Research Priorities for Grants The WSIB established broad priorities for the research program through consultation with stakeholders. In particular, we place importance on research proposals that study interventions for preventing or reducing occupational injuries and diseases in all workplaces, with special attention on small businesses and young workers. The RAC categorizes its research priorities into five broad areas: Occupational Disease, Injury and Health Services Research Prevention, Workplace Design and Intervention Research Fair Compensation and Ontario Workers’ Compensation System Research Organizational, Management and Policy Research Research on the Transfer of Scientific Knowledge to the Workplace Occupational Disease, Injury and Health Services Research Research focusing on the biological, medical, and health care factors of work-related injury and disease, including causation, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. The RAC is especially interested in research related to: improved understanding of the relationship between occupational risk factors (biological, chemical, physical, environmental, organizational, and psychosocial) and the incidence and mechanisms of occupational injuries and disease development and evaluation of medical programs and treatment options for occupational injury and disease the investigation of the occupational aspects of diseases and conditions such as soft tissue injuries, chronic pain, cancer, lung diseases, adverse reproductive outcomes, chronic stress, and health effects specific to female workers the identification of occupational diseases and risk factors in the agricultural, transportation, and construction sectors. Back to Top Prevention, Workplace Design and Intervention Research Research focusing on the relationship between workplace design and conditions and health, safety, and return to work. In addition, research in this area includes ergonomics and occupational hygiene research that is aimed at prevention programs and intervention assessment. This category is designed to address such issues as: best practices in the design, implementation, and evaluation of occupational injury/disease prevention programs evaluation of occupational health and safety programs identification of physical and psychological stressors in the workplace development of risk assessment methods for assessing risk of injury in jobs requiring complex and/or multiple tasks work intensification (increased pace, duration, and complexity of work) in relation to occupational health and safety adaptation of workplaces to workers with special needs (for example, injured or ill workers, older or pregnant employees, persons with disabilities). Back to Top Fair Compensation and Ontario Workers’ Compensation System Research Research focusing on compensation levels, disability management, return to work, alternative models of service delivery, and the assessment of employers’ premium rates within the Ontario workers’ compensation system. This research priority addresses such issues as: identification of factors that determine sustained return to work investigation of fair levels of compensation the factors underlying trends in workplace injuries, occupational illnesses, and compensation claim rates the effects of WSIB adjudication practices, such as cost transfers to social programs and private insurers development and evaluation of programs to overcome barriers to re-employment. Back to Top Organizational, Management and Policy Research Research focusing on the impact of organizational structures, management policies, legislation, and policies on occupational health and safety. This priority addresses issues such as: the effect of policy, regulatory, or legisative changes on injury and disease rates and workplace behaviour the impact of organizational changes such as, downsizing, restructuring, and privatization on lost time claims the investigation of non-standard work, including self-employment and contingent work, in relation to occupational health and safety the evaluation of organizational factors and management practices on health and safety practices. Back to Top Research on Transfer of Scientific Knowledge to the Workplace Research focusing on developing scientific knowledge and best practices into practical, accessible workplace solutions. This category is designed to address such issues as: identification of generalizable principles of effective knowledge transfer evaluation of the effectiveness of knowledge transfer strategies from research into the hands of employers and workers, treatment providers, and policy makers. Back to Top