Safe and Sound? The Public Value Trade-Off in Worker Safety and Public Infrastructure Procurement

Abstract

Infrastructure previously overseen by public sector clients is now often in the hands of the private sector, thus blurring the definition of ‘client’ in public infrastructure provision. Since previous in-house governmental safeguards are often no longer maintained, new ways of achieving optimum safe work practices in the provision of public infrastructure are required. This research, conducted in an Australian industry context, examines safeguarding mechanisms that could be employed to realize the public value of worker safety in a changed infrastructure procurement environment.