Achieving Efficiency and Accountability in Ohs and Workplace Reform

This paper examines the relationship between workplace reform and occupational health and safety. Since the early 1980s major changes have occurred to both industrial relations and occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation. Legislative changes and policy initiatives have created both problems and opportunities in terms of improving occupational health and safety. The paper identifies reasons for involving workers in occupational health and safety management, including the contribution this can make to workplace reform. At the same time, a number of concerns are raised about the introduction of changes in the workplace may adversely affect occupational health and safety. The paper concludes by looking at the impact of enterprise bargaining on OHS. It argues that while enterprise bargaining offers some opportunities for improving OHS the present institutional mechanisms do not adequately guard against negative outcomes. This, and available evidence, indicates that enterprise bargaining may well lead to a deterioration of OHS standards. This is most likely to occur in cost-competitive, weakly unionised or labour intensive industries industries in which NESB migrants and women workers are disproportionately concentrated.