It's down to you
The government is axing safety controls and a cut back and commercialised Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is a stranger in most workplaces. Who’s picking up the slack? Trade union safety reps of course, who in October 2017 celebrate the 40th anniversary of their lifesaving role. Hazards, number 139, 2017
You gotta fight for your right to safety You think we have got safety cracked? Well, injuries may have fallen but problems including work cancers, insecurity and mental health conditions are rocketing. Dave Smith says only informed collective action will really make work better. Hazards, number 139, 2017
Safety respect Is it possible to take a dysfunctional workplace with high levels of assaults, sickness and poor morale and in less than a year make it a haven of safety and worker contentment, with managers respecting and valuing the union role? Union rep Mark White explains how they achieved just that in his workplace. Hazards, issue 107, July-September 2009
Don’t be a safety nerd Workers join unions because they are concerned about safety, and stay
in unions for the same reason. That’s why training trade union safety
reps in the links between safety and organisation is a top priority for
TUC. Hazards, issue 102,
May 2008
Cross words As workplace
deaths rise dramatically and the Health and Safety Executive’s austerity
programme leaves it haemorrhaging staff, mothballing work programmes and
shutting offices, Hazards looks for clues on what unions –
snubbed and so far refused any new rights by HSE after its worker involvement
consultation - should do next. Hazards,
issue 98, April-June 2007
Safety repressedThe
government admits the lifesaving work of safety reps saves society hundreds
of millions of pounds each year. Now unions are asking why the Health
and Safety Executive seems reluctant to expand their role. Hazards
special online briefingin
full, March 2007
Consultation consultation[Hazards 94, May 2006]
The government is kicking off another “employee consultation”
consultation. This time, says TUC’s Hugh Robertson, it should introduce
meaningful changes to recognise the lifesaving role of union safety reps.
In the firing line
[Hazards 89, January-March 2005] In
the UK we have kinda, sorta rights. The sort of rights that mean you can
refuse dangerous work, but you risk being fired for your trouble. Where
you have a right to speak up but where
your boss could still turf you out. And anti-union laws and union busting
firms are now making life at work more dangerous still. Hazards
outlines the law on victimisation of safety reps and on safery reps rights..
See
theHazards special
online briefingin full,
February 2005.
Safety
reps at work [Hazards
86, April-June, 2004] Union safety reps have a dramatic, positive
impact on safety at work - and the more training they get, the more marked
the "union safety effect." Hazards reports how the union training
on your doorstep and now in cyberspace can be a workplace lifesaver.
Safety
reps at work The rights and roles of workplace safety reps
around the world.
Roving repsWhat
should unions do when a workplace hasn't got a workplace safety rep? Roving
reps or Workplace Safety Advisers (WSAs) covering several workplaces could
be the answer.
Notices Union
inspection notices (UINs) and provisional improvement notices (PINs) are
allowing union reps to take workplace safety enforcement into their own
hands.
Union effectHygienists
might have a measure of it and doctors a diagnosis for it, but only workers
with collective power have much chance of doing anything about workplace
harm. Hazards
shows how.
Britain: Filled in the TUC safety reps’ survey yet?
