January 2021

Five most-read At Work articles of 2020

With all that went on in 2020, did you miss some of the most popular articles last year reporting on research findings from the Institute for Work & Health (IWH)? Here are the top five most-read At Work articles in 2020.

1. Setting up a temporary home office
2. What research can do: Estimating the role of workplaces in COVID-19 transmissions
3. Adequacy of COVID infection control and PPE linked to workers’ mental health: study
4. Poorer post-injury experiences lead to worse RTW outcomes for psychological claimants
5. Workplaces face many complex challenges when managing episodic disabilities: study

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Issue Briefing examines role of workplace COVID outbreaks in Ontario’s second wave

In the current second wave of COVID-19 in Ontario, workplace outbreaks—not including outbreaks in health-care, congregate living (e.g. correctional) and educational settings—represent slightly over five per cent of all cases among working-age adults, down from a high of 22 per cent in June. That’s according to an analysis by IWH Scientific Co-Director Dr. Peter Smith and President Dr. Cam Mustard, detailed in a new Issue Briefing.

Read the Issue Briefing

‘Union safety effect’ confirmed in follow-up study in Ontario’s ICI construction sector

Unionized firms in Ontario’s industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) construction sector have 25-per-cent lower rates of lost-time injuries than their non-unionized counterparts. That’s according to a recent IWH study update replicating an observed “union safety effect” in this sector, as first reported in 2015. A report of the findings is now available. Results were also shared in a recent IWH Speaker Series webinar and summarized in an At Work article.

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Rigorous, high quality reviews earn high praise for Cochrane Back and Neck

Since its founding in 1996, Cochrane Back and Neck has consistently ranked high among Cochrane groups in terms of number of articles accessed, cited and incorporated in clinical guidelines. In an article published in Spine, IWH Scientist Dr. Andrea Furlan looks back at the accomplishments of the review group, housed at IWH until last year. She attributes the group’s successes to its rigorous methods, high-quality syntheses and continued innovation.

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IWH Speaker Series: How injured workers fare when no longer engaged in WSIB system

What are the long-term outcomes for people with work-related injuries or illnesses after they are no longer engaged with Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)? In an IWH Speaker Series webinar on February 2, Dr. Cam Mustard shares what researchers have learned so far about post-injury outcomes for a group of 1,130 injured workers—including their work status and income, physical and mental health, case manager and health-care provider interactions, and employer return-to-work support.

Sign up for the webinar

Webinar: CRE-MSD/Toyota initiative to reduce MSDs through use of exoskeletons

Industrial exoskeletons are wearable devices designed to reduce musculoskeletal strain and fatigue when workers perform manual tasks. In a February 25 webinar hosted by Workplace Safety & Prevention Services, the Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD) looks at how it teamed up with Toyota to implement this innovative technology to enhance employee protection. The webinar will also cover exoskeleton implementation, research on utility and the potential impact on MSDs.

Find out more and register

Uyen Vu
Senior Communications Associate
613-979-7742
uvu@iwh.on.ca