Ontario is investing $5.5 million in workplace health and safety research led by the Enhancing Prevention of Injury and Disability @ Work Research Institute at Lakehead University.
The funding will contribute to the Institute’s research in several key areas including, reducing mental health stigma in the workplace and designing injury prevention programs for vulnerable workers in Northwestern Ontario.
Research shows vulnerable workers are often at increased risk of workplace injury as they face challenges accessing conventional workplace health and safety resources and training. EPID@Work’s research will aim to identify and address these barriers.
As part of this five-year project, the EPID@Work Research Institute will help employers in Northern Ontario reduce mental health stigma in their workplaces, improve support for workers, and ensure managers have the tools for the early identification of mental health symptoms. The funding will also contribute to ongoing research to understand Indigenous workers’ experiences in Northern Ontario workplaces to provide them with better mental health support and prevent injuries on the job.
