Organizational context
Organizational contexts—for example, workplace size, sector and jurisdiction—can shape employer responses to occupational health and safety (OHS). They can also affect organizations’ ability to support employees living with disabling health conditions to stay at work or return to work after an absence. Our research seeks to better understand how these contexts may influence the effectiveness of programs and policies to prevent work injuries and improve OHS and return-to-work outcomes, with a special emphasis on the needs of small business.
Latest findings
Understanding challenges in hospitals’ workplace violence reporting systems
How consistently and reliably are hospital violence incidents reported in Ontario? An IWH research team surveyed workers at six hospitals in the province in 2017. Despite mandatory reporting, the results showed great variation in reporting patterns.
Urban-rural differences in work disability duration
We know from past studies that injured workers in rural areas are likely to be off work longer than injured workers in cities. Now, a study on urban-rural differences in work disability across several provinces and industrial sectors finds a more nuanced picture.
Anxiety levels among health-care workers during COVID-19 linked to inadequate PPE
Nearly six in 10 surveyed health-care workers in Canada reported anxiety levels surpassing an accepted threshold for clinical screening for the condition. Workers who reported more unmet PPE needs also reported higher levels of anxiety, according to a study by OHCOW.Featured impact case study
An IWH study on the effectiveness of Ontario's mandatory training was valuable to the labour ministry in several ways—including in reinforcing the value of program evaluations.
Featured impact case study
Needing a tool to measure the OHS performance of its members firms, the Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association turned to the Institute's easy-to-use, eight-item IWH-OPM.
