Events

IWH Speaker Series

Capacity building and evaluation of OHS training in settlement agencies

Basak Yanar, Institute for Work & Health; Eduardo Huesca, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers

Newcomers to Canada are at an increased risk of workplace injury and illness, due in part to a lack of knowledge about their rights and responsibilities in occupational health and safety (OHS). Settlement agencies are well-positioned to promote OHS awareness among newcomers, but some may lack the resources and capacity to do so. In this presentation, Institute for Work & Health (IWH)'s Dr. Basak Yanar joins Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW)'s Eduardo Huesca to talk about the development and delivery of the OHS capacity-building workshops for settlement agencies. They will share results of an evaluation capturing the experiences of service providers and newcomer clients, and discuss opportunities for Ontario’s OHS system partners to further support the settlement sector.

IWH Speaker Series

Introducing the new CSA standard for work disability management systems

Emile Tompa, Institute for Work & Health

Every year, tens of thousands of Canadians become disabled and are unable to work, thereby becoming excluded from the many health advantages of workforce participation. In response to the growing concerns about managing disability in the workplace, the CSA Group, in conjunction with the Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy (CRWDP) and Conestoga College, has developed a new standard called the Work Disability Management Systems Standard (CSA Z1011). In this presentation, CRWDP director and IWH Senior Scientist Dr. Emile Tompa highlights components of the standard, which sets out best practices on injury/illness rehabilitation, return-to-work plans, and accommodation of workers with disabilities.

IWH Speaker Series

Developing practical recommendations for integrating workplace safety and wellness initiatives

Aviroop Biswas, Institute for Work & Health

Workplace wellness programs that also emphasize occupational health and safety (OHS) activities can have greater benefits to the overall health and safety of workers than those that focus on OHS or individual behaviour change alone. When OHS and wellness efforts are coordinated and not in competition for organizational resources, they also benefit the broader organization. In this presentation, Dr. Avi Biswas draws on a recently concluded study to offer practical guidance to employers on integrating safety and wellness activities. He outlines findings of a review of existing research, cross-referenced with stakeholder insights, and highlights what matters most to workplaces when integrating safety and wellness initiatives.

Conference

2020 World Congress on Safety and Health at Work

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) and the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) are proud to announce that Canada has been selected to host the XXII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, to be held in Toronto in the fall of 2020. The World Congress, sponsored by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Social Security Association (ISSA), is the world’s largest event for the international occupational health and safety community and will draw more than 3,500 delegates from more than 150 countries.