Work precarity and vulnerability
“Precarious” is a word often used to describe work that is characterized by low pay, low job security and little protection. “Vulnerable” is a word often used in the health and safety world to describe those who are at an increased risk of work injury or disease. At the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), an evidence-based framework has been developed that defines OHS vulnerability as being exposed to hazards without having adequate protection. This page pulls together research on OHS vulnerability and work precarity.
Featured
Research Highlights
Death rates are higher for workers in precarious and lower quality jobs
Death rates are higher for workers in lower-quality jobs. That’s according to an IWH study that explored whether job quality was linked to rates of death.
Published: November 12, 2025
Journal article
Journal article
The association between total social exposure and incident multimorbidity: a population-based cohort study
Published: SSM - Population Health, January 2025
Journal article
Journal article
Claim suppression of occupational injuries and illnesses among precariously employed immigrant workers in Ontario
Published: New Solutions, January 2025
IWH in the media
Cobbling together multiple jobs to make a living...What's the real cost on you?
Filling your spare time with side hustles can put more money in your pocket, but what will it cost you? In an episode of Ontario Today, host Amanda Pfeffer and guest Deena Ladd take calls from listeners. They also mention an IWH study on the link between injury risks and precarious work, conducted by Dr. Faraz Vahid Shahidi (at 24m 24s).
Published: CBC Radio One, September 2024
At Work article
Higher risk of work injuries found among those in precarious jobs: IWH study
Workers in jobs where precarious employment conditions are more common are more likely to experience a work-related injury or illness in Ontario, including COVID-19. That’s according to a pair of studies authored by Institute for Work & Health (IWH) researchers that examined whether employment conditions—for example, temporary contracts, involuntary part-time hours, irregular schedules and low wages—may be linked to the rate of work injuries.
Published: September 2024
Journal article
Journal article
On-demand and marketplace platforms: gig care work conditions on two digital labour platform care models
Published: Critical Sociology, September 2024
Journal article
Journal article
Precarious employment and the workplace transmission of COVID-19: evidence from workers' compensation claims in Ontario, Canada
Published: Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, August 2024
Journal article
Journal article
Is precarious employment an occupational hazard? Evidence from Ontario, Canada
Published: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, August 2024
Journal article
Journal article
The health and safety experiences of precariously employed Bangladeshi immigrant workers in Toronto during the COVID-19 pandemic
Published: New Solutions, May 2024
Journal article
Journal article
"…full of opportunities, but not for everyone": a narrative inquiry into mechanisms of labor market inequity among precariously employed gay, bisexual, and queer men
Published: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, April 2024
Project
Project
Job quality and wellbeing in Canada: generating insights on the new world of work
Amid shifting labour market conditions in Canada, including the rise of precarious employment and of low quality jobs, this project will describe the current landscape of job quality in Canada and examine the relationship between job quality and wellbeing.
Status: Ongoing