The TUC’s latest survey of union health and safety representatives is online, and waiting for you to spend just five minutes sharing your experiences. The TUC says responses from safety reps are “valuable to us, they let us know the issues safety reps are dealing with, and what work the TUC and our member unions should prioritise and campaign on in the years ahead.” TUC alert. Take the survey - it should take approximately 5 minutes to complete. Hazards news,
10 January 2023
Britain: CWU rep receives TUC’s top safety award
A Communication Workers’ Union safety rep has received the TUC’s top safety award. Jamie McGovern, who was announced as the winner of the 2022 Health and Safety Rep Award at TUC’s Congress, said trade unionism was now more relevant than ever, adding: “You are better supported when you are united.” TUC Award Winners 2022. Hazards news,
28 October 2022
Britain: Scottish tourism reboot must include roving union reps
The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) has sounded a serious note of caution at the Scottish government’s plan to re-open tourism and hospitality next month. STUC said any reopening of the largely non-union sector should occur only in full consultation with staff. They should be supported by union roving reps and union organisers provided access to their workplace, it added. The union body was commenting after the Scottish government’s tourism secretary Fergus Ewing said the tourism and hospitality businesses should prepare, within appropriate safety guidelines, for reopening on 15 July. He added that “absolutely nothing can be guaranteed” and this date may change if the evidence on Covid-19 requires it. STUC general secretary designate Rozanne Foyer said: “As things stand, we have a contact tracing system, which is at the very early stages of roll-out. Equally, there is no coherent transport plan and we continue to raise significant concern of the government guidance for its safe operation.” She added: “Given that levels of trade union membership in tourism and hospitality is low, along with prevalence of precarious work in the sector, we will need clear undertakings that employers wishing to re-open will fully consult their staff and admit union organisers and mobile union health and safety reps to support workers. We will need to see a special health and safety risk assessment for each and every establishment that re-opens including viable rostering to ensure travel safety.” Commenting on the 10 June announcement, she concluded: “Employers must commit to supporting contact tracing and not to penalise staff who obey public health guidance. We expect to play a full part on the taskforce announced today to guide the easing of lockdown in this sector.” STUC webpage. BBC News Online. Risks 951. Hazards news,
13 June 2020
Britain: Warning - your accident book could be hazardous
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has produced a new accident book – and it includes changes of crucial importance for the work of safety reps. The new version confirms safety representatives must have access to information on work injuries, regardless the requirements of the new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). TUC blog. HSE Accident Book, 2018 edition, TSO – make sure your workplace has the ticked-boxed up-to-date version. Risks 872. Hazards news,
27 October 2018
Britain: So, you’re a safety rep? Tell us about it
Do you know how the TUC informs its health and safety policies, priorities and campaigns? It listens to the feedback from unions and their safety reps.
Have your say in the TUC survey of health and safety representatives 2018. Risks 843
Hazards news,
7 April 2018
Britain: UNISON recognises top safety reps
UNISON health and safety reps “go beyond the call of duty,” general secretary Dave Prentis declared at the union’s Safety Rep of the Year awards. The public service union’s event also celebrated the positive difference 40 years of safety reps have made to ordinary people’s working lives. UNISON news release. Risks 837. Hazards news,
17 February 2018
Britain: The future of safety rep training
The TUC is developing exciting new ways to train its legions of union safety reps. Every health and safety representative recognises the benefit of good trade union training, says Jackie Williams of TUC Education, noting it is what gives reps the skills to do their lifesaving, life enhancing job and to keep a safe distance from the employer. On course: The future of safety rep training, Jackie Williams, Hazards magazine, number 140, 2017. TUC Education website. Risks 831. Hazards news, 6 January 2018
Britain: What would a super safety rep look like?
As part of the TUC’s work celebrating 40 years of union health and safety representatives, the union body is planning a resource on how to expand the existing legal role of these life-saving union reps. The TUC says it is pulling together examples of health and safety representatives reaching agreements that go beyond the requirements on employers under the 1977 Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations, such as the right to stop the job, roving reps or Union Improvement Notices.
Email your examples to the TUC health and safety department. Risks 826 Hazards news,
18 November 2017
Britain: Let’s celebrate women safety reps
The TUC wants to hear from women safety reps, past and present, about their safety successes at work. He said make sure you include the name of the union, the employer, what was done and what was achieved, together with the who, why, where and when of how it happened.
