Responses to death in complex industrial work sites: The nexus between workplace safety and economic development

Abstract

This article is concerned with the effect of the current economic, political and regulatory climate on the future of health and safety at work. This climate includes a push for increased efficiency and flexibility through industrial restructuring leading to the growth of the secondary labour market of subcontractors, casual labour in increased self employment. Measured against this is the increased regulatory expectations in the area of health and safety including legislation which places major contractors as primarily responsible for all employees on site, whether their own or not. The sets up a potential conflict between the economic and regulatory imperatives. It is this potential conflic..