SASKATOON, SASK. – WorkSafe Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB), in partnership with the Canadian Institute for Safety, Wellness and Performance (CISWP), have launched the Sask. Work mobile research lab, a new initiative designed to help employers gain a clearer understanding of workplace demands, exposures and factors that contribute to injury risk.
The five-year project is intended to bring advanced assessment technology directly into workplaces across Saskatchewan. Participating employers will have access to research-grade equipment and expertise at no cost, according to a release.
Based in Saskatoon, the fully equipped mobile research unit can travel anywhere in the province, allowing researchers to collect information in the environments where work is actually being performed. The approach is designed to capture the complexity and conditions of real-world workplaces that cannot be fully reproduced in a traditional laboratory.
Using wearable technology, sensors, observation tools and environmental monitoring equipment, researchers will be able to assess a broad range of workplace factors. These include physical demands, fatigue, posture and movement patterns, vibration exposure, cognitive workload, physiological strain, noise, temperature and other workplace exposures.
“Using wearable technology, sensors, observation tools and environmental monitoring equipment, researchers can measure a range of workplace factors, including physical demands, fatigue, posture and movement patterns, vibration exposure, cognitive workload, physiological strain, noise, temperature and other workplace exposures,” said Kevin Mooney, WCB vice-president of prevention and employer services.
Employers taking part in the initiative will receive a customized report detailing job-specific findings, identifying risk factors and providing evidence-informed recommendations.
The initial phase of the research will concentrate on the construction, transportation and health-care sectors. The program will primarily target tradespeople, labourers, truck drivers and health-care providers, the release said.
The CISWP emphasized that information collected through the project will be used exclusively for research and prevention purposes. The initiative is not connected to regulatory inspections, compliance activities or enforcement actions.
Worker participation is voluntary, with privacy protections serving as a fundamental part of the program. Individual worker information will be anonymized and will not be shared with employers, according to the release.
Employers interested in taking part can contact their WorkSafe representative and complete a Sask. Work initiative intake form.
