In brief
- Construction represents the fourth largest sector covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario (WSIB), and this sector is expected to grow over the next five years.
- It is among the leading sectors for work injury claims in all age groups, and lost time injury rates in this sector are consistently higher than average.
- Comparative research on return to work (RTW) outcomes across Canada suggests that while RTW and disability duration outcomes have generally been better in Ontario than in other Canadian jurisdictions, outcomes are not as good in construction and related sectors. For some occupations in these sectors, RTW outcomes lag those of other provinces, and some Ontario sectors (e.g., heath care and the service sector) appear to have been more responsive to changes in RTW policies and practices implemented in 2009.
- Our goal for this project is to collect information that will enhance understanding of the barriers and facilitators to early and safe return to work (RTW) in Ontario’s construction sector.
- This project is funded by the 2016 WSIB Grant Program.
Next steps
- Conduct a national and international policy and research scan of RTW policies and best practices in the construction sector.
- Identify, assess, and develop key performance indicators pertaining to successful RTW in the sector.
- Identify sector-specific barriers and facilitators to early RTW.
- Data will be collected via key informant interviews (e.g., with policy makers, practitioners, health and safety associations, employers, unions, and workers) within the construction sector; publicly available information on policy and practices; program and policy information from the WSIB and key construction stakeholders; and policy, claim, and firm data from compensation boards in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba.
Learn more about our national and international comparative work on RTW outcomes: National and international comparative research
