Construction sector

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

One of the things IWH's Dr. Benjamin Amick does when he visits a work site is to do what he's not supposed to do. "I want the worker to tell me how much of an idiot I am... If (that) happens then I'm on a site that I know has a strong safety culture to begin with," he explains in a panel on safety culture. Angela Gismondi reports.

Published: Daily Commercial News, March 2018

“Working at heights is one of the most dangerous types of work in the construction sector,” says Dr. Cameron Mustard, president and senior scientist, Institute for Work & Health, in an article on Ontario's plans to review working-at-heights training standards. “By working with stakeholders to evaluate the WAH standards, we will help ensure construction workers are protected on the job and will return home safely at the end of each workday.”

Published: Equipment Journal, December 2017

Dr. Linda Goldenhar, an expert in the safety culture and climate of construction workplaces, was in Toronto recently to discuss the research that led her team to develop a workbook to help strengthen jobsite safety and an online tool that assesses a workplace’s safety climate maturity, reports Angela Gismondi on IWH's Nachemson lecture.

Published: Daily Commercial News, December 2017

In this lecture Dr. Goldenhar talks about the research that led her team to develop, first, a workbook to help strengthen jobsite safety climate by improving performance in eight areas identified as leading indicators of health and safety outcomes and, more recently an online tool that assesses a workplace’s safety climate maturity. Dr. Goldenhar also shares preliminary evaluation findings of a program that she and her team developed to improve jobsite supervisory leadership—one of the eight safety climate leading indicators identified as critical by construction stakeholders.

Published: November 2017