Conestoga news

The Canadian Institute for Safety, Wellness & Performance (CISWP) at Conestoga recently celebrated its fifth anniversary.

Founded through the college’s School of Business in 2019, the institute is the only applied research centre in Canada’s college system working to ensure Canadian workplaces are safe, productive and sustainable, and employee well-being is protected - all essential to building a robust and inclusive workforce to help address the country’s labour shortage.

Strategically based in the college system, CISWP has access to the workforce’s next generation and the faculty teaching them, providing an unprecedented opportunity to influence change early and more broadly. The institute also has significant opportunities to connect with businesses across different sectors, utilizing a strong network of partners from the college and the health and safety system.

“CISWP’s applied research projects span different sectors of the Canadian economy and contribute to productive and sustainable workplaces for all Canadians,” said Amin Yazdani, CISWP executive director. “Through a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach and working closely with stakeholders and persons with lived experience, CISWP conducts applied research that supports the safe and meaningful inclusion and accessibility of all Canadians in prosperous and meaningful work.”

Yazdani said CISWP has achieved remarkable success during its first five years. The institute has fostered partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, unions and government and has closely collaborated with over 100 partners on various applied research projects.

CISWP has prioritized research-to-practice initiatives with emphasis on knowledge translation and dissemination for diverse audiences, with CISWP researchers invited to speak nationally and internationally to share their expertise and contribute to global discussions on work and health.

Two cutting-edge laboratories have also been established and outfitted with state-of-the-art research equipment, complemented with extensive field research equipment funded through competitive research grants. The labs are located at the new Conestoga Skilled Trades Campus in Cambridge which offers a unique opportunity for researchers to leverage access to shops, students and faculty, as well as the college’s extensive network of partners to conduct applied research with the current and next generation of skilled trades workers.

Most importantly, the institute’s success lies in its strong organizational framework and effective staffing model, as it continues to attract top talent and maintain a dynamic team dedicated to advancing applied research and creating healthier workplaces for Canadians.

A stakeholder advisory committee helps guide the institute in its work to generate knowledge, transfer research to practice and strengthen workforce development in collaboration with stakeholder groups. The committee is chaired by Kevin Flynn, former Ontario Minister of Labour, and includes members from various sectors with diverse expertise.

“CISWP has achieved many well-deserved plaudits both internationally and at home for its ground-breaking work in occupational health and safety applied research,” Flynn said. “The Stakeholder Advisory Committee provides valuable ongoing input and advice into the operation of the institute.”

Yazdani extended thanks to partners, funding agencies and Stakeholder Advisory Committee members who have all contributed to a successful first five years for CISWP.

Key initiatives:

• June 2020: CISWP researchers spearheaded Canada’s first standard for work disability management systems.

• July 2020: The institute was awarded funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) as part of the College and Community Innovation Program - Applied Research Rapid Response to COVID-19. CISWP developed a guideline for addressing the mental health impacts of COVID-19 among Canadian paramedics.

• August 2020: CISWP researchers spearheaded the development of the Canadian Standard on Ergonomic Design for Ambulances and related Equipment (CSA D500). The standard sets out requirements and provides guidance for the design, layout, and procurement of ambulances and related equipment and helps support and improve paramedic health and performance by strengthening the use and application of ergonomic principles into ambulance design.

• February 2021: The institute received research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) as part of the Knowledge Synthesis Grant Competition on Work and Skills in the Digital Economy. The only Canadian college to receive funding through that year’s competition, CISWP explored current knowledge on the impact of work-from-home arrangements on personal and organizational performance and productivity.

• April 2021: CISWP received funding from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) for the three-year STRIVE OSH (Skilled Trade Research, InnoVation, and Education in Occupational Safety and Health) research program. The findings can be used to inform Ontario’s skilled trades industry, policy makers and skilled trades training delivery agents of evidence-informed gaps in occupational health and safety training.

• July 2021: CISWP was awarded a grant from NSERC’s College and Community Social Innovation Fund for a project on improving worker health and performance in construction through the adoption of advanced technologies. CISWP researchers conducted one-of-a-kind field research on evaluation of exoskeletons with over 40 skilled trades workers across seven sites in a multi-day evaluation study using wearable technologies.

• August 2023: CISWP collaborated with employers and community organizations in Waterloo Region to support economic and workforce development. Through a project funded by Employment and Social Development Canada’s Community Workforce Development Program, CISWP worked to help students, job seekers and workers develop the skills needed to adapt to a changing labour market through training and on-the-job work experience.

• April 2023: CISWP was awarded funding from Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) for a research project that is supporting CISWP in undertaking a mixed methods approach that leverages multiple methods and data sources to gain a comprehensive understanding of the barriers to accessible employment, and how they can be prevented and removed. The research seeks perspectives from skilled trades organizations and from people with lived experiences. It will also gain the perspective of skilled trades trainees and apprentices who represent the future workforce.

• June 2023: CISWP was awarded funding from NSERC to advance knowledge on the impact of exoskeleton usage among women in the skilled trades workforce and develop organizational resources to improve their design and adoption. The institute’s research will tackle the pressing issues of workforce shortages and job turnover within the skilled trades.

• November 2023: CISWP launched two state-of-the-art applied research labs. The Skilled Trades Research in Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (STRIDE) Lab is equipped with Canada’s only cutting-edge 4D body scanner system, 3D foot scanner and portable anthropometric technology to collect data across Canada, including in rural and remote communities. The Skilled Trades Applied Research and Training (START) Lab is equipped with biomechanical, ergonomic and occupational health and safety applied research equipment to conduct field-to-lab-to-field research. These labs are the only research infrastructure in advancing skilled trades work and health research in Canada.

 For more information, contact CISWP at ciswp@conestogac.on.ca.