Report calls for migrants who report unsafe practices to be granted immunity from deportation
A report backed by the Health and Safety Executive has called for illegal migrants to be protected from deportation if they report accidents.
The report, commissioned by the HSE and compiled by London Metropolitan University, suggests that migrant workers in industries including construction suffer more work-related accidents than their UK counterparts.
However, they are afraid to report safety issues to employers for fear of dismissal, or deportation if they are working without documentation.
The research, gathered from interviews with migrant workers and their employers, found that migrant workers are often at greater risk of accidents because:
- They are often employed in areas in which they have little experience, including high-risk occupations such as scaffolding
- Migrant workers often work as gangs, with one bilingual member acting as interpreter. This can lead to communication breakdowns
- Migrants are likely to work longer hours
- Financial rewards can be attached to practices that threaten health and safety.
This trend was particularly evident in construction, with the report uncovering evidence of migrant workers leaving site as soon as an HSE inspector arrived. Examples included an accident to a Polish worker, which only came to light through a third party.
The report recommends that the HSE work with the government to develop methods to investigate accidents without workers “facing the prospect of deportation, dismissal or victimisation”.
The report also calls for a regulatory regime covering labour agencies’ safety responsibilities.
The HSE said it was considering the recommendations.
