Illness/injury prevention
IWH has a long history of conducting research to provide practical guidance to employers, workers, OHS professionals and regulators about what works and what doesn’t in injury or illness prevention. This research targets the injury and illness prevention practices of workplaces, as well as the programs developed by governments, health and safety associations and others to support and motivate workplaces to adopt effective practices.
Featured
At Work article
Consultants play key role in OHS implementation at small firms
An IWH study of small businesses that took part in Ontario's Health and Safety Excellence Program highlights the key factors that contribute their success in the program.
Published: November 8, 2024
At Work article
Higher risk of work injuries found among those in precarious jobs: IWH study
Workers in jobs likely to be precarious are more likely to experience a work-related injury or illness in Ontario, including COVID-19. That’s according to a pair of studies that examined whether employment conditions are linked to the rate of work injuries.
Published: September 12, 2024
At Work article
Consultants play key role in OHS implementation at small firms
Time and resource constraints may make it hard for small businesses to access health and safety support programs. But, as an IWH study finds, small businesses gain from even limited participation in such programs. The study, based on interviews with small businesses that took part in Ontario's Health and Safety Excellence Program, also highlights factors that contribute to their success in the program.
Published: November 2024
Journal article
Journal article
Incorporating sex and gender considerations in research on psychosocial work exposures and cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review of 55 prospective studies
Published: Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, October 2024
Journal article
Journal article
Risk of opioid-related harms by occupation within a large cohort of formerly injured workers in Ontario, Canada: findings from the Occupational Disease Surveillance System
Published: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, October 2024
Journal article
Journal article
Developing a gender measure and examining its association with cardiovascular diseases incidence: a 28-year prospective cohort study
Published: BMC Medicine, October 2024
Project report
Project report
Participation in the Health and Safety Excellence Small Business Program: Understanding small business motivations and needs
The Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) of Ontario launched the Health and Safety Excellence Program (HSEp) in 2019 to help Ontario employers improve their management of workplace health and safety. In 2021, to increase the participation of small businesses, the WSIB and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development adjusted several program features and launched the HSEp Small Business Program. This report summarizes the results from a study aimed at understanding the needs, motivations, and experiences of the selected cohort of small businesses in the program and identifying effective approaches to improve the delivery of occupational health and safety (OHS) services to small businesses.
Published: September 2024
At Work article
Higher risk of work injuries found among those in precarious jobs: IWH study
Workers in jobs where precarious employment conditions are more common are more likely to experience a work-related injury or illness in Ontario, including COVID-19. That’s according to a pair of studies authored by Institute for Work & Health (IWH) researchers that examined whether employment conditions—for example, temporary contracts, involuntary part-time hours, irregular schedules and low wages—may be linked to the rate of work injuries.
Published: September 2024
Journal article
Journal article
Is precarious employment an occupational hazard? Evidence from Ontario, Canada
Published: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, August 2024
At Work article
Rates of work injuries have declined in Ontario, except the most severe
Past research in occupational health and safety, including studies conducted at IWH, has shown a general decline in rates of work-related injuries in Ontario over the past two decades. But a new IWH study, based on emergency department records from 2004 to 2017, shows that when it comes to very severe injuries, no such decline was seen among men. It also finds an increase of 18 per cent among women.
Published: July 2024
Project
Project
Understanding how new businesses start managing OHS: laying the groundwork for future interventions
About 100,000 new businesses with one or more employees are created each year in Canada. Almost all start out as small businesses, which have been shown to carry high risks of injuries and fatalities. This study sets out to understand how occupational health and safety management is initiated by new businesses. Its aim is to fill in a research gap and help the prevention system in Ontario reach and support new businesses early in their lifecycle.
Status: Ongoing
Project
Project
Implementation of a comprehensive accommodation and reintegration program in a police service
This study sets out to evaluate the implementation of an accommodation and reintegration program at a major urban police service. The goal is to improve program access and participation and, ultimately, the well-being of police officers.
Status: Ongoing