Researchers highlight occupations at greatest risk in Ontario
A new study has found that workers who suffered from job-related injuries are more likely to experience opioid-related poisonings and other harms than the general population.
The research, conducted by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC), analyzed data from 1.7 million Ontario workers who filed lost-time compensation claims between 1983 and 2019.
According to the study, individuals who have experienced work-related injuries are 2.4 times more likely to visit emergency departments for opioid poisonings compared to the general working population. Hospitalization rates were 1.5 times higher among this group.
Opioid-related harms in this context include poisonings, mental and behavioural disorders such as withdrawal, and dependence.
Occupations at risk of opioid-related harms
Certain occupations posed even greater risks for opioid-related harms, the study highlighted. Workers in physically demanding sectors like construction, forestry, logging, and materials handling were found to be particularly vulnerable. In the construction industry, for instance, emergency department visits for opioid poisonings were more than three times higher than the general population.
Workers involved in tasks like excavating, paving, and grading were at higher risk compared to those in other trades, such as electrical work, where risks were lower.
“Our results suggest that work-related injuries are associated with increased future risk of opioid harms,” said Jeavana Sritharan, an OCRC scientist and co-author of two peer-reviewed journal articles based on the study.
“Part of the reason may be that workers in physically demanding jobs make up a disproportionate share of injured workers,” said Nancy Carnide, IWH scientist and study co-author. “But part of the reason may also be related to the experience of being injured and recovering from a work injury.”
Link between work injuries and opioid dependence
Using data from the Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS), which tracks Ontario workers’ health outcomes, the researchers examined hospitalizations and emergency department visits for opioid-related harms from 2006 to 2020. The large dataset allowed them to assess the specific occupations and industries at greatest risk.
“These results can be used by policymakers and workplaces to target prevention and harm reduction activities,” said Carnide.
In addition to the construction sector, other high-risk occupations included nursing aides, janitors, security guards, and chefs. The study also highlighted specific risks within the manufacturing industry, including mineral, metal, and chemical processing jobs, where opioid poisoning rates were 2.7 times higher than the general working population.
The researchers emphasized that the findings are specific to previously injured workers and may not reflect risks across all workers in these occupations. Furthermore, factors beyond workplace injuries could also contribute to the higher opioid-related harm rates in this group.
The study was made possible through funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), with additional support from Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, and the Ministry of Health.