This open access book examines the increase in outsourcing contracting and subcontracting as
ways of organising work. It explores the impact of these employment arrangements on public
safety particularly when they are linked to complex supply networks in a range of engineering
industries including oil and gas nuclear power and aviation. The brief provides practical
recommendations on how best to manage arrangements that target short-term profitability and
also maintain excellence in long-term safety outcomes. The brief is a source of advice for
organisations on how to maximise the benefits and minimise long-term system reliability issues
that can be introduced by contracting and outsourcing rather than assuming it to be a wholly
negative or positive practice. Contracting and Safety comprises qualitative empirical studies
focusing on high-reliability organisation. As such this brief provides a rich picture of the
experience of working in complex supply chains. It will be of interest to researchers in
industrial safety as well as safety professionals and project managers within engineering
industries.
