Can Health and Safety Regulators Respond to Changing Societal Expectations

Chapter 13 presents the key challenges to health and safety regulation in the twenty-first century. It explores the pros and cons of hazard-based v. Risk-based regulation; echoing a central debate in india about whether risks should be avoided or managed. This chapter proceeds to highlight the different health and safety regulation models in the us and europe and how they have dealt with ‘risk’ and ‘uncertainty’. These different models and styles have evolved out of each country’s political and administrative culture, and in response to their own history of accidents. Whilst these models are unique to each country such a comparative analysis may be useful for india to reflect upon its own regulatory model. Finally, the chapter examines how health and safety regulators need to keep pace with, and adapt risk management procedures to, changing societal expectations—lessons that could prove useful in the indian context.