The Partnership
The Partnership for Work, Health and Safety (PWHS), between WorkSafeBC and the University of BC, is an innovative research unit that combines rigorous work and health research with effective knowledge translation.
PWHS brings together policy-makers, researchers and data resources from national and international organizations to address current and emerging issues of work-related health in Canada. Our research is aimed at improving understanding of the causes and consequences of injuries and illness, identifying high-risk industries and occupations, and investigating the effectiveness of interventions that improve worker health, prevent occupational illness and injury, and reduce work-related disability.
Our collaboration, based on best practices of knowledge transfer, enables researchers and decision-makers to work together to identify relevant questions, understand data, and produce useful information to effectively inform policy and practice.
PWHS, directed by Dr Chris McLeod, is founded on years of research experience and expertise working with workers’ compensation data from across Canada. It is an excellent learning environment for trainees, leading to research and policy careers in the workers’ compensation or work and health fields, in government, university, and health agencies.
The Partnership team is comprised of a diverse and multidisciplinary group of faculty, students, and staff, situated in the School of Population and Public Health in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC.
Data
PWHS researchers work to develop and promote the use of routinely collected health and compensation data from multiple sources via our data partner, Population Data BC. The data allows us to conduct research on the entire BC working-age population over a 25 year period, providing a unique and comprehensive portrait of the health and well being of BC’s workers. PWHS researchers are also active in developing and enhancing the occupational data holdings of Population Data BC.
Training
We offer challenging and dynamic training opportunities from our base at the UBC School of Population and Public Health. Current and prospective students interested in pursuing research on policy-relevant occupational health issues are encouraged to contact one of our co-directors, Mieke Koehoorn or Chris McLeod, to discuss training and funding opportunities.
Collaboration
We engage in active collaboration with a wide range of organizations, including:
- UBC School of Population and Public Health, particularly the Occupational and Environmental Health division and Centre for Health Services and Policy Research
- WorkSafeBC
- Institute for Work & Health
- Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research, Melbourne, Australia
- BC Cancer Agency
- Occupational Cancer Research Centre at Cancer Care Ontario
- CAREX Canada
- Asbestos-related Research, Education and Advocacy (AREA) Fund
History
WorkSafeBC worked with the UBC Centre for Health Services and Policy Research (CHSPR) beginning in 1998, when CHSPR researchers conducted research in support of the Royal Commission on Workers’ Compensation in BC. A formal partnership was established in 2005. Prior to 2012, PWHS was called the WorkSafeBC-CHSPR Research Partnership.
For more information about our research, please contact Chris McLeod.
