Jobs and Bodies: An Oral History of Health and Safety in Britain

The book explores the history of health and safety from Second World War to the present, drawing extensively upon workers' personal stories of occupational accidents, disasters, injury, disease, overwork, and disability. It covers a wide range of workplace issues, from stories of TNT poisoning and overwork in wartime to the asbestos and black lung disasters, and the modern-day 'epidemics of stress, burn-out, and Covid-19.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

In the early 21st century, a seismic shift in work locations and patterns has prompted society to reevaluate the profound impact of employment on both the body and the mind. This book serves as a valuable resource, offering historical context and insights to enhance our understanding of this contemporary crisis. Through an oral-history-based approach, Arthur McIvor delves into the history of health and safety, spanning from the Second World War to the present. Drawing extensively upon the personal accounts of workers, he explores a wide range of workplace issues, including incidents of TNT poisoning, overwork during wartime, asbestos and black lung disasters, as well as the modern-day "epidemics" of stress, burnout, and COVID-19. By initiating conversations about the harms caused by work, this book critically examines how individuals have navigated occupational illness and disability, challenging risk and work-health cultures, as well as the structural violence inherent in industrial capitalism and neoliberal economics. Additionally, it explores the agency of big business and the advocacy of workers and victims. With a focus on class, gender, disability, and race, this book employs an extensive array of secondary and primary sources, including government reports, inquiries based on workers' testimonies, Mine and Factory Inspectors Reports, HSE papers, newspapers, Mass Observation responses, and oral history interviews. By amalgamating these diverse sources, the book provides a comprehensive and multifaceted analysis of the historical and contemporary challenges associated with work and health.

Weight: 470g
Dimension: 156 x 235 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350236219