Videos & presentations

Participatory approach to health and safety in long-term care

Long-term care homes are high-risk environments, and strategies to reduce workplace injuries are essential to protecting long-term care workers and the quality of care provided to residents. This video whiteboard explains why and how a participatory approach to injury prevention can help prevent injuries by involving front-line staff in the identification and control of workplace hazards.

Posted October 2019

Supervisor's response to work injury matters

Supervisors are busy. They’re always juggling multiple demands for their time and attention. But that moment when they learn a worker is injured, do they react with concern and empathy or blame and skepticism? As this research-based video from Institute for Work & Health (IWH) sums up, a supervisor’s response can make a difference to whether an injured worker returns to work successfully within a few months. It’s one of the ways supervisors matter.

Posted September 2019

Sitting or standing? Which is best?

If you’re confused by seemingly duelling headlines about the negative health effects of prolonged sitting and prolonged standing, this video may help clear things up. Two of the scientists behind these headlines work at the Institute for Work & Health, so we put them before the camera, side by side, to sort out the take-away message.

Posted November 2018

Trouvez les travailleurs à protéger

La vulnérabilité en santé et en sécurité au travail ne dépend pas de qui vous êtes. Elle dépend des fonctions que vous accomplissez. Nos recherches montrent qu’il existe une meilleure façon de repérer les travailleurs vulnérables.

Posted August 2017

Find the workers you need to protect

How do you tell which workers are vulnerable to injury? Occupational health and safety (OHS) vulnerability is not about who people are. It's about the work they do. Use the OHS Vulnerability Measure to identify workers you need to protect.

Posted August 2017

Creating effective return-to-work programs for workers with MSDs

What workplace-based interventions are effective in helping workers with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) recover and return to work after a period of work absence? This is the question that a team of researchers from the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) in Toronto, Canada, and the Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research (ISCRR) in Melbourne, Australia, set out to answer through a systematic review of high quality research on the topic.

Posted May 2017

Celebrating 20 years of the DASH Outcome Measure

In 1996, when the DASH was developed by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, no measure had previously existed to assess the disability and function of the arm, shoulder and hand as a whole. Today, this outcome measure is used across the world, and is available in 55 languages and dialects. Developers of the DASH talk about why they think the tool has stood the test of time.

Posted January 2017

Preventing upper extremity injuries at work

Strong evidence suggests that workplace-based resistance training can help prevent and manage musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) of the upper extremity, which includes the neck, shoulder, arm, elbow, wrist and hand. That’s one of the key findings coming out of a systematic review conducted by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH).

Posted October 2016

The effect of COR certification on injury rates

We looked at the injury rates of firms that received COR Certification for occupational health and safety.

Posted June 2016

Understanding injury risk and recovery among shift workers

Research evidence has been accumulating on the adverse health consequences of night, evening and rotating shift work. New research is now suggesting that, not only are shift workers at greater risk of work injury, they are more likely to have a harder time recovering should an injury occur. What's more, injury rates don't improve when shift workers switch into regular 9-to-5 work schedules, as Mustard Post-doctoral fellow Dr. Imelda Wong explains.

Posted November 2015

Supporting workers with arthritis through job accommodations

A study about workplace supports for people with arthritis suggests that many affected workers don’t feel they need frequent help. The study, conducted by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), also finds that people who can access the workplace supports often report better outcomes at work. That can mean less job disruption, greater ability to concentrate on tasks and fewer changes to work hours.

Posted September 2015

Divergent trends in work-related and non-work-related injury rates in Ontario

Work-related injury rates in Ontario fell by 30 per cent from 2004 to 2011. In contrast, rates of injuries outside of work did not change. According to a study by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), if injuries due to leisure, recreation or other non-work activities had fallen at the same rate as work-related injuries, the province would have seen 200,000 fewer injuries in 2011.

Posted February 2015

Exploring the role of gender in work-related injury, chronic illness and recovery

Institute Scientist Dr. Peter Smith talks about his five-year research program into how sex and gender shape risk of work injury, time off work after a work injury, and the relationship between the work environment and chronic illnesses.

Posted September 2014

Health and safety issues for low-wage temp agency workers

The complex employment relationship between temporary agency workers, temp agencies and client employers creates loopholes and incentives that may leave low-wage temp agency workers more vulnerable to workplace injuries, says research from the Institute for Work & Health.

Posted July 2014

Nachemson 2013: Unique research-policy partnership

Dr. Mieke Koehoorn, co-lead of the Partnership for Work, Health & Safety at the University of British Columbia and recipient of the 2013 Alf Nachemson Memorial Lectureship, talks about the unique research-policy partnership between the University of British Columbia and WorkSafeBC.

Posted November 2013

Nachemson 2013: Impact of research on policy

Dr. Mieke Koehoorn, co-lead of the Partnership for Work, Health & Safety at the University of British Columbia and recipient of the 2013 Alf Nachemson Memorial Lectureship, gives examples of the way in which research has had an impact on policy in British Columbia.

