XXII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work
July 2021: From Sept 20-23, 2021 the prevention community will come together to address this global priority at the XXII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work. The completely online, digital event offers world-class speakers, inspiring experiences, elevated networking, premium content, and access to global leaders. Early bird registration has been extended to July 26, 2021.
New paper reviewing the work and health impacts of working in an epidemic/pandemic environment
June 2021: PWHS researchers conducted an umbrella review of reviews examining the work and health impacts of working in an epidemic/pandemic environment. The review addresses the impacts of working during an epidemic or global pandemic on work and health outcomes; the socioeconomic, demographic and work factors that are associated with these outcomes; and potential risk mitigation or intervention strategies that address these factors or outcomes.
Institute for Work & Health study of claim suppression in BC
June 2021: About half of BC workers who have a work injury or illness that results in time away from work do not report the injury or illness to WorkSafeBC, and an estimated four to 13 per cent of workers with work-related injuries experience claim suppression—i.e. pressure or inducement from an employer not to make a claim.
Upcoming webinar: Bancroft session on life and work after work injury
May 2021: On June 8 at 10am PDT Mieke Koehoorn will speak at a Bancroft Institute session on life and work after work injury, on research opportunities to investigate employment and salary outcomes among injured workers with permanent impairments.
New research brief: Mesothelioma in BC
May 2021: We examined the changing patterns of incidence of mesothelioma over time, in BC and Ontario (in partnership with colleagues from the Occupational Cancer Research Centre in Ontario), and the demographic, geographic, and clinical determinants of survival. Research briefs describe the results from both provinces.
Day of Mourning
April 2021: April 28 is a national day of mourning to remember workers who lost their lives on the job. The death of each worker is an immeasurable loss and has devastating consequences for families and friends. And each death is preventable. This year, the day of mourning is especially significant given the many essential and healthcare workers who have lost their lives to due to workplace COVID-19 exposure. Online ceremonies in BC.
Is COR certification associated with lower injury rates?
April 2021: Our evaluation of the Certificate of Recognition (COR) program in Saskatchewan found lower time-loss injury rates in certified firms. A research brief is available for download. These results are consistent with our evaluations of COR in BC and Alberta. Learn more about COR.
New paper: Adolescent depressive symptoms and early adult education and employment
April 2021: A new paper by PWHS PhD trainee Anita Minh in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health examines how the course of symptoms from ages 16–25 influences early adult education and employment in Canada and the USA.
New paper: Do workplace safety inspections lead to changes in hazard management?
April 2021: A new paper in Safety Science found that over 70% of respondents to a WorkSafeBC survey reported that inspections led to changes.
New paper: Do anxiety and depression disorders impact time to sustained return to work?
March 2021: A new paper in Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health finds that programs intended to improve return to work should take pre-existing and new onset anxiety and depression disorders into consideration and that gender-sensitive work disability strategies may be warranted.
New paper: Does gradually returning to work improve time to sustainable work after a work-acquired musculoskeletal disorder?
March 2021: A new paper in Occupational and Environmental Medicine finds an effect for seriously injured workers with longer disability durations, especially women, workers with soft-tissue injuries, and for trade and manufacturing sectors.
New paper: A realist review of violence prevention education in healthcare
March 2021: A new paper in Healthcare describes a realist review that informs practical program and policy decisions to enhance violence prevention education effectiveness in healthcare settings.
Webinar: Return to work and mobile workers: seafarers and other interjurisdictional workers
March 2021: A webinar April 1 at 10 am PDT will feature PWHS Research Associate Robert Macpherson examining whether differences in work disability duration for out-of-province workers vary by industry and context, with a specific focus on the factors that influence return-to-work of mobile workers in BC. Register
COVID-19 risks and BC construction workers
February 2021: An article in the Journal of Commerce describes research from the Vancouver School of Economics and our co-director, Mieke Koehoorn, on risk of COVID-19 transmission in workplaces. A research brief on this work is available.
Webinar: Work disability policy and practices supporting healthcare and mobility of injured and disabled workers
February 2021: A webinar March 10 at 10am EST will examine which healthcare professionals are recognized by workers’ compensation boards and why is this relevant to the care and return-to-work experience of injured workers, as well as how work disability policy frameworks and programs support or impede Canadians with physical disabilities to engage in work-related travel, or ‘work mobility’. Register
Webinar: A realist evaluation of violence prevention education in healthcare
February 2021: PWHS PhD candidate Sharon Provost will discuss findings and practical recommendations from a realist evaluation of the education for BC healthcare workers to prevent violence from patients and visitors at the SPPH Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (OEH) seminar on Friday, March 5 at 12:30 pm PST.
