Changing local health and safety practices at work within the explosives industry

An action research project was carried out over a period of 18 months at three companies engaged in the manufacture of explosives. The aim of the research was to evaluate a scheme for health and safety practices which provided for worker participation and a structured decisionmaking process. Problems encountered when attempting to improve provisions for health and safety at work are discussed. At all the workplaces involved, however, the experiment resulted in active efforts to reduce health and safety risks particularly with reference to risks of explosions, acceptance of remedial action among workers who participated in the decisionmaking process and increased knowledge and a broader understanding of problems related to health and safety at work among those directly participating in the experiment.