Summary

Québec’s Minister of Labour is responsible for conducting a study of changes in working conditions in Québec every five years. In 2007, it therefore mandated the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), the Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ), the ministère du Travail, the ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux and the Commission des normes du travail (CNT) to undertake the Québec Survey on Working, Employment and OHS Conditions (EQCOTESST). The survey report paints a picture of working and OHS conditions in Québec, including the organizational environment, physical work demands and work-life balance. It focuses on aspects of occupational health and safety (OHS) by looking specifically at work-related musculoskeletal disorders, traumatic work accidents, mental health in the workplace, and workers’ perceptions of their general health. Over 5,000 Québec workers participated in this population survey, for which data were collected between November 2007 and February 2008.