Organisational change and safety

An HSE guide says restructuring, outsourcing and job cuts can have major implications for safety in the workplace.

Organisational change and major accident hazards is aimed at the major hazard industries such as offshore, chemicals and petrochemicals, but is also useful for the rail and nuclear industries.

HSE inspectors have found weaknesses in the control of major hazards resulting from organisational changes across a number of industrial sectors. The HSE says: "In many instances organisational changes are not analysed and controlled, resulting in reducing defences against major incidents."

The HSE says employers "must particularly consider whether, and how, organisational changes may impact on their safety management systems".

The report can be downloaded from the HSE website at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/chis7.pdf