Workplaces are less safe without unions

Non-unionised workplaces have lower levels of consultation and worker participation, and a worse safety culture, than unionised workplaces. That's the message implicit in a new report from the government's Health and Safety Laboratory.

Although "reasonable levels of workforce participation [were] reported at most sites", researchers found "no evidence that workers requested or initiated new participatory or consultative arrangements" such as safety committees. They concluded this was probably a characteristic of non-unionised workplaces.

"In most cases managers, health and safety officers, employee reps and workers were not aware of the relevant health and safety regulations," the report said. "Of those that demonstrated some level of awareness, they did not have a detailed level of insight into the regulations."

Workforce participation in occupational health and safety management in non-unionised workplaces (HSL/2005/41) can be downloaded from www.hse.gov.uk/research/hsl_pdf/2005/hsl0541.pdf