Illness/injury prevention

On October 17, 2018, the non-medical use of cannabis was legalized in Canada. To examine the implications of this change for workplaces, the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) embarked on two research projects. The studies explored changes in cannabis consumption habits among workers; changes in their perceptions about such consumption; associations between cannabis consumption and occupational injury risks; as well as the use of cannabis to treat symptoms in the aftermath of a work-related injury/illness. This Issue Briefing provides an overview of findings from these two studies and the potential implications of this research for employers and policy-makers.

Published: December 2024

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

Published: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, October 2024

Published: BMC Medicine, October 2024

Published: Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, October 2024

Filling your spare time with side hustles can put more money in your pocket, but what will it cost you? In an episode of Ontario Today, host Amanda Pfeffer and guest Deena Ladd take calls from listeners. They also mention an IWH study on the link between injury risks and precarious work, conducted by Dr. Faraz Vahid Shahidi (at 24m 24s).

Published: CBC Radio One, September 2024

Working unpaid overtime is linked to high stress and burnout, according to recent research by the Institute for Work and Health. Previous research has connected working overtime with psychological distress. But the Institute for Work and Health study is the first of its kind in Canada to distinguish between paid and unpaid overtime.

Published: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, September 2024

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

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

Published: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, August 2024