Working Lives Research Institute

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Migrant Workers in England and Wales: An assessment of migrant worker health and safety risks

Researchers

Dr Sonia McKay, Deepta Chopra and Marc Craw

Time Scale

March 2005– February 2006

Funding

Health and Safety Executive

 

Project Summary

The Working Lives Research Institute at London Metropolitan University is carrying out research aimed at assessing the patterns of employment of migrant workers in England and Wales and the main health and safety at work risks that they encounter. The Health and Safety Executive is funding this project.

With the expansion of the European Union and with new schemes providing opportunities to come to the UK to work, the number of migrant workers has grown in recent years. Recent tragedies, such the deaths of the cockle pickers at Morecambe Bay, and other research studies have shown that migrant workers may be more vulnerable due to poor working conditions. However, there is currently little strategic response to this trend and, in particular, there is no robust research that has focused on the health and safety risks faced by migrant workers and on the steps that would need to be taken to eliminate or reduce such risks. This research aims to address these gaps using various methods to examine the employment trends and work experiences of migrant workers in five regions; London, East of England, South West England, South Wales and North East England. Migrant workers are defined as those people who have come to the UK within the last five years, specifically to find or take up work, whether intending to remain permanently or temporarily and regardless of whether documented or undocumented. Key industry sectors that will be focused on include construction, agriculture, food processing, hotel and catering, packaging and personal services. Interviews and surveys will be carried out with employers, trade union officials, representatives of other key bodies and organisations, and with migrant workers themselves.

 

Information to be gathered

In each of the five regions, the research will bring together as reliable data as possible on migrant workers in relation to;

the recent trends in migration and possible future scenarios their characteristics and demography the industrial sectors and occupations in which they work the nature of their employment relationship (e.g. agency, 'gang-master') the pay and conditions of work health and safety practices in their workplaces exposure to risks and dangerous practices

Through interviews and surveys, the research will establish:

employer's attitudes to migrant labour recruitment policies and practices in relation to migrant workers employment and welfare problems experienced by migrant workers, specifically those related to their language and accommodation needs health and safety best practice in employment that can be documented and transferred work-related issues relevant to migrant workers, including issues of payment, exposure to bullying and harassment at work, shift working and working hours migrant workers' family and caring responsibilities here and in the country of origin and the extent to which this may affect their health and well-being

Research Methods

The project will use a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods and gather information from a number of different primary and secondary sources. The research will include:

Analysis of existing data on health and safety risks Interviews with key respondents in interested bodies such as trade unions and local and regional authorities Literature review and analysis of existing data sources in government and voluntary agencies with direct or indirect responsibilities for migrant workers Interviews with 200 migrant workers themselves (approximately 40 in each region sampled according to local factors) Postal self-completion survey aiming to receive at least 400 useable responses from 2000 employers in key industrial sectors that may employ migrant workers, followed by interviews with 80 to 100 employers (20 to 24 interviews in each region) Postal self-completion survey of 300 to 500 local union officials and a further 40 officials with national responsibilities aiming to receive at least 100 useable responses.

A Project Advisory Board consisting of representatives from the HSE, unions, employer federations and migrant worker organisations will provide support and advice.

 

Timetable and Outcomes

The project started in March 2005. Postal surveys were sent to employers and trade union officials in May 2005 and interviews with key organisations, employers and migrant workers took place from July to October 2005.

The project will produce a series of reports with findings throughout the year. The final report will be released in early 2006. From the evidence collected, it will make recommendations for public policy intervention both within the HSE and also at a regional and national level (specifically on recruitment providers) on how to deliver a more effective health and safety policy and inform workers of their rights.

 

Contact Details

For further information, please contact Deepta Chopra and Marc Craw on 020 7320 3573/3577, or Sonia McKay on 020 7320 1382 or email d.chopra@londonmet.ac.uk or m.craw@londonmet.ac.uk or s.mckay@londonmet.ac.uk