Dr. Lynda Robson
Dr. Lynda Robson is a scientist at the Institute for Work & Health, where she has worked since 1997. She is an adjunct professor in the School of Occupational and Public Health at Toronto Metropolitan University. She is also a member of the Canadian Standards Association Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (Z45001) Technical Committee.
Robson obtained her PhD in biochemistry from the University of Toronto, but later changed fields through additional education at the university's former Graduate Department of Community Health.
Robson's research uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to study occupational health and safety (OHS) management, organizational change in OHS and the evaluation of prevention programs, especially OHS training programs.
“The lab research in which I was involved, though ultimately intended to benefit people, was in itself lacking in the social/human dimension. Now, I often study people and their organizations, and more often interact with users of the research, and I find that personally rewarding." – Dr. Lynda Robson
Projects
- Ontario Leading Indicators Project. Completed.
- Effectiveness of training and education for the protection of workers: a systematic review. Completed. (PI on the project)
- Occupational health and safety management audit instruments: a literature review. Funded by Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario. Completed. (PI on the project)
- Effectiveness of occupational health and safety management systems: a systematic review. Completed.
- Evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of Ontario’s working-at-heights training standard. Funded by Ontario Ministry of Labour. Completed. (PI on the project)
Publications
- Robson LS, Clarke J, Cullen KL, Bielecky A, Severin C, Bigelow P, Irvin E, Culyer AJ, Mahood Q. Effectiveness of occupational health and safety management systems: a systematic review. Institute for Work & Health; 2005.
- Cole DC, Robson LS, Lemieux-Charles L, McGuire W, Sicotte C, Champagne F. Quality of working life indicators in Canadian health care organizations: a tool for healthy, health care workplaces. Occupational Medicine (London). 2005;55(1):54-59. doi:10.1093/occmed/kqi009.
- Shannon HS, Robson LS, Sale JEM. Creating safer and healthier workplaces: role of organizational factors and job characteristics. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 2001;40:319-334. doi:10.1002/ajim.1106.
- Brooker AS, Cole DC, Eakin J, Kerr MS, Robson LS, Severin C, Shannon HS. What gets measured gets done: the Healthy Workplace Balanced Scorecard. Institute for Work & Health; 2000.
- Shannon HS, Robson LS, Guastello SJ. Methodological criteria for evaluating occupational safety intervention research. Safety Science. 1999;31(2):161-179.
Speaker Series presentations
- A model of "breakthrough change" in workplace health and safety performance. IWH Speaker Series. May 13, 2014.
- A systematic review of the effectiveness of training and education for the protection of workers. IWH Speaker Series. March 9, 2010.
Research summaries
- In-person or online: Does it make a difference for OHS training?. Research Highlights: Institute for Work & Health, April 2025.
- Safer work practices, lower injury rates maintained two years after Ontario’s working-at-heights training came into effect: study. At Work article: Institute for Work & Health, November 2023.
- Comparing real-time online work-related training with face-to-face formats. Research Highlights: Institute for Work & Health, August 2022.
- Union firms have lower lost-time claim rates, study in ICI construction confirms. At Work article: Institute for Work & Health, January 2021.
- Evaluating the effectiveness of mandatory working-at-heights training standards. Research Highlights: Institute for Work & Health, September 2020.
Media coverage
- Study shows worker injuries due to falls from heights declined after Ontario made training standardized and mandatory. On-Site Magazine. November 6, 2023. Available from: https://www.on-sitemag.com/construction/1003980738/1003980738/
- Climate change could mean longer hours, stagnating wages. Rabble.ca. August 10, 2023. Available from: https://rabble.ca/labour/changing-climate-could-mean-longer-hours-stagnating-wages/
- Standardized working at heights training improves safety, study. Workers Health & Safety Centre. January 26, 2023. Available from: https://www.whsc.on.ca/What-s-new/News-Archive/Standardized-working-at-heights-training-improves-safety-study
- Which is better, online or in-person learning?. Canadian HR Reporter. August 22, 2022. Available from: https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/training-and-development/which-is-better-online-or-in-person-learning/369195
- Ontario ministry could recommend changes to working-at-heights training. Canadian Occupational Safety . February 3, 2022. Available from: https://www.thesafetymag.com/ca/topics/safety-and-ppe/ontario-ministry-could-recommend-changes-to-working-at-heights-training/324259