You can send your case histories to Hugh by email or via an online form. Risks 818 Hazards news,
23 September 2017
Britain: Safety reps have it all to play for
The TUC has said it is crucial the government’s Trade Union Bill faces a robust challenge – not least because it could make work a far more dangerous place. Hugh Robertson, the union body’s head of safety, said the proposed measures would allow the government to restrict the time given to trade union health and safety representatives in the public sector, allow inexperienced and inadequately trained agency workers to substitute for skilled, safety savvy workers during strikes, and restrict the ability of workers to strike over safety issues. TUC Stronger Unions blog. Risks 741 Hazards news,
5 March 2016
Britain: New route for reps to report to HSE
A new system for safety reps to report problems at work after formal processes have failed has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The TUC says the new HSE ‘Concerns and advice form for safety representatives’, which can be submitted by post or online, comes into use when other formal processes have been exhausted. TUC briefing • HSE health and safety representatives webpage and Concerns and Advice form for safety representatives • Risks 670 Hazards news,
7 September 2014
Britain: TUC calls for safety reps to be “eyes and ears”
The HSE is depending more on complaints and “whistle-blowers” to compensate for the collapse in proactive inspections forced on it by the coalition government. The TUC’s head of Health and Safety, Hugh Robertson said “The fall in inspection numbers and the increased reliance on complaints shows that the only people who can expose what is going on it the workplace is union health and safety representatives.” Pinsent Masons • TUC report on Government record • Risks 656 Hazards news,
31 May 2014
Britain: UNISON wants more safety reps and campaigning
The importance of health and safety reps is greater than ever given the government’s continued assault on the health and safety regulatory system, UNISON delegates have agreed. Delegates at the national conference called on the UNISON national executive to: Work with UNISON’s Learning and Organising Services to improve training for safety reps; encourage branches to participate in the union’s Safety in Numbers campaign; provide bargaining advice to assist safety reps to get the time off to which they are legally entitled; and “work with the TUC, the Hazards campaign and other trade unions in the UK and Europe to combat the government’s reckless attacks on health and safety.” UNISON news release • Risks 611 Hazards news, 29 June 2013
Britain: Call for better rights for safety reps at sea
Members of the seafarers’ union Nautilus International in the UK are being urged to contact their MP and encourage them to sign an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling for improved rights for union safety reps onboard ships. Nautilus says under current laws, shore-based health and safety representatives have a legal right to attend a trade union-approved health and safety training course as soon as possible, whilst seafarers are only required to undertake onboard health and safety training at some stage. Nautilus news release • Early Day Motion 201: status of seafarer health and safety representatives • Risks 609 Hazards news,
15 June 2013
Britain: Safety reps spread on Virgin territory
Health and safety is helping build union influence in parts of a communication giant which has demonstrated “residual resistance” to the union. CWU has more than doubled the number of union health and safety reps in Virgin Media to 17, with 10 new reps recently put through their paces in an intensive five-day union-run training course. CWU news release • Risks 534 Hazards news,
3 December 2011
Britain: Many offshore firms still fail to consult workers
Offshore workers’ union RMT has criticised oil companies for “fundamentally failing” to involve workers in health and safety matters on rigs and has demanded improvements. The union was commenting after the publication of a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) review of the effectiveness of the offshore safety representatives and safety committees regulations. RMT news release • HSE offshore worker involvement webpages • Offshore workforce involvement and consultation. Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989: Compliance Inspection Project, HSE, 2011 [pdf] • STV Scotland • Risks 525 Hazards news,
1 October 2011
Britain: Soaraway stress warning from TUC
Stress, bulling and harassment, back strains, slips, trips and falls, and overwork top the list of workers' safety concerns, according to new TUC research. The union body's 2010 survey of safety reps found nearly two thirds (62 per cent) of reps say that stress is in the top five problems faced by the workers they represent. TUC news release • Morning Star • Risks 480 Hazards news,
30 October 2010
TUC resources for safety reps
The TUC has published an online resource pack for health and safety representatives. The lengthy list of resources includes three new publications - an introduction to being a health and safety representative, a guide to reporting, and information on what to expect if an inspector visits. The latter includes a link to the actions that official health and safety inspectors are recommended to take when they encounter breaches of the various regulations on consultation over health and safety issues. TUC safety rep resources • Risks 474 Hazards news,
18 September 2010
Britain: National inspection day, 27 October
Wednesday 27 October, the mid-point of this year’s European Health and Safety Week, is National Inspection Day, when union health and safety representatives are encouraged to inspect their workplace.
TUC National Inspection Day webpage, guide [pdf] and poster in colour [pdf] and black and white [pdf] Maintenance in the workplace: A guide for health and safety representatives, TUC, August 2010 • Risks 470 Hazards news,
21 August 2010
Britain: Get your TUC safety diploma online
You’ve done the courses, got the experience and you’ve still got a hankering to learn more. If so, you might want to consider the TUC Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety. Course and application details for the online course for the TUC Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety • Risks 367 Hazards news,
31 July 2010
Britain: Tribunal fails to protect safety rep
Penny Gower, a safety rep with the Scottish teaching union EIS, has criticised the flimsy protection provided by employment tribunals to those who stand up for safety. “The ET ruled that I had been unfairly dismissed due to the College summarily sacking me without an appeal, but concluded that they had been right to dismiss me anyway,” said the sacked Carnegie College tutor. Defend health and safety reps’ rights blog and Penny Gower’s safety rep inspection report [pdf] • Risks 465 Hazards news,
17 July 2010
Britain: Calling all safety reps!
