Making Companies Safe - what works? (CCA ... - Unite the Union

• A number of studies evaluating the impact of specific health and safety regulations found
that these were generally associated with a change in employer practice amongst those
organisations that were aware of them. 35 For instance;
– Hanson et al.’s 1998 review of the Six Pack Regulations found a steady increase in the
proportion of employers conducting risk assessments from 30 per cent before the
regulations were introduced in 1992 to more than 80% by 1998.
– Honey et al.’s 1996 evaluation of the Noise at Work Regulations found that around
35-40% of employers had introduced ear protection following the introduction of the
legislation.
– Lancaster et al.’s 2001 research found a similar level of impact following the
introduction of the Manual Handling Regulations.
It is clearly crucial that the HSC is aware of this research when making decisions on whether
to pursue a voluntary or regulatory route. Whilst it may be cheaper, easier and more politically
convenient to opt for voluntary routes – the evidence certainly indicates that they will not be
effective.
The next two chapters look at the extent to which the HSC considered this and other evidence
in making its decisions on Directors Duties and Worker Participation.
22
1 Health and Safety Commission (2004a: 11).
2 Action point 7.
3 Action point 11.
4 Action point 15.
5 Action point 16.
6 Action point 31.
7 See Action Point 11 of Revitalising Health and Safety (DETR/ HSC, 2000).
8 Health and Safety Commission (2003b).
9 See, for instance, Health and Safety Commission (2000).
10 Health and Safety Commission (2003a).
11 Confederation of British Industry (2004).
12 Gunningham (1999a: 12).
13 Voluntary codes of conduct are a form of self-regulation for corporations operation in the global economy. Workplace codes
may be inspired by, and sometimes incorporate international human rights standards established in the conventions and
declarations of the ILO and the UN, but they are nevertheless entirely voluntary (Human Rights Dialogue, 2000: 1-3). Christian
Aid defines Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as: “an entirely voluntary, corporate-led initiative to promote self-regulation
as a substitute for regulation at either national or international level” (Christian Aid, 2004: 5).
14 Discussed in Wright et al. (2004: 14).
15 Wright et al. (2004: 14).
16 OECD (2000).
17 See for instance the report by Christian Aid (2004).
18 See for instance, Duong (2000) and Banks (2000: 14).
19 Benjamin (2000: 7).
20 Letter from Amnesty International and other organisations to DTI, 27 May 2004, ‘Consultation on Draft International
Strategic Framework”.
21 The Observer ‘UK’s ‘responsible’ industry credibility blown asunder’, Sunday May 30, 2004.
22 Gunningham (1999a: 24).
23 Discussed in Gunningham (1999a: 24-25).
24 Purvis and Bauler (2004).
25 Benjamin (2000: 7).
26 Christian Aid (2004).
27 OECD (2000: 26, 29).
28 Wright et al. (2004: 7).
29 Hillage et al. (2001: 29); Wright (1998).
30 Hillage et al. (2001: 26).
31 Wright (1998).
32 Ashby S.G. and Diacon S.R. (1996).
33 Baldwin and Anderson (2002: 25).
34 Hillage et al. (2001).
35 Hillage et al. (2001: 26).