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Workplace OHS programs and practices
Workplaces play a vital role in ensuring the well-being of workers. So knowing what occupational health and safety (OHS) practices are most effective in preventing injury and illness is essential. The Institute for Work & Health (IWH) has a long history of conducting workplace-based research to provide practical guidance to employers, workers, OHS professionals and regulators about what works and what doesn’t. 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 in adopting effective practices.
Latest news and findings
News release: Cannabis use outside of work hours not associated with increased risk of work injury, study finds
July 31, 2023 (Toronto, Ont.)—Are workers who use cannabis at greater risk of having an injury at work? Yes, but only those workers who use cannabis during or before a work shift. Workers who only use cannabis outside of work hours are at no greater risk of getting injured at work than workers who do not use cannabis at all.
See the news release
IWH launches research program on AI and workplace safety, inequities
Uses of artificial intelligence (AI) are all around us but, until now, few researchers have examined the impact of AI through the lens of worker inequities and worker health and safety. In October, a team led by IWH Scientist Dr. Arif Jetha kicked off a new research program at IWH on these topics.
Read about the event
IWH Speaker Series: Effectiveness of mandatory training standard to prevent falls from heights
In 2015, the Ontario government implemented a working-at-heights (WAH) training standard to ramp up fall prevention efforts. An IWH study team, led by IWH Scientist Dr. Lynda Robson, has now gathered two additional years of data on the effectiveness of this training requirement. Find out what the team learned at our next IWH Speaker Series webinar, taking place on December 13.
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Employers struggle to provide newcomers with OHS training and support, IWH study finds
Employers are responsible for providing occupational health and safety (OHS) training and support to keep workers safe. When it comes to workers who are new to Canada, however, workplaces face particular challenges following through on this responsibility.
Read about the study findings
Now available: New resource on return to work in policing
A resource is now available on the return-to-work (RTW) challenges in policing and ways to address them. As outlined by Dr. Dwayne Van Eerd in an IWH Speaker Series webinar on October 18, this four-page resource describes the challenges along three key themes—accommodation, communication and trust-building. This resource is intended for members, both sworn and civilian, in Ontario’s police services.
Download the resource