Abstract

The research team aims to identify the strategies and aspects of OHS management required to facilitate a sustainable return to work and retention of employment afterwards that could be applied to small- and medium-sized businesses. To that end, the researchers will conduct a scoping review of the literature about OHS management in SMEs.

Studies about SMEs have increased over the past 30 years and some of them have led to new occupational health and safety concepts and theories. However, knowledge is lacking about the practices underlying a sustainable return to work and job retention following an employment injury that take into account the characteristics of SMEs.

The results will assist in interpreting the needs involved in applying sustainable return to work and job retention approaches and procedures to SMEs in Québec. In addition, gaps and shortcomings in research into OHS in SMEs will be highlighted.