Economic and social dimensions of occupational health and safety and their central importance in social and responsible business

Abstract

The economic and social dimensions of occupational health and safety are defined. An examination is made of (1) the importance of the role of business in sustainable development, and (2) the importance of occupational health and safety within that role. Value chain construct is used to reveal (a) how, within the economic dimension, health and profitability benefits have been leveraged through the movement of OH&S strategy from the domain of market failure to the domain of non price productivity, and (b) how, within the social dimension, benefits are beginning to emerge from the way in which industry and commerce are changing in response to calls for social and responsible business and safe and civil society. Countervailing forces are acknowledged.