Posted November 2013

Nachemson 2013: Challenges in the research-policy relationship

Dr. Mieke Koehoorn, co-lead of the Partnership for Work, Health & Safety at the University of British Columbia and recipient of the 2013 Alf Nachemson Memorial Lectureship, talks about the challenges facing researchers in developing strong working relationships with policy-makers.

Posted November 2013

Measuring OHS vulnerability among new immigrants

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Morgan Lay, Institute for Work & Health

Integrating ergonomics into production system design processes for reduced risk and improved quality: Lessons from the field

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Patrick Neumann, Ryerson University

Measuring precarity and its impact on health

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Wayne Lewchuk, McMaster University

Examining occupational health and safety among migrant farm workers

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Theresa Aversa, Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)

Agricultural work, food systems and ecosystems: reflections on a research program

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Donald Cole, University of Toronto

Stealth ergonomics: Incorporating MSD prevention into organizations' goals and systems

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Richard Wells, Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD)

Staying at work with fibromyalgia

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Margaret Oldfield, University of Toronto and University Health Network

Can "flexicurity" policies protect workers from the adverse health consequences of temporary employment?

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Faraz Vahid Shahidi, University of Toronto

Using research evidence to help prevent work disability in Ontario

Presented on at Alf Nachemson Memorial Lecture presentation.

Presenters: Judy Geary, Former Executive, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)

Incorporating MSD prevention into management systems

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Amin Yazdani, University of Waterloo

A "stages of change" approach to implementing MSD prevention

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Paul Rothmore, University of Adelaide

Understanding return to work in MSD claims versus psychological injuries, for younger workers versus older workers

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Peter Smith, Institute for Work & Health

Preventing injury among caregivers

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters:

Systematic review of qualitative literature on OHS legislation and regulatory enforcement

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Ellen MacEachen, Institute for Work & Health

Work-related road safety: looking beyond the role of drivers

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Sharon Newnam, Monash University, Australia

Work and mental health: capturing natural experiments with longitudinal datasets

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Anthony LaMontagne, Deakin University

Using knowledge transfer principles in ergonomic tool development for firefighters and paramedics

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Kathryn E. Sinden, McGill University

Systematic review of the effectiveness of OHS regulatory enforcement

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Emile Tompa, Institute for Work & Health

A scoping review of Clinical Decision Support tools for managing disabling MSDs

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Ivan Steenstra, Institute for Work & Health

Improving the effectiveness of joint health and safety committees (JHSCs)

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Linn Holness, Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease

Health impact of commuting among new immigrants in precarious jobs

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Stephanie Premji, McMaster University

Pain and prejudice: What science can learn about work from the people who do it

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Karen Messing, Université du Québec à Montréal

Developing a measure of OHS vulnerability

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Peter Smith, Institute for Work & Health

Assessing the impact of NIOSH research on worker health protection

Presented on at Alf Nachemson Memorial Lecture presentation.

Presenters: Paul Schulte, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

A model of "breakthrough change" in workplace health and safety performance

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Lynda Robson, Institute for Work & Health

Different but equal: Workforce participation of people with episodic disabilities

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Tammy C. Yates, Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation (CWGHR)

Developing CSA standards for OHS

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Andrea Holbeche, CSA Group

Movement analysis of firefighters using gaming and simulation technology

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Tara Kajaks, McMaster University

Building front-line capacity to prevent occupational disease in Ontario

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Linn Holness, Centre for Research Expertise in Occupational Disease

Ontario Office of the Worker Adviser: Services and partnerships in support of vulnerable workers

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Alec Farquhar, Office of the Worker Adviser

Income security and labour-market engagement: Envisioning the future of work disability policy in Canada

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Emile Tompa, Institute for Work & Health; Ellen MacEachen, Institute for Work & Health

How to make occupational health and safety training more effective: Findings from a field trial

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Ben Amick, Institute for Work & Health

An introduction to developmental evaluation: Why evaluation matters in rethinking "accountability to learning"

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Sanjeev Sridharan, St. Michael's Hospital

Law Commission of Ontario’s Vulnerable Workers Project: Why? How? What’s next?

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Patricia Hughes, Law Commission of Ontario

Research informing policy: How to make an impact

Presented on at Alf Nachemson Memorial Lecture presentation.

Presenters: Mieke Koehoorn, University of British Columbia

Preventing needlestick injuries in Ontario’s acute care hospitals: Progress and ongoing challenges

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Andrea Chambers, Institute for Work & Health

Geographic variation in work injuries: An analysis of individual and area-level factors within Canada

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Curtis Breslin, Institute for Work & Health; Sara Morassaei, Institute for Work & Health

Contrasting participatory ergonomics programs with requirements for occupational health and safety management systems

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Richard Wells, Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD)

Health and safety issues in the aging workforce

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Harry Shannon, McMaster University

Health-care workers and antineoplastic drugs: Evaluating the risks and identifying determinants of exposure

Presented on at IWH Speaker Series presentation.

Presenters: Chun Yip Hon, Ryerson University