Workplace safety best practices are developed based on occupational health & safety research findings.
A large body of OHS knowledge, originating from research, exists about how to maintain worker health. Occupational health & safety research results are used to improve workplace safety programs and keep workers safe.
It is useful for employers to learn about OHS studies and their results. Workplace health researchers often have difficulty getting news of their research discoveries to end-users, employers and employees in workplaces. Valuable research findings that could improve the quality of business operations are often slow to be implemented in workplaces.
The Institute of Work & Health (IWH) regularly reports OHS studies worth considering for application in workplace safety programs. Interesting examples of recent occupational health & safety research studies include:
- Strong evidence shows workplace-based resistance training exercise programs can help prevent and manage upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and symptoms.
- In a patient lifting study, a peer coaching training program led to 34 % reduction in lost time injury rates during the study & 56 % drop after the study ended. This research suggests peer coaching may be an effective OHS training strategy.
- Health and safety inspections with penalties reduce work injuries.
- Employee vulnerability to work injury and illness differs based on worker experience of three factors: inadequate policies and procedures, low awareness of their health and safety rights and responsibilities, and/or lack of empowerment to voice their health and safety concerns.
Occupational health & safety research scientists are expected to communicate their research results to educate employers, workers, government and industry experts about effective, research based practices that can improve employee safety. By transferring useful research findings from research to work settings, the quality of workplace safety can be improved leading to less occupational injury and disease.
Read about other interesting OHS research findings. http://www.iwh.on.ca/5-things-we-think-you-should-know
