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
Journal article
Journal article
Effectiveness of workplace interventions in return-to-work for musculoskeletal, pain-related and mental health conditions: an update of the evidence and messages for practitioners
Published: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, January 2018
Journal article
Journal article
Examining occupational health and safety vulnerability among Canadian workers with disabilities
Published: Disability and Rehabilitation, January 2018
Project
Project
Improving information on the incidence of work-related injuries and illnesses in Ontario
Status: Completed 2021
Impact case study
Concerns about newcomers’ safety at work lead organizations to IWH toolkit
Organizations working with recent immigrants are incorporating parts of the Institute's toolkit for teaching newcomers about workplace health and safety into their programming. Organizations in Ontario, Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and even as far away as Australia, say the resource is just what they were looking for.
Published: December 2017
Impact case study
IWH model on breakthrough change used as foundation for WSPS small business strategy
An Ontario health and safety association, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services, turned to the Institute's model of breakthrough change to inform its approach to small business, especially the concept of finding the "knowledge transformation leader" within a small business to advocate for occupational health and safety change.
Published: December 2017
IWH in the media
Companies fret about hazy rules around pot use
Once recreational cannabis use becomes legal, taking a “smoke break” at work could suddenly become much more complicated, writes Cassandra Szklarski of the Canadian Press. The Institute for Work & Health's Dr. Andrea Furlan and Dr. Nancy Carnide are among those interviewed.
Published: National Post, December 2017
IWH in the media
Ontario plans to review Working at Heights training
“Working at heights is one of the most dangerous types of work in the construction sector,” says Dr. Cameron Mustard, president and senior scientist, Institute for Work & Health, in an article on Ontario's plans to review working-at-heights training standards. “By working with stakeholders to evaluate the WAH standards, we will help ensure construction workers are protected on the job and will return home safely at the end of each workday.”
Published: Equipment Journal, December 2017
Project report
Project report
Implementing violence prevention legislation in hospitals: summary
This two-page summary shares the highlights of an Institute for Work & Health study that looked at acute-care hospitals in Ontario and how they implemented legislated violence prevention initiatives, to what effect, and the challenges they faced along the way.
Published: December 2017
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
Addressing essential skills gaps in an OHS training program: a pilot study
Can an occupational health and safety (OHS) training program be improved by modifying it to address gaps in essential skills? In a recent study, a research team led by Dr. Ron Saunders modified a hoisting and rigging training program offered by the LIUNA Local 506 training centre. The changes were made to address trainees’ skills gaps in numeracy and document use that were related to the job. In this plenary, the team share findings regarding the effect of modifying the curriculum on trainee learning and discuss suggestions for improving training efforts within the construction sector.
Published: November 2017
IWH in the media
Workers with disabilities report greater OHS vulnerability
According to a new study by the Institute for Work and Health (IWH), workers who identify as having a disability are more likely to be exposed to workplace hazards. Additionally, they are more likely to face inadequate occupational health and safety (OHS) protections. “Basically, they get hit with a double whammy,” said Dr. Curtis Breslin, lead author of the study.
Published: Canadian Occupational Safety, November 2017