Construction sector

Why do many municipalities, school boards, social housing corporations and other public bodies have long-standing arrangements that see their construction projects built by skilled tradespeople who are members of construction unions? Because the employees are well trained, they work safer and, in the long run, are not a significantly greater cost to the taxpayer than their non-unionized counterparts, writes Phil Gillies in an op-ed that cites Institute for Work & Health research.

Published: Toronto Sun, March 2019

This summary shares the highlights from an Institute for Work & Health evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of a mandatory working-at-heights training program introduced in Ontario in 2015. Ontario employers were required to ensure that workers on construction projects who worked at heights had successfully completed the training by October 2017.

Published: February 2019

In 2015, Ontario's Ministry of Labour implemented regulations defining working-at-heights (WAH) training program standards and establishing a program for approving training providers in the province. In this presentation, Dr. Lynda Robson shares findings from a study that examined the reach and effectiveness of the training standard.

Published: February 2019

The Institute for Work & Health shares the findings from its evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of a mandatory working-at-heights training program introduced in Ontario in 2015. Ontario employers were required to ensure that workers on construction projects who worked at heights had successfully completed the training by October 2017.

Published: February 2019

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is not always the most cost-effective means of protecting workers from dangers associated with exposure to silica dust, writes Don Proctor, reporting on the findings of an IWH study.

Published: Daily Commercial News, January 2019

A previous Institute study found that, during the period 2006-2012, unionized contractors in Ontario's industrial, commercial and institutional sector had higher no-lost-time claim rates and lower lost-time claim rates than their non-unionized counterparts, suggesting unionized contractors may do better at encouraging injury reporting and reducing injury risk. A new IWH study is replicating the methods of this previous study for the time period 2012-2017.

Status: Completed 2020

Research estimating cancers averted and intervention costs of two silica control measures offers an important new perspective on the control of occupational cancers. Among the compelling findings, researchers concluded that personal protective equipment (PPE) is not the most cost-effective method of protecting workers from silica exposures, calling into question the common practice of providing PPE to workers exposed to hazardous materials.

Published: Workers Health & Safety Centre, December 2018

Crystalline silica dust exposure is common in the construction sector. Inhalation of silica dust is known to cause lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and tuberculosis. In this presentation, Dr. Emile Tompa examines the implementation of two approaches to reducing exposure: use of personal protective equipment (i.e. respirators) by all exposed individuals and use of engineering controls (e.g. wet method) wherever and whenever feasible. He shares findings from an impact analysis based on data spanning 30 years.

Published: November 2018

The work of rigging and hoisting loads comes with significant hazard. Adding to the injury prevention challenge is the fact that many people doing this work have literacy and numeracy skills gaps. A recent IWH study tried out a novel approach to address these learning needs.

Published: April 2018

This guide, based on a research collaboration led by the Institute for Work & Health, provides an overview of the process involved in modifying the curriculum of an existing occupational health and safety (OHS) training program in order to address gaps in essential skills among worker trainees.

Published: April 2018