of policy
In Thunder Bay and surrounding area, public health officials began hearing that employers needed more resources on managing mental health. They responded with a community awareness program. According to a study, the program raised knowledge about the issue—and not just among those that took part.Addressing communication issues faced by supervisors, case managers key to well-run RTW process
Disability management depends on communication, and according to an IWH study, in large and complex organizations, communication "bottlenecks" tend to converge around two roles in particular: front-line supervisors and case managers.Featured impact case study
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