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

A healthcare worker in scrubs and a mask walks to work with her bag and phone in-hand.
Research Highlights

Workers with COVID-19 had better return-to-work rates than others during the pandemic

During the pandemic, workers who contracted COVID-19 from work had better return-to-work rates 18 months later than those with other conditions. Most traditional return-to-work factors, however, did not explain the difference in rates.
Published: July 14, 2026
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IWH in the media

Leading through language barriers for a safe workplace

The Institute for Work and Health (IWH) conducted a study to assess how immigrant workers are being supported and protected in the workplace. The study informed the development of Immigrant Workers and Language Diversity at Work: What Employers Can Do to Keep Workers Safe—a resource that provides practical guidance for addressing language barriers.
Published: The Trusted Leader Blog, March 2026
Journal article
Journal article

Heat exposure and health outcomes in construction workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Published: Environmental Health Insights, March 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Journal article

Early occupational health and safety interventions for small businesses: an environmental scan

Published: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, January 2026
Journal article
Journal article

The combined effect of psychosocial safety climate and OHS vulnerabilities on workplace injury risks

Published: American Journal of Industrial Medicine , January 2026
Project
Project

Construction union effect

Two studies have previously examined the union effect on workplace injuries in the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sector of construction, using only data from Ontario's Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). This study both repeats and extends these studies earlier methods, by using additional sources of data.
Status: Ongoing
Graphic of workers in front of a conveyor belt wearing safety gear, a robot holds a clipboard.
At Work article

Differences in firm-level AI use for health and safety

To what extent are Canadian workplaces using artificial intelligence (AI) to help support workers’ health and safety? And what do these workplaces have in common? An IWH study found that about a quarter of firms surveyed across Ontario and British Columbia were using AI for occupational health and safety (OHS). Those that were more likely to use the technology for OHS were larger organizations and those where workers were more frequently exposed to hazards.
Published: October 2025
Journal article
Journal article

Landscape of artificial intelligence use for occupational health and safety practice in two Canadian provinces

Published: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, September 2025