The TUC wants to hear from trade union safety reps – what you are doing, what concerns you, and what problems and successes you are encountering while wearing your union safety hat. The eighth TUC survey of safety reps is designed to provide the TUC and individual unions with information about their safety reps and their experiences and needs. TUC survey of safety reps • Deadline for responses, 1 July 2010 • Risks 456 Hazards news,
15 May 2010
Britain: GMB’s not-that-accident-book accident book
A regular thumb-through the workplace accident book is a technique used by lots of union safety reps to determine any worrying trends. But the union GMB has now gone a step further, with the introduction of its own “unofficial” purpose-designed safety reps’ accident book. GMB unofficial accident and near-miss report book [pdf] • Risks 434 Hazards news,
28 November 2009
Britain: Usdaw guide to safety in a recession
Usdaw has sent each of its 4,600 health and safety reps a leaflet reminding them of the importance of using their legal functions to defend health and safety standards in the current down-turn. ‘Hard times - protecting health and safety standards in a recession’ points out why health and safety standards can slip when the money is tight. Usdaw news release • Hard times - protecting health and safety standards in a recession [pdf] • Risks 428 Hazards news,
17 October 2009
Britain: Firefighters put out new safety strategy
Firefighters’ union FBU is using its nationwide network of safety reps to investigate work-related health problems across the service. A new strategy, spelled out in a video clip on ‘fbutube’, is looking to use bodymapping establish the extent and causes of harm caused by work and to use this information to identify measures to improve work practices.
Britain: Safety reps make work happy and healthy
Is it possible to take a dysfunctional workplace battered by assaults, sickness and poor morale and in less than a year make it a haven of safety and worker contentment, with managers valuing the union role? UNISON rep Mark White, writing in the new edition of the trade union magazine Hazards, describes how they achieved just that in his workplace. Safety respect • Hazards magazine, number 107, Summer 2009 • Risks 419 Hazards news, 15 August 2009
Europe: Safety reps are a ‘powerful force’
Trade union safety reps have a “huge potential” for improving workers’ health, a Europe-wide investigation has concluded. The ESPARE project – full name ‘The Impact of Safety Representatives on Occupational Health: A European Perspective’ – was launched in 2006 by the European TUC’s health and safety research arm, REHS. ESPARE project • The impact of safety representatives on occupational health: A European perspective (the EPSARE project), Report 107, European Trade Union Institute, 2009. Order details • Risks 416 Hazards news,
25 July 2009
Britain: Better worker involvement on site
A new guide will help reduce accidents and improve worker involvement on construction sites, construction union UCATT has said. Working with Unite, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the employer-led ConstructionSkills organisation, UCATT has compiled a ‘Short guide to improving health and safety on construction sites through effective worker involvement.’ UCATT news release and Short guide to improving health and safety on construction sites through effective worker involvement, Strategic Forum for Construction [pdf] • Risks 417 Hazards news,
1 August 2009
Britain: Brown praises union safety reps
In a message released to mark Workers’ Memorial Day the Prime Minister praised the role that trade unions and safety representatives play in promoting health and safety. Gordon Brown said: “Their dedication has protected countless workers and their families from the consequences of deaths and injuries at work and I pay tribute to their tireless efforts on behalf of us all.” Statement by PM • TUC news release • Risks 404 Hazards news,
2 May 2009
New Zealand: Mines need worker inspectors
A New Zealand union has called for the reintroduction of elected worker safety inspectors in mining, to improve the industry’s safety record. The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) was commenting after a government announcement that it will develop further measures to improve mine safety and expects that to include legislation for “health and safety check inspectors.” EPMU news release • Risks 381 Hazards news,
8 November 2008
Britain: Safety reps – your rights, official
A copy of the newly revised 1977 Safety Representatives and Consultation Regulations, the related Approved Code of Practice and associated guidance can now be downloaded from the TUC website. The new, improved resource replaces the ‘Brown Book’ and is the key resource on safety reps’ legal rights at work. New ‘Brown Book’ of safety reps’ rights [pdf] • Risks 382Hazards news, 15 November 2008
Britain: TUC health and safety diploma online
