Health and Safety ReportVol 23, Issue 09

In recent years, Canada has seen troubling increases in what researchers call “deaths of despair,” fatalities caused by suicide, drug poisoning, and alcohol use. An ongoing study from the Institute for Work and Health (IWH) explores the connection between these deaths and job quality. To date, the findings have revealed that workers in low-quality, unstable work situations face much higher risks of dying from these causes than those in well-paid, stable jobs.

What the study looked at

The study used data from 2.8 million working-age Canadians who completed the long-form census in 2006 and linked this information with death records up to 2019 to see how job conditions related to mortality. Researchers dug into three important factors that shape job quality: stability (weeks worked during the year), hours (full-time or part-time), and earnings.

While analyzing these elements, the researchers identified five categories of employment: standard (stable, full-time jobs with good pay), portfolio (stable jobs with long hours and very high earnings), marginal (stable jobs with limited hours and low pay), intermittent (irregular, unstable jobs with long hours but only average pay) and precarious (unstable jobs with few hours and the lowest earnings). These categories represent a spectrum, using a comparison group (standard) and groups ranging from high-quality to very low-quality (precarious) work.

The instability effect

Compared to workers in standard employment, those in precarious jobs were two to three times more likely to die by suicide, drug poisoning, or alcohol-related causes. Women in precarious employment were especially vulnerable, with a 2.4-times higher risk of suicide and more than triple the risk of fatal drug poisoning compared to women in stable, full-time jobs. Men in precarious jobs also faced sharply higher risks, 1.7 times higher for suicide, 2.7 times higher for drug poisoning, and more than double the risk of alcohol-related deaths.

The study also found that as job quality declined, the risks of deaths of despair increased. It wasn’t just the lowest-quality jobs that carried health risks – even those in “intermittent” or “marginal” jobs faced higher rates of suicide, overdose, and alcohol-related deaths than people in secure, standard jobs.

Differences across gender and age

Patterns also varied by gender. For women, precarious and intermittent jobs were more strongly linked to suicide and drug poisoning deaths. For men, the connection between low-quality work and alcohol-related deaths was stronger. The researchers suggest that gender-based pressures, such as balancing caregiving and paid work, may play a role in shaping these risks.

Age was also a determining factor. Middle-aged adults (45 to 64 years) in precarious jobs faced higher risks than younger workers, suggesting that the health impacts of poor-quality work can build up over time, making long-term exposure especially harmful.

Why job quality matters

The findings underscore that simply having a job is not enough to safeguard health. Employment is protective when it provides income, meaning, stability, and social connection. But when work is insecure, low-paid, or unstable, it can leave people vulnerable to despair and the kinds of harms that lead to early death.

The researchers assert that job quality should be seen as foundational in preventing deaths of despair. By addressing the root causes, such as unstable hours, low wages, and lack of job security, policymakers and employers can reduce risks before they spiral into crises like substance use or suicide.

For policymakers, strategies to improve health and prevent deaths of despair need to go beyond creating jobs. They must also focus on ensuring those jobs are stable, paid fairly, and support workers’ well-being. For employers, the findings are a reminder that investing in job quality can have life-saving impacts.

The study’s lead researchers, Dr. Faraz Vahid Shahidi and PhD candidate Alessandra Andreacchi, emphasize that precarious employment is not just an economic issue, but a public health issue.

Moving forward

The study provides one of the most detailed looks yet at how job quality shapes life and death outcomes in Canada. It also highlights the importance of labour protections, social safety nets, and workplace practices that support stability and dignity. As the number of deaths of despair continue to rise, it highlights for Canadians that improving job quality is not only about building fairer workplaces, but also about saving lives.

Resources

• Mental Health - Job Burnout, CCOHS
• Good jobs, bad jobs, and ‘deaths of despair’, Institute for Work and Health
• Precarious jobs linked to suicide, drug poisoning, and alcohol-related deaths, Institute for Work and Health
• Income inequality and ‘hospitalisations of despair’ in Canada, University of Alberta

Plain language is the use of clear words and phrases in short, logical sentences. For new workers or those who speak a different first language, using plain language can help to avoid misunderstandings, errors, injuries and feelings of exclusion. Follow these plain language tips to make it easier for everyone to understand important health and safety guidance.  

• Speak directly to your audience. Ask yourself these three questions before sharing a message. Who is my audience? What is my main point? What am I asking workers to do or understand? The answers can help you frame a clear and concise message.
• Present the main message first. Organize the information clearly and logically so that the most important points are first. Avoid details that may distract from the message. List actions to be taken in the correct order.
• Avoid jargon, acronyms, and legal and technical terms. Spell out acronyms and use shorter, familiar words your audience understands. If you must use a specialized word, be sure to explain what it means.
• Less is more! Be brief. Break up long sentences and divide instructions into easy-to-follow steps.
• Organize information clearly. Use readable fonts and sizes, headings and subheadings, bulleted lists and simple graphics to make your messages easier to understand.  
• Use active voice. Follow the subject-verb-object order. For example, write "Alex removed clutter to prevent slips, trips, and falls" rather than "the clutter was removed by Alex to prevent slips, trips, and falls.”
• Put your text to the test. Ask people who aren’t familiar with your content for their feedback. Are they able to locate, understand and act on the information?
• Access our free plain language toolkit. Spell It Out provides practical tips and resources on how to use and promote plain language.

