ABSTRACT
A significant proportion of social researchers are engaged as contract research staff in higher education institutions. As the research manager or principal investigator would be expected to undertake this risk assessment on behalf of the employing organisation, as well as assuming a general ethical responsibility to ensure the safety of the research team, safety of research staff is considered. When an employment relationship exists, responsibilities on the part of the employer and employee are clear and covered by employment law developed through statute, common law and set out in the terms of the employment contract. Determining the detailed personnel and career management arrangements for contract research staff was seen as the responsibility of the universities and colleges as the employers. The Office of Science and Technology facilitated the establishment in 1997 of the Research Careers Initiative, with representation from the higher education funding councils, the research councils, the charities, the universities and the university staff unions.
