SRA-E Lisbon 2017

The motivations behind the United Kingdom's Brexit vote have yet to be fully comprehended. One thing which is clear, however, is that the reasons are complex and to some extent may have limited or indirect connection with a belief that the additional requirements of EU legislation create an unnecessary burden on British business. In this paper a possible contributory thread associated with the bureaucracy of health and safety management is explored. The UK has, of course, been required to comply with European health and safety legislation, notably the 1989 European Council Framework Directive 89/391/EEC (CEC 1989). Contemporaneously, though not necessarily strongly connected if at all, there has been an explosion in bureaucratic requirements for firms and public bodies with regard to health and safety including, in particular, a need to document risk assessments. Record keeping of this kind has become a significant preoccupation for all organisations, large or small, including not just factories and businesses but also health, educational and leisure establishments. The impact has been widespread affecting all corners of society and is a frequent topic of conversation. In 2012 the former Prime Minister, David Cameron, noted that cost of this health and safety culture “runs into the billions each year”, and “saps personal responsibility and drains enterprise.” Many other commentators have drawn attention to this apparent burden. The British government responded with a series of reviews and measures aimed at reversing the spread of this culture and restoring the then damaged reputation of health and safety in the eyes of the public. This paper explores the origins of these bureaucratic requirements, and finds that the reality of how they came about is more complex than at first glance, and is not wholly attributable to the EU. Indeed, some of the problems may be of the UK’s own making. It goes on to examine some potential contributory factors to the current situation.