1. Andrea Furlan, Institute for Work & Health (Toronto)
“Pilot Project ECHO Ontario to promote Return-To-Work among Public Safety Personnel (ECHO RTW PSP)”
$300,000 over two years
Dr. Andrea Furlan, Scientist, Institute for Work & Health
Project summary
There is a high incidence of occupational mental health injury among public safety personnel (PSP) that puts them at risk of work disability and poor return-to-work outcomes. Clinicians in primary care, including psychologists, family physicians, occupational therapists, social workers and psychiatrists often lack the opportunity to better understand PSP's unique work cultures to optimize support of PSP at work, or in return-to-work, after an illness or injury. We are proposing the use of ECHO methodology to establish a community of practice in which PSP workplace cultural competency can be established. To do this, we will be including clinicians and stakeholders who support PSP in reintegration and return to work.
2. Arif Jetha, Institute for Work & Health (Toronto)
“Artificial intelligence and occupational injury and illness in Ontario: Implications for prevention and recovery”
$ 271,713.20 over two years
Dr. Arif Jetha, Scientist, Institute for Work & Health
Project summary
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformative technology that can be used to automate workplace processes that typically require human intelligence and improve organizational outcomes. Limited insights currently exist on how the application of AI may impact Ontario’s health and safety system. Our proposed study seeks to: 1) better understand the implications of AI applications for the prevention of occupational injury and illness and recovery and return-to-work (RTW); 2) examine the strengths and limitations of different AI applications; and 3) develop future-focused policy and programmatic recommendations for Ontario health and safety system stakeholders that maximize the benefits of AI and mitigate potential adverse consequences.
3. Chris McLeod, The University of British Columbia (Vancouver)
“Is the Health and Safety Excellence program associated with improved workplace health and safety in Ontario?” (2 year extension)
$797,308 over four years
Dr. Chris McLeod, Associate Professor, School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia
Project summary
The original aim of the 2-year proposal was to begin the evaluation of the WSIB’s Health and Safety Excellence (HSE) program in order to initially assess program effectiveness relating to changes in participating firm’s health and safety behaviour and in collecting baseline information for participating firms and matched controls to assess changes in firm work injury outcomes in later years.
The overall project goals of this larger project (additional years 3 and 4) are to evaluate the Health and Safety Excellence (HES) program effectiveness in terms of making Ontarians safer at work and to conduct an economic evaluation of the overall HSE program.
In years 1 and 2, intermediate occupational health and safety indicators including changes to firms’ health and safety behaviours and investments due to program participation were identified, as were key barriers and facilitators of successful program participation. In addition, baseline information for firms enrolling in the program prior to April 2020 and matched non-participating controls was collected and analyzed. These early assessments were made in part to inform discussion and decision making regarding early improvements to the relatively new HSE program, and also as necessary groundwork to achieve the longer term project goals to be followed through years 3 and 4.
4. Cameron Mustard, Institute for Work & Health (Toronto)
“First Responder Mental Health Treatment Services: Formative evaluation of a pilot program”
$ 444,660 over two years
Dr. Cameron Mustard, Adjunct Scientist, Institute for Work & Health
Project summary
The WSIB has contracted with Trillium Health Partners to establish a mental health assessment and treatment specialty program for first responders with an accepted compensation claim arising from post-traumatic stress disorder. This pilot program will deliver an evidence-based stepped-care model that includes intake triage, in-person or virtual ambulatory care, in-patient care (if indicated), together with peer support services, return to work coordination, physical reactivation and after-care services. The specific benefits of this program are unknown since the program is new. Since it is expected to continue to expand, the team proposes conducting an evaluation that will identify early learnings from this specialized clinical program to enable program growth and refinement.
5. Victoria Arrandale, University of Toronto (Toronto)
“Workplace exposures and the development of occupational asthma – A Systematic Review”
$175,795.68 over 18 months
Dr. Victoria Arrandale, Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Project summary
Summarize the evidence for a causal relationship between occupational exposure to allergens and irritants and the development of occupational asthma.
6. Paul Villeneuve, Carleton University (Ottawa)
“Occupational Silica Exposure and Lung Cancer – A Systematic Review”
$174,460 over 18 months
Dr. Paul Villeneuve, Professor, Carleton University
Project summary
The team is proposing to summarize the evidence for a causal relationship between occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and the development of lung cancer.