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2008 Competitions - Focus on Tomorrow
Twenty-one grants were awarded as part of WorkSafeBC's Focus on Tomorrow research program, an annual competition designed to fund independent, scientific studies on issues relevant to workers, employers, and WorkSafeBC. Also funded are smaller “shop-floor” projects aimed at turning new knowledge to action or addressing specific occupational hazards.
The research projects, diverse in approach, may be designed for practical use in the workplace, for the development of future research, or to achieve scientific outcomes to improve workplace health and safety. Topics include: Research on the prevention of a range of high-risk accident and injury types; determinants and prevention of occupational exposures causing disease; or improvement of return to work efforts.
This year, one project explored the psychological impact on workers exposed to a dangerous exposure, while others examined novel approaches to evaluating, analyzing, and training to improve safety performance in the workplace. These projects span a wide range of industrial groups and professions, and provide excellent potential for both short- and long-term results.
Eleven of this year’s projects will be jointly funded by WorkSafeBC, the Workers' Compensation Board of Manitoba; the Workers' Compensation Board of Nova Scotia, and the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board. This partnership is intended to provide a greater pool of funds for potential research projects, and encourage studies that will have broader impact on workplaces across Canada.
We would like to thank all who participated in the 2008 competition, including the numerous scientific experts who reviewed the proposals, WorkSafeBC reviewers, members of our 2008 Advisory Committee, and all who submitted grant proposals.
Ed McCloskey
Director, Research Secretariat
Policy and Research Division
Operating grants approved May 2008
Eight proposals were approved for funding. In total, 12 proposals were submitted by the closing date. Please note: Further details on the funded projects will be posted soon.
| Principal investigator | Title of project | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Jaye Wald | A Prospective Study of Psychological Symptoms and Work Functioning following Occupational Exposure to Blood and Body Fluids | University of British Columbia |
| Christopher Carlsten | Cedar Dust Exposure, Airway Inflammation and Remodeling Markers as Predictors of Asthma Recovery and Severity | University of British Columbia |
| Silvia Raschke | Development and Piloting of an Electronic Format for Carrying out Prosthetic Evaluation using Functional Outcome Measures | British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) |
| Jaime Guzman | Documenting the Economic and Quality of Life Consequences of Work Injuries for Healthcare Workers in BC | Occupational Health and Safety Agency for Healthcare in British Columbia (OHSAH) |
| Hasanat Alamgir & Catherine Fast | Evaluation and Expansion of Peer Coaching/Mentoring Projects at VCH | OHSAH & Fraser Health |
| Cameron Mustard | Examining Trends in the Incidence and Cost of Workers' Compensation Claims in the Ontario and British Columbia Long Term Care Sectors 1998-2007 | Institute for Work & Health |
| Kay Teschke & Winnie Chu | Healthcare Workers and Antineoplastic Drugs: Identifying the Determinants of Exposure and Current Challenges to Reducing Exposure | University of British Columbia |
| C. Kevin Lyons | Testing Remotely Operated Hydraulic Flange Spreaders for Manual Tree Falling | University of British Columbia |
Development grants approved May 2008
Six proposals were approved for funding. In total, 10 proposals were submitted by the closing date.
| Principal investigator | Title of project | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Hugh Davies & Paul Demers | Cancer and Lung Disease in Relation to Sawfiling and Endotoxin Exposure among Sawmill Workers | University of British Columbia |
| Winnie Chu | Development of a Sampling and Analytical Method for Measuring Inhalation Exposure to Aerosolized Cytotoxic Drugs | University of British Columbia |
| Richard Young | Expectations of Return to Work for Injured Workers with Subacute Back Pain | University of British Columbia |
| Hasanat Alamgir & Dave Keen | Identifying Risk Factors for Falls among BC's Healthcare Workers | OHSAH & Fraser Health |
| Agnieszka Kosny | Immigrant Workers' Experiences after Work-related Injury in British Columbia: Identifying Key Questions and Building Research Capacity | Institute for Work & Health |
| Niels Koehncke | Longitudinal Analysis of Lung Function Data in a Saskatchewan Potash Mine | University of Saskatchewan |
Innovation grants approved May 2008
Seven proposals were approved for funding. In total, 14 proposals were submitted by the closing date.
| Principal applicant | Title of project | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| David O’Leary | Analysis of Safety Implications in the use of Accelerated Log Building Systems against Statistical Data within the Log Building Industry | Northwest Community College |
| Rick Parent | Identification of Potential Risk Factors for Injury to Police Officers using New Technologies | Justice Institute of British Columbia |
| Richard Shervey | Mobile Equipment Safety System | Pro-active Safety Systems |
| Nancy McGovern | Phase II - Slider Sheet System for Bed Repositioning -- Incorporating Lessons Learned from Phase I | Interior Health Authority |
| Catherine Walls | Preventing Negative Effects of Shiftwork on Nurses' Health. A Pilot Study |
IWK Health Centre |
| James Carter | The Effectiveness of Current Fire Fighter Rapid Intervention Teams | Justice Institute of British Columbia |
| Elliot Goldner & Joti Samra | Training, Dissemination & Evaluation of a Depression Self-care Tool Delivered to Injured Employees | Simon Fraser University & Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health & Addiction (CARMHA) |