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Research priorities

The annual research priorities are informed by WorkSafeBC’s five-year strategic plan to ensure alignment with the strategic goals of the organization. Each year, Research Services consults with internal and external stakeholders to identify key research priorities to serve both current and emerging issues.

Research priorities

Research Services invites proposals aligned with the topics listed in the table below.  

While the merits of all proposals will be considered, preference will be given to proposals that incorporate the following:

  • Sex and gender considerations into research questions and study design. For integrating sex and gender considerations, refer to the information on the CIHR website.
  • Address the needs and challenges of vulnerable populations including Indigenous workers; aging workers; young workers; transient or migrant workers, immigrant or new workers; small businesses.

 

Strategic Alignment Research Priorities
Prevent workplace injury, disease and death
  • Preventing psychological injuries, bullying and harassment, and workplace violence
  • Reducing occupational exposures to workplace hazards and risks
  • Reducing incidence of serious injury, occupational disease and death
  • Encouraging worker engagement, and a culture of safety leadership in workplaces
  • Innovative approaches for the prevention of injury, disease and death
  • Assessing the impact of climate change on workers, employers and workplaces including new and emerging hazards, and exposures
Maximize recovery and post-injury earnings
  • Effective tools, interventions and disability management models (focus on mental health disorders)
  • Evidence based medical and rehabilitative interventions (focus on chronic pain, opioid management, mental health disorders, head and brain injuries)
  • Evidence based occupational disease etiology, treatment and management
  • Innovations in rehabilitation and service delivery
Provide comprehensive insurance coverage for workplaces

Deliver stakeholder-centric and inclusive services
 
  • Adapting to the changing nature of the work (focus on gig economy workers, precarious employment, impact of new technologies
  • Investigating inclusivity and diversity components within all aspects of the Workers Compensation system to ensure programs and services meet individual needs
  • Addressing the needs of vulnerable workers (focus indigenous, and immigrant workers)