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Two women sharing a confidence at work

Why people decide to disclose an episodic disability at work—and how that matters

Some of the most common chronic health conditions are episodic and invisible. As a result, people living with them often grapple with the complex decision of whether to tell their employers about their disability. A new study, led by IWH Senior Scientist Dr. Monique Gignac, looks at people’s reasons for disclosing or not. The findings shed light on how people’s reasons matter to the work support they subsequently receive.

Masked restaurant worker prepares take-out food orders

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.

Three construction workers smile for the camera

The “union safety effect” in Ontario’s construction sector: study update

Five years ago, a study conducted by IWH compared work-related injury rates between unionized and non-unionized companies in Ontario’s institutional, commercial and industrial (ICI) construction sector. It found unionized companies had lower rates of lost-time injury claims than their non-unionized counterparts, after accounting for other factors like company size. Is this “union safety effect” still holding true? On Tuesday, January 12, Dr. Lynda Robson shared an update at an IWH Speaker Series presentation. The full report of that study is now available.

Season's Greetings from Institute for Work and Health

Season’s Greetings from all of us at IWH

With the approach of a holiday season like no other, we at the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) send you our very best wishes. It has been quite a year. More than ever, we look back on it and forward to the next with the utmost appreciation for your support and commitment to safe work and healthy workers.

A gloved hand holds a plastic COVID-19 test

Rapid antigen detection testing a potential game-changer

Rapid antigen detection tests can play an important role in the next phase of Canada’s COVID-19 response. With a convenience that some have likened to that of home pregnancy tests, these rapid tests can be used in workplace settings—foremost for repeated testing in high-risk workplaces such as long-term care homes, food manufacturing facilities and correctional institutions, writes IWH President Dr. Cam Mustard.

Cover image of Annual Report 2019-20

IWH 2019/20 annual report looks at the Institute’s COVID pivot

In March 2020, when the World Health Organization declared the global outbreak of COVID-19 a pandemic, the very thing we study at IWH—the intersection between work and health—changed dramatically. The 2019/20 annual report, now out, looks at how IWH pivoted to address this disruption by adapting research in progress to include a COVID-19 lens, and by working with collaborators to conduct new research related to the effects of the new coronavirus.

Illustration taken from the tool

Working with a rheumatic disease: a new tool for young people

Young people with rheumatic health conditions such as juvenile arthritis or lupus face unique challenges as they begin their working lives. A new tool is now available to help them navigate these challenges. "Working with a rheumatic disease" is an interactive tool designed to help young people identify potential challenges and find information and trusted resources to overcome them. It was developed by the Institute for Work & Health with support from Cassie + Friends and funding from the Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy.

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IWH Updates - Fall 2020

IWH scientist recognized by pain society ~ IWH research associate wins presentation award ~ Institute welcomes three new adjunct scientists

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A man holding his back

Cochrane back group earns high praise for its rigorous systematic reviews

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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A map of the world, overlaid by arcs connecting cities to one another

COVID-19: Challenges and opportunities in OHS and social security highlighted at global session

Last month, the global community of occupational health and safety (OHS) and social security policy-makers gathered online to discuss challenges and lessons learned as countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. Highlights of the October 5-6 special session, held by the organizers of next fall’s XXII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work 2021, are summarized in this article.

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A worker wearing an apron and a cloth facial mask

Second study finds COVID-19 protection at work is linked with workers' mental health

Levels of anxiety and depression are higher when workers feel they lack COVID-19 protection on the job. That's according to a study of Canadian workers not in health-care, a second in a pair of studies conducted by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) in the early months of the pandemic. Mental health was even poorer among essential workers who said they had no protection at work than among those who had lost their jobs since the start of the pandemic, according to this second study.

Illustration of three workers, two of whom are smoking

Infographic: Cannabis use at work since 2018 legalization

How have trends in cannabis use changed among workers in Canada since the substance was legalized for recreational purposes in 2018? Findings from the first two surveys of an ongoing IWH project on this question are now available in an infographic.

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Now accepting applications for the Mustard and Syme fellowships

Two fellowship programs at the Institute for Work & Health are now accepting applications. The post-doctoral Mustard Fellowship in Work and Health, a two-year appointment for researchers at the post-doctoral level, is open until Friday, December 4. Applications are also being accepted for the S. Leonard Syme Training Fellowship in Work and Health, aimed at early-career researchers at the master's or doctoral level. The deadline for this program is Friday, November 27. Details on submission criteria are on our Opportunities page.

Monochrome splatter painting of a woman in distress

Depressive symptoms and arthritis linked to higher chance of work disability

Research has shown that people with arthritis face difficulties finding work and staying at work. Now, a new study finds that the risks of work disability are even greater for people with arthritis and depressive symptoms—people who account for one in eight working-age adults in the U.S. The IWH study, based on a nationally representative U.S. survey, has been published in Arthritis Care and Research

Paper cutouts of faces in profile

Inequalities growing in Canada in rates of early death

Although early death rates have fallen for nearly all socioeconomic groups in Canada, they're falling faster for some more than others. A new study by Dr. Faraz Vahid Shahidi, IWH Mustard post-doctoral fellow, finds inequalities in premature mortality have widened over 25 years between people with the highest and lowest income and education levels. 

