Deregulation in the areas of workplace health and environmental protection in Scotland have been likened by the authors of a new report to the statutory neglect that led to the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, prompting them to call on the Scottish government to consider creating its own workplace safety regulator.
In Regulating Scotland, published today (24 September), Professors Andrew Watterson and Rory O’Neill, of the University of Stirling, argue that the effective enforcement of environmental and workplace standards in Scotland is being undermined by cost-cutting measures packaged as recession-busting necessities.
The report claims that even though work-fatality and sickness rates in Scotland are higher than the UK overall, just 1 per cent of the 2500 fatal and major injuries in the country each year are prosecuted by the HSE. Inspections by it, and its environmental counterpart, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), have “plummeted” as budgetary cuts start to take hold.
The 71-page report is highly critical of better-regulation policies, which, it says, “have pulled the teeth of the watchdogs charged with protecting workers, communities, and the environment”. It is also scathing about the use of the business case to justify the deregulatory approach, offering evidence from the United States and Australia, among others, that proper inspection and enforcement not only work but pay off in terms of saving economic, human and societal costs.
Speaking to SHP, Prof Watterson said: “The picture in Scotland is dismal but what the regulators are doing doesn’t make sense. We have lots of evidence showing that neglecting these things doesn’t work. Successive Scottish governments have admitted that health inequalities are a big problem but by neglecting work-related health, you scupper people in lots of different ways.”
His co-author, Prof Rory O’Neill, commented: “There is an unquestionable economic as well as a health case for retaining and improving regulations and their enforcement. We challenge the view that regulation inhibits job creation, innovation and economic growth – the evidence, if anything, suggests the opposite to be true.
“Only dirty and dangerous businesses have anything to fear from the enforcement of protective safety and environmental regulation. Business, workers, communities and the public purse can all garner substantial benefits from laws that protect the responsible from the rogues.”
Pointing out the damage caused by the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill to BP’s reputation and finances the report suggests the “slow disaster of more routine environmental and workplace harm continues unabated and largely unpoliced”, which can only result in a massive drain on the public purse and a negative impact on the health of the nation.
The report also suggests the formation by the Scottish Government of its own Scottish Occupational Health and Safety Agency and calls for improvements to be made in links between the HSE, SEPA and NHS Scotland so problems can be recognised and acted on sooner.
The report is due to be made available to download from the University of Stirling’s website.
Unfortunately, Scotland has shown us what happens when you fall into the trap that the coalition forces currently occupying our parliament are trying to drag our country into head first!! The erroneous belief that businesses – particularly multi-nationals, will behave and regulate themselves – they don’t, they just don’t!
Well! Proof of that pudding I think!!
So! Now the English and Welsh know just exactly what is in store for them in the future don’t they??