Construction sector
IWH research that specifically involves construction workplaces, workers, unions, employers and/or associations, as well as research on programs that specifically target the construction sector, is collected together here. Not included is IWH research that cuts across all or many sectors, even though it may be relevant to the construction sector. For this reason, visitors are encouraged to explore beyond this page to find equally important information on the prevention of work injury and disability in construction.
Featured
Research Highlights
In which occupations are Ontario workers who had a work-related injury most at risk of opioid-related harms?
Formerly injured workers in certain occupations in Ontario are at an elevated risk of experiencing opioid-related harms, according to a study by IWH and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre.
Published: October 17, 2024
Research Highlights
Workers who had a work-related injury have higher risk of opioid-related harms than the general population in Ontario
An IWH study found that workers who had a work-related injury had higher risks of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for opioid-related harms than the general Ontario population. This pattern was seen across most occupation and industry groups,
Published: April 25, 2024
At Work article
Costs of providing UV ray protection at job sites outweighed by averted skin cancers
Ultraviolet radiation due to sun exposure is one of the most common causes of work-related cancer in Ontario. A new study by IWH examines the costs and benefits of providing protective clothing and shade shelter to avert work-related skin cancer over 30 years.
Published: May 2021
IWH in the media
How does unionization make a difference with workplace safety?
The union safety effect is real — at least in Ontario’s major construction sector, writes John Dujay in reporting on research findings from IWH Scientist Dr. Lynda Robson
Published: Canadian HR Reporter, April 2021
At Work article
Union firms have lower lost-time claim rates, study in ICI construction confirms
Five years ago, an IWH study found lower lost-time injury claim rates in unionized firms in Ontario's industrial, commercial and institutional construction sector. A new study uses more recent data to see if it can replicate the observed "union safety effect."
Published: January 2021
Project report
Project report
Updating a study on the union effect on safety in the ICI construction sector
IWH updated a previous study on the union safety effect in Ontario's industrial, commercial and institutional construction sector. Like the first study, the update found unionization was associated with a lower risk of injuries requiring time away from work, including both musculoskeletal and critical (more severe) injuries.
Published: January 2021
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
The union effect on safety in the ICI construction sector: a study update
A study conducted several years ago by the Institute for Work & Health found unionized companies in Ontario's institutional, commercial and industrial (ICI) construction sector had a lower rate of lost-time injury claims than their non-unionized counterparts, after accounting for other factors like company size. In this presentation, Dr. Lynda Robson shares an update of that study, using data from 2012-2018. She discusses whether the latest results support what's called a "union safety effect", and how findings vary by company size and types of construction work.
Published: January 2021
Research Highlights
Evaluating the effectiveness of mandatory working-at-heights training standards
The introduction of a mandatory training standard for construction workers using fall protection equipment is associated with a 19.6 per cent reduction in the incidence rate of lost-time claims due to falls targeted by the intervention. This decline is larger than an overall decline in injuries in the sector during the same time frame. Reductions in incidence rates are also largest among the smallest employers.
Published: September 2020
Journal article
Journal article
Preventing fall-from-height injuries in construction: effectiveness of a regulatory training standard
Published: Journal of Safety Research, September 2020
At Work article
Comparing the costs, benefits of silica dust prevention methods for construction workers
Construction workplaces can use different methods to reduce exposure to silica dust and protect workers from cancer down the road. But which methods should they opt for? A cost-benefit analysis led by IWH offers some guidance.
Published: August 2020
Journal article
Journal article
A probabilistic approach for economic evaluation of occupational health and safety interventions: a case study of silica exposure reduction interventions in the construction sector
Published: BMC Public Health, February 2020
Journal article
Journal article
Utilizing construction safety leading and lagging indicators to measure project safety performance: a case study
Published: Safety Science, December 2019