Three women wearing masks talking to each other at work

A new IWH Speaker Series season begins with a presentation on safe work for newcomers

After an extended break due to COVID-19, the IWH Speaker Series is back—this time online only. The new season kicks off on October 13, with a presentation by IWH Associate Scientist Dr. Basak Yanar. She discusses research findings on the safe work integration of newcomers, the perspectives of employers and the experiences of immigrant-serving organizations. To find out more and to register, visit the IWH Speaker Series page.

Logo for World Congress COVID-19 and occupational safety and health digital meeting in October 2020

World Congress 2021 hosting free ‘COVID-19 and OSH’ virtual session in early October

Registraion is now open. On October 5, 2020, a half-day special session on COVID-19 and occupational safety and health (OSH) is being offered by the organizers of the 2021 World Congress on Safety and Health at Work—and IWH is among them as a national co-host of the global event. This free, virtual session will feature thought-leaders discussing innovations in addressing COVID-19 in the workplace, how the future of work is being shaped by the global pandemic, and the relevance of promoting a culture of prevention to address COVID-19. Additional sessions are also being organized for October 6, 2020.

Disability and Work in Canada conference logo

Call for proposals: Disability and Work in Canada 2020 Virtual Conference

The Disability and Work in Canada 2020 (DWC 2020) Conference will be held virtually this year over four days in late November and early December. Organizers are accepting proposals for different types of sessions from the disability community, businesses, unions, policy-makers, service providers and other interested parties. The call is open until Friday, September 25. 

Construction equipment amid dusk and haze

Three methods to reduce silica dust in construction: comparing the costs and benefits

Silica dust is responsible for 570 cases of lung cancer in Canada a year; the majority of these are diagnosed in construction workers. Construction workplaces can use different methods to protect workers from exposure to silica dust, but which methods should they opt for? A cost-benefit analysis led by the Institute for Work & Health offers some guidance.

A woman with a bandaged left arm fills out injury claim form

Exposure to known hazards a factor in injury reporting: Institute study

What factors may be linked to workers reporting or not reporting their work-related injuries to a workers’ compensation board? An Institute for Work & Health (IWH) study, building upon previous research on rates of under-reporting, finds workers are more likely to report their injuries when they are exposed to known hazards or have greater awareness about occupational health and safety.

red figures standing out among blue ones to suggest statistical incidence of occurrence

What research can do: Estimating the role of workplaces in COVID-19 transmissions

What percentage of COVID-19 infections in Ontario were associated to exposure at work during the first six months of the pandemic? Despite important gaps in information, we can make an educated guess using two provincial data sources, writes the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) President and Senior Scientist Dr. Cameron Mustard.

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IWH Updates - Summer 2020

IWH has a new address ~ World Congress 2021 hosting free ‘COVID-19 and OSH’ virtual session in early October ~ IWH Accomplishment Report now out

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A blurry image of people at work

Episodic health conditions challenge workplace disability management systems

Employers are recognizing that they need a new model of disability management to support workers with episodic health conditions, according to a new Institute for Work & Health study. These conditions, which are characterized by periods of good health interrupted by unpredictable periods of illness and disability, can raise a host of issues for workplaces—including issues related to privacy, stigma and trust.

A stack of cardboard moving boxes

We've moved!

After nearly 20 years at 481 University Avenue, the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) had to move out to make way for a 55-storey condominium. We didn't go far. We’re still in the same Toronto neighbourhood, close to the Dundas Street and University Avenue intersection. As of August 2020, our new address is:

Institute for Work & Health
400 University Avenue, Suite 1800
Toronto, ON M5G 1S5

Our phone and fax numbers remain the same.

A vista of a small town in British Columbia

Urban-rural differences in work disability days not always as expected

We know from past studies that injured workers in rural areas are likely to be off work longer than injured workers in cities. Now, a study involving IWH scientists takes a closer look at urban-rural differences in work disability across several provinces and industrial sectors. It finds a more nuanced picture, one in which injured workers in the more rural areas are not necessarily the ones with the longest disability durations.

A man kneels as he works with decking boards on a patio

Review summary explores relationship between work and osteoarthritis

Bending, kneeling, climbing or lifting. Which of these work activities, among others, are associated with a greater risk of osteoarthritis (OA) in men and women? A systematic review conducted by IWH—the first to include a wide range of joints affected by OA—are now summarized in our latest Sharing Best Evidence

Five images from 5 things you should know handout

5 Things We Think You Should Know

Every year, we pull together five of IWH's most practical research findings from the past year for professionals in occupational health and safety (OHS). The 2020 edition of 5 Things We Think You Should Know is now available. What five key health and safety findings did we choose for you this year?