Occupational health and safety performance in Ontario's unionized construction sector

Reasons for the study

During 2012 and 2013, the Institute for Work & Health collaborated with the Ontario Construction Secretariat—a tripartite union/employer/provincial government organization that aims to enhance the well-being of the organized Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) construction sector in Ontario—to compare the incidence of work-related injury and illness between unionized and non-unionized contractors in the ICI sector over the period 2006-2012. This original study found that unionized contractors had lower lost-time workers' compensation claim rates and higher no-lost-time claim rates, concluding that unionized contractors may encourage occupational injury reporting and reduce risks through training and hazard identification and control practices. This project replicates the methods of the previous study, updating the time period to 2012-2017.

Objectives of the study

Target audience

The results of this research project are relevant to the construction sector, unions, policy-makers (including the Ontario Ministry of Labour and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board) and other prevention partners.