Using plain language principles in your health and safety guidance can help everyone work safely on the job.

Resources

• Spell It Out: A Plain Language Toolkit, CCOHS
• Hazard Communication Using Plain (Clear) Language, CCOHS
• Plain language, accessibility, and inclusive communications, Government of Canada

Our podcast episodes help you stay current and informed about workplace health, safety, and well-being in Canada.

Featured podcast: Preventing Respiratory Infectious Diseases in the Workplace

Respiratory infectious diseases can spread easily in the workplace, with symptoms ranging from mild to very serious. We discuss the steps we can all take to protect ourselves and others during cold and flu season.

Listen to the podcast now. 

Encore podcast: Indigenous Perspectives on Health and Safety

In First Nations communities, several factors are considered before undertaking new health and safety initiatives. Jeff Robert, an Indigenous human resources practitioner, shares his insights in this episode.

Listen to the podcast now.

See the complete list of podcast topics or, better yet, subscribe to the series on iTunes or Spotify and don't miss a single episode.

From cleaning products to chemicals produced on site, it’s an employer’s duty to protect their workers from hazardous chemicals in the workplace.  

We offer employers resources to support the safe use, storage and handling of chemicals at work.  

• CANManage - Help keep your workplace safe and WHMIS-compliant with our online safety data sheet management solution. The fully bilingual tool allows you to quickly organize, share and keep your collection up to date, and includes the safety data sheet program elements that inspectors look for to evaluate compliance in an audit. A handy app is included, making it easier than ever for your team to access, whether on desktops or mobile devices. 

• WHMIS.org - Stay current on WHMIS requirements in your jurisdiction with the revamped WHMIS.org website. With a fresh, simplified layout and mobile-friendly features, it’s easier than ever to access up-to-date information and resources from any desktop or mobile device. The WHMIS.org website is made possible through the collaboration of Health Canada, CCOHS and all the federal, provincial and territorial occupational health and safety regulatory jurisdictions across Canada.

For more helpful information, check out our collection of chemical-related fact sheets.

Occupational health and safety laws are always evolving. This month’s highlights include changes to the Workplace Safety and Health Act in Manitoba, Workers' Compensation Act in Nova Scotia, and Occupational Health and Safety Act in Ontario.

Manitoba:

• Workplace Safety and Health Act: S.M. 2025, c. 26 came into effect on July 1, 2025: the purposes of the Act are expanded to include enabling workers to work in psychologically safe workplaces; dangerous work is confirmed to be work involving an imminent risk of serious physical or health injury where reasonable controls have not been put in place; an employer may be ordered to put in place a medical surveillance program if the Chief Occupational Medical Officer has reason to believe that a worker has been over-exposed to a harmful substance; complaints regarding reprisals in unionized workplaces continue to be dealt with under the Act, wages lost due to a reprisal may be collected as if they were unpaid wages under The Employment Standards Code; amendments related to the Manitoba Labour Board include enabling the Board to determine whether hearings are to be by oral or written submissions, and award hearing costs against a party in appropriate circumstances; the Workplace Safety and Health Branch may decline to deal with a matter if the worker has chosen to deal with the matter in a different forum; the period during which improvement orders and stop work orders must be posted at a workplace is extended and orders of the branch may be served electronically; and, related employers may be treated as a single employer for the purposes of the Act.

Nova Scotia:

• Workers' Compensation Act: S.N.S. 2024, c. 10, sections 20 and 21 came into effect on July 15, 2025, and add new Section 89A about employer’s and worker’s duties regarding early and safe return to work.

Ontario:

Occupational Health and Safety Act: The Working for Workers Five Act, 2024, S.O. 2024, c. 19, Sched. 4, sections 1(4), 5, 7 and 10 came into effect on July 1, 2025 and added: 

• a definition for “washroom facility” in subsection 1(1)
• a new Section 23.1 “Washroom facilities” regarding a constructor’s duties
• a new Section 25.1 “Washroom facilities” regarding an employer’s duties, and
• paragraphs 43.0.1, 43.2 and 43.3 to subsection 70(2).

For more information, CCOHS offers a paid subscription service, Canadian enviroOSH Legislation plus Standards, that provides a collection of all the health, safety, and environmental legislation you need in one location. The collection is updated daily, and subscribers receive a monthly summary of proposed and repealed legislation, amendments, and new documents.

Across Canada there are laws in place to protect workers on the job.

This occupational health and safety legislation outlines three important rights of all workers to ensure they have the knowledge they need to be safe on the job, and the freedom to participate in health and safety activities in their workplace.

Workers' Basic Rights – Display this poster – available in Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, English and French – to remind workers of their rights at work.

Basic Rights of Workers in Canada – Inform workers of their rights while demonstrating your commitment to a healthy and safe workplace. Available in English and French.  

How our posters work

• Choose the poster you wish to purchase. You’ll receive a print-ready PDF file that can be printed in a variety of sizes.  
• Next, send the digital artwork to a local or online print shop to get full-colour, high-quality posters. Your workplace may also be able to produce printed posters onsite. 
• Plus, all of our posters are available for free as a smaller-sized download.  

Need a poster in a different size or want to add your company logo? Customization options are available. Contact us for details.