IRSST - Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail

1992

Institute   >   Historical Overview   >   1991-2000   >   1992
April 20, 2024

1992: Research for enhanced understanding

Guiding principles for research

The IRSST redefined the principles on which it based its research activities. The redefined principles were:

  • Both employers and workers should participate in defining research orientations and carrying out projects in the workplace.
  • It should be an active member of the occupational health and safety network for which it is the preferred research agency.
  • Its research activities should relate to concrete problems.
  • It should conduct original research that helps further or transfer knowledge.
  • Its work should meet international criteria regarding scientific quality.
  • its internal and external research activities should complement each other.
  • The results of its research should be disseminated and applied.

Our laboratories honoured

The Association québécoise pour l’hygiène, la santé et la sécurité du travail (AQHSST)honoured the Laboratory Division with the Antoine-Aumont Award to highlight the excellence of its analytical services, its reference role and its industrial hygiene R&D activities.

Affiche SST
 

L'Équipe de la Direction des laboratoires en 1992.
Cliquez sur l'image pour agrandir.

Innovative studies

DIRSST-funded researchers at Université de Montréal developed and validated a technique for using the air exhaled by workers to perform biological monitoring of exposure to industrial solvents.

ordures

A first large-scale study was conducted of the risk of accidents during garbage collection For 300 hours, researchers followed, observed and filmed 55 workers over a distance of 2,800 km. Garbage collectors were found to handle an average of more than three tonnes of garbage each; to make 482 flexion, 203 throwing and 159 twisting movements; and to travel more than two kilometres during each hour of their work day. The study clearly identified the major causes of accidents and proposed concrete solutions to eliminate them.