Illness/injury prevention
IWH has a long history of conducting research to provide practical guidance to employers, workers, OHS professionals and regulators about what works and what doesn’t in injury or illness prevention. This research targets the injury and illness prevention practices of workplaces, as well as the programs developed by governments, health and safety associations and others to support and motivate workplaces to adopt effective practices.
Featured
IWH Speaker Series
New business owners on why and how OHS starts to matter
Published: October 27, 2026
Research Highlights
Workers with COVID-19 had better return-to-work rates than others during the pandemic
During the pandemic, workers who contracted COVID-19 from work had better return-to-work rates 18 months later than those with other conditions. Most traditional return-to-work factors, however, did not explain the difference in rates.
Published: July 14, 2026
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
New business owners on why and how OHS starts to matter
New businesses make a substantial contribution to the economy, with roughly 100,000 created a year in Canada. New businesses and their owners are expected to begin managing occupational health and safety (OHS) by the time they hire their first employee. But against the many demands for their attention, when, why and how does OHS begin to matter to new business owners? In this presentation, a companion piece to a presentation from last year based on survey findings, Dr. Basak Yanar shares insights from interviews with new business owners on how they begin managing OHS and what supports they need.
Published: October 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Trends in opioid-related poisonings and mental and behavioral disorders from 2006 to 2022 among a large cohort of injured workers in Ontario, Canada
Published: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, September 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Examining the psychometric properties of the occupational stress injury resiliency tool with comparison of concurrent, and predictive validity with other leading indicators of work-related psychological conditions
Published: Annals of Work Exposures and Health, August 2026
Research Highlights
Workers with COVID-19 had better return-to-work rates than others during the pandemic
During the pandemic, workers who contracted COVID-19 from work had better return-to-work rates 18 months later than those with other conditions. Most traditional return-to-work factors, however, did not explain the difference in rates.
Published: July 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Multidimensional social exposure clusters and incident multimorbidity in a population-based cohort
Published: American Journal of Epidemiology, July 2026
Project
Project
Understanding the business impacts of prevention activities in Ontario: A strategic data capacity and evaluation opportunity
This project aims to develop data and researcher capacity that will generate evidence on the broader economic business impacts of prevention activities and evaluate future prevention programs and interventions that are supported by the WSIB, and the provincially-funded health and safety associations, to make Ontario the best and safest place to work.
Status: Ongoing
Journal article
Journal article
Interaction in OHS research knowledge transfer: a rapid review
Published: Safety Science, June 2026
Journal article
Journal article
Are there differences in return-to-work experiences for workers who acquired COVID-19 at work compared to workers who sustained a non-COVID-19 work-related injury or illness?
Published: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, June 2026
IWH in the media
Why safety data is now a strategic imperative for HR leaders
When HR and occupational health and safety (OHS) data are managed in concert, organizations gain a richer picture of workforce health – particularly in recognition of employee mental health as key to productivity and success. That was one of IWH's Dr. Peter Smith's comments in an article by Jeffrey R. Smith on why safety data is a strategic imperative for HR.
Published: Human Resources Director Canada, May 2026
IWH in the media
Strengthening workplace safety for small business workers
Small businesses often experience higher worker injury and fatality rates than large organizations in the same sector due to limited health and safety knowledge and resources. A recent study conducted by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) addressed gaps in research on new businesses – often classified as small businesses – and occupational health and safety (OHS).
Published: Workers Health & Safety Centre, May 2026