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
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
IWH Speaker Series
How new businesses get their start in workplace health and safety: implications for research and policy
Published: April 21, 2026
At Work article
'Too much standing hurts, too'
It might be a common perception that prolonged sitting is linked to increased pain or injury, but the evidence indicates that too much standing is also a risk factor, says PREMUS keynote speaker Dr. Jack Callaghan.
Published: August 2016
At Work article
New cases of mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer in one year cost $1.9B
First-ever estimate of the economic burden of asbestos looks at newly diagnosed cases in Canada in 2011.
Published: August 2016
Journal article
Journal article
Important factors in common among organizations making large improvement in OHS performance: results of an exploratory multiple case study
Published: Safety Science, July 2016
IWH in the media
Asbestos-related cancers cost Canada $2B
Canada spends about $1.7 billion annually on asbestos-related cancers stemming from occupational exposure, according to a recent Institute for Work & Health study.
Published: Asbestos.com, June 2016
IWH in the media
Asbestos-related cancer costs Canada billions
A first-ever estimate of the toll of asbestos-related cancers on society pegs the cost of new cases at $1.7-billion per year in Canada, and notes that is likely an under-estimate.
Published: The Globe and Mail, June 2016
Project report
Project report
Economic burden of lung cancer and mesothelioma in Canada due to occupational asbestos exposure (2016)
This June 2016 presentation provides an early look at the results of an economic burden study on the costs to Canadian society of new cases of lung cancers and mesothelioma attributable to occupational asbestos exposures in a particular year.
Published: June 2016
At Work article
Study finds COR employers have lower rates of serious injuries than those not in program
An IWH researcher finds a voluntary audit program is effective in identifying safer employers.
Published: April 2016
At Work article
OPM follow-up questions now available to help firms act on leading indicator scores
IWH and Ontario's health and safety associations collaborate to create follow-up questions to IWH-OPM score results.
Published: April 2016
IWH in the media
Managing your OHS program: A case study on breakthrough changes in safety
Past research has identified the characteristics of firms that perform poorly or well with respect to work-related injury and illness prevention, but it hasn’t shown what it takes to go from one category to the other. A study by researchers at the Institute for Work & Health aimed to help fill that gap.
Published: OHS Insider, April 2016
IWH in the media
New IWH study looks at why companies make big improvements
Why do companies make changes in their OHS programs, safety rules, safety culture, etc., especially big improvements? And what motivates companies that were low performers in health and safety to take steps to become good performers?
Published: OHS Insider, March 2016