More innovative workplaces = safer workplaces: organisational innovation and the protection of workers' health and safety

The paper argues that grounding of occupational health and safety (OHS) regulation and workplace practice in theories of worker apathy and firms' least-cost competitive strategies is out of date and dangerous. An alternative foundation is offered, grounded in McGregor's notions of Theory X and Theory Y. In such a foundation, the same impulse towards quality and innovation, found in best practice workplaces, can be directed toward self management of OHS. Regulations need to be couched not to tell the best firms what to do, but to set minimum standards for the worst - to prevent their competitive strategies from undermining other firms. The case is thereby made that regulation to protect social innovation is not a public burden, but a public good. More imaginative ways of getting this message across need to be considered by the OHS community.