It wouldn't have ended this way if they left it to the expert - you. Union research is the best way to track down workplace ill-health and find the solutions to Britain's sick workplaces. Sometimes problems stem from poor research, sometime from the absence of research. More often than not it is because no-one either cares or values the opinion of the workers doing the risky jobs.
Good stuff can happen.
But this positive response is not the norm. They should meet with workers and their representatives to obtain a more complete, accurate, and balanced assessment of past occupational exposures. Behavioural changes and initiatives taken to improve the workplace were also reported in group interviews. Indeed, the person doing the job often has the best knowledge of the problem elements and insights into ways to improve the work. Active research involves going out and looking for a problem, through studies, surveys and other investigations.