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

A line of blocks tipping over, a hand stops them from falling.
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
IWH Speaker Series

Good jobs, bad jobs, and ‘deaths of despair’

Published: April 22, 2025
Journal article
Journal article

The working disadvantaged: the role of age, job tenure and disability in precarious work

Published: BMC Public Health, December 2020
A woman with a bandaged left arm fills out injury claim form
At Work article

Workers exposed to common hazards more likely to report their injuries: IWH study

Building upon research showing high rates of under-reporting, an IWH study explores factors linked to whether workers report their injuries to a workers' compensation board.
Published: August 2020
A young man behind the wheel of a car checks his smartphone
Research Highlights

Exploring the health and safety risks facing ride-share drivers

Ride-share drivers face physical and mental health risks that are not only similar to, but also distinct from, those of taxi drivers. Beyond the risks experienced by taxi drivers, ride-share drivers face stressors unique to this form of work.
Published: March 2020
Journal article
Journal article

Examining the impact of occupational health and safety vulnerability on injury claim reporting in three Canadian provinces

Published: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, February 2020
Two workers in safety vests, in a factory environment, point to something offscreen
At Work article

Supportive supervisors help reduce risks when workers face hazards, lack protection

Workers are vulnerable to injuries or illnesses when they're exposed to hazards and lacking protective factors such as OHS policies, awareness or empowerment. However, supportive supervisors can help lower the likelihood of injuries even when workers are vulnerable, according to a new study.
Published: February 2019
Journal article
Three mature women look at camera
Research Highlights

OHS vulnerability among new immigrants

Recent immigrant workers are 1.6 times more likely than Canadian-born workers to experience occupational health and safety (OHS) vulnerability, defined as exposure to hazards without adequate protection to mitigate those hazards.
Published: August 2018
Journal article
Journal article

The occupational health and safety vulnerability of recent immigrants accessing settlement services

Published: Canadian Journal of Public Health, April 2018
Journal article
Journal article

Examining occupational health and safety vulnerability among Canadian workers with disabilities

Published: Disability and Rehabilitation, January 2018