Experienced safety reps who want to take the TUC Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety can now apply for next year’s intake of the online course. The course gives reps the opportunity to question the development and function of health and safety law, discover how to build trade union organisation for health and safety and tackle health, safety, welfare and environmental problems. TUC course details and online application form • Risks 382 •
Hazards news, 15 November 2008
Britain: Safety reps get Hazards
Hazards magazine’s latest edition includes the usual mix of news, features and resources. There’s also ‘Souped-up safety reps’, a centrepage special feature highlighting TUC’s plans for new, improved safety reps. Hazards magazine • Souped-up safety reps • Contents page, issue 104 • Risks 383 Hazards news 22 November 2008
Britain: HSE chair wants more reps
The benefits of trade union safety reps are beyond all doubt, the chair of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said. Judith Hackitt told SERTUC’s worker involvement conference: “Throughout my working life it has always been the case that the workforce has been fully involved in health and safety and the importance of safety representatives has never been questioned - because it’s never been in any doubt.” HSE news release and worker involvement webpages • Risks 383 Hazards news 22 November 2008
Britain: TUC launches safety reps charter
The TUC has launched a new charter to enhance the role of safety representatives in the workplace. TUC also wants employers breaking consultation rules or denying safety reps training to face prosecution. And it is calling for measures to create more safety reps covering many more workers. TUC news release • Safety representatives - A charter for change • Risks 379 Hazards news,
25 October 2008
Britain: Minister backs union safety reps
Trade union safety reps have been crucial to securing improvements in Britain’s safety record, the government’s health and safety minister has said. Lord McKenzie of Luton, speaking at the October launch of new guidance on worker involvement in health and safety, said: “I see it as one of my tasks to take every opportunity to go out and meet with employers, workers and their health and safety representatives to understand the health and safety issues facing people at work and to promote worker involvement as widely as possible.” Lord McKenzie’s speech at the launch of the new guide • HSE news release • HSE worker involvement webpages • Usdaw news release • Risks 378 Hazards news,
18 October 2009
Canada: Work refusals win safety assurances
Workers who refused to work at Canadian firm IMP Aerospace because of concerns over safety returned to the job this week after receiving a commitment their complaints would be addressed. The workers, members of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), had refused to start work at the IMP facility at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. CAW news report • The Chronicle Herald • Globe and Mail •
CAW Right to refuse • Risks 377 Hazards news,
11 October 2009
Britain:
TUC guide to risk assessment
The TUC has produced a guide to risk assessment. It says the new resource
provides safety reps with the tools to ensure their employer has done
a suitable risk assessment and taken appropriate measures to implement
the measures required, and adds the guide “should also help safety
reps to challenge the employer if they do not do a suitable assessment
or do not act to remove the hazards identified in the risk assessment.” TUC
publication alert and TUC guide to risk assessment [pdf]
• TUC guide to inspections [pdf]
• Risks
375 Hazards news, 27 September 2008
USA:
Unions win in Las Vegas strike deal
A construction safety strike that started on the Las Vegas strip on Monday
2 June, ended on Tuesday after unions secured major safety commitments.
Construction workers had marched in circles outside the locked gates of
the massive $9.2 million CityCenter development, picket signs raised above
their heads reading “Unsafe job site.”
Las Vegas Sun feature
and coverage
of company statement • Risks
359 Hazards news, 7 June 2008
Global:
Worldwide safety pact with steel giant
The world's largest steel company and trade unions representing its employees
worldwide have signed a groundbreaking agreement to improve health and
standards throughout the company. The global union federation for the
metalworking sector, IMF, said the agreement with ArcelorMittal recognises
the vital role played by trade unions in improving health and safety.
IMF
news release and global agreement [pdf]
• Risks
359 Hazards news, 7 June 2008
Global:
Around the world in a training daze
Fiona Murie has trained thousands of safety reps and has got – literally
- a world of experience. As director of health and safety for the Building
Workers’ International, an umbrella group of unions in the sector
with over 12 million members in 135 countries, she has worked with affliates
worldwide and concludes: “It is not so much about the technical
knowledge, it’s about organising.” Hazards
magazine • BWI
website • Risks
357 Hazards news, 24 May 2008
Britain:
Get trained, get organised, get safe!
Training trade union safety reps in the links between workplace safety
and union organisation is a top priority for TUC. Liz Rees, head of TUC’s
education service, made this plain in a new interview with the trade union
safety magazine Hazards. Don’t be a safety
nerd, Hazards, Number 102, pages 20-21, 2008 • Risks
357 Hazards news, 24 May 2008
Britain:
Workforce involvement is ‘essential’ offshore
Everyone working in the offshore oil industry has a part to play in driving
up safety standards in the sector, the Health and Safety Executive’s
(HSE) top offshore official has said. HSE’s Ian Whewell said: “I
hope companies will take the opportunity afforded by this conference to
commit to real improvements in the way the workforce can be involved and
demonstrate that commitment by agreeing to work with HSE and the trades
unions to do so.” HSE
news release • Risks
356 Hazards news, 17 May 2008
Britain:
Union heat improve school ventilation
A long-running union campaign has won a multi-million pound improvement
programme in Glasgow schools. Scottish teachers’ union EIS had warned
that schools across the city had inadequate ventilation systems, causing
overheating, low humidity and uncomfortable, unhealthy teaching and learning
conditions. Too hot to handle? Scottish Educational Journal, volume 92, number
2, pages 18-21, EIS, 2008 [pdf]
• Risks
356 Hazards news, 17 May 2008
Britain:
Superhub safety rep sorts out chutes
Parcelforce Worldwide has agreed to a £1.4m package of improvements
to Coventry’s ‘superhub’ distribution centres after
a union report highlighted major health and safety problems. A briefing
from CWU national health and safety officer Dave Joyce noted: “This
can be regarded as a hard fought and well won victory for the CWU which
I take pride in and so should the Coventry engineers who stuck by their
insistence that action needed to be taken.” CWU
briefing [word] • Risks
353 Hazards news, 26 April 2008
New
Zealand: Worker participation key to improvements
“Involving workers in managing health and safety at work is a key
to improving our record in this area,” NZCTU secretary Carol Beaumont
has said. Her comments followed the release of the New Zealand government’s
Workplace Health and Safety Strategy second progress report. NZCTU
news release • NZ
Department of Labour news release Hazards news, 24 November 2007
Britain:
Get TUC certified online!
Experienced union health and safety reps can sign up online for TUC’s
premier safety qualification, the TUC occupational health certificate.
TUC says the certificate course “will help health and safety reps
become better reps by building health and safety organisation in the workplace;
tackling welfare and environmental issues; deepening and extending the
capacities of learners enabling them to access union health and safety
posts or higher education opportunities and by developing personal/study
skills, the ability to work collectively and generally improve the confidence
of learners to study at a higher level.” Check
out the TUC website for further details Hazards news, 3 November 2007
Britain:
Rail union blast after detonator discovery
Four detonators in an open metal box labelled “explosives”
were housed in a Tube station storage room normally used for keeping liquids,
rail union TSSA has said. The detonators were discovered during a safety
inspection by TSSA safety reps. TSSA
news release • BBC
News Online Hazards news, 20 October 2007
Britain:
New move to resurrect roving safety reps
Construction unions and contractors are calling for roving safety reps
to be brought back in a bid to cut death and accident rates on sites.
They claim the reps – which operated on sites in a now defunct government
backed worker safety adviser (WSA) scheme - are the best way to spread
the safety message among small contractors. Contract
Journal • Hazards
roving reps news updates Hazards news, 6 October 2007
Britain:
Recognition of union role welcomed
Unions and safety campaigners have welcomed a commitment at the construction
safety forum to greater worker involvement. GMB national health and safety
officer, John McClean, said: “The DWP are again to look at the role
of worker safety advisers, effectively roving safety reps, to evaluate
how they can help in delivering peer to peer safety information and improving
health and safety culture across the UK's building sites.” BBC
News Online • UCATT
news release Hazards news, 22 September 2007
Britain:
Obstructed safety rep gets payout
A union safety rep on London’s Tube system who was prevented from
fulfilling his health and safety role by London Underground has won thousands
of pounds in compensation at an employment tribunal. London Underground
was found to have “