This report, which draws on interviews with 200 migrant workers in five regions of England and Wales, considers whether the position that recent migrant workers occupy within the labour market puts their health and safety at increased risk, in comparison with other workers in similar positions.
The research findings suggest that it is not the case that the risks inherent in a particular type of work of necessity only present themselves in relation to migrant workers. However, what it does reveal is that migrants are more likely to be working in sectors or occupations where there are existing health and safety concerns and that it is their status as new workers that may place them at added risk, due to their relatively short periods of work in the UK and limited knowledge of the UK’s health and safety system.
The report also notes that migrant motivations in coming to the UK, particularly where these are premised on earning as much as possible in the shortest possible time, add to their risk factors and that limited means of communication between migrant workers and indigeneous supervisors also may place these workers at greater risk.
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