Workers Health & Safety Centre

COVID-19 impact study: More researchers want to hear from workers

Worker completes a COVID-19 impact study
Researchers hope a new survey will help them understand how working Ontarians are being affected by COVID-19 and government policies created to blunt its damaging impact. 

Conducting timely research amid the ongoing pandemic is crucial and can help inform evolving public policy. From other studies we know COVID-19 impacts some individuals more than others. For instance, recent research found COVID-19 rates are higher among racialized populations, precarious workers and low wage earners

Complete and share the survey

Researchers from McMaster University are collaborating with community advocates from the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction on a COVID-19 impact assessment. Through an online survey they will collect feedback from workers, particularly low-income, working individuals and those who may have received government support during or before the pandemic.

Along with examining the impacts of COVID-19 on working conditions, the researchers hope to assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of certain government programs. Researchers hope to release the survey findings by mid-2021.

Survey participants must live in Ontario, be at least 18 years and not retired. Those who are interested may choose to participate in a follow up survey. The survey will be online until at least the end of the year. Participation in the survey is voluntary, anonymous and confidential.
 
Complete the online survey here.

How WHSC can help

The COVID-19 crisis presented an unprecedented challenge in terms of providing access to the Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC) essential and mandatory training programs. WHSC quickly retooled our delivery model in a way we could still ensure the integrity of our training and safety of participants and instructors. This we achieved with our WHSC virtual classroom training. The vast majority of training participants report the WHSC virtual classroom experience as “excellent,” enabling them to achieve clarity of communication, participation in the class and group sessions and demonstrated knowledge of learning objectives.

Many of our training programs help employers meet training and competency requirements for supervisorsjoint health and safety committees and worker health and safety representatives, all of whom play essential roles in the pursuit of healthier, safer workplaces including controlling COVID-19 transmission in the workplace. Many of these training essentials, including our revised COVID-19 training program, are currently scheduled in our virtual classrooms.

Beyond scheduled classes, and where participant numbers warrant, we can work with you to coordinate almost any of our training courses in a virtual classroom for all workers, workplace representatives and supervisors.
 
Need more information still?
Call: 1-888-896-7950 or contact a WHSC training services representative near you.
Email: contactus@whsc.on.ca
Visit: www.whsc.on.ca
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Additional related resources:
National workplace violence and harassment survey recently launched
COVID precautions protect workers’ physical and mental health, study
WHSC COVID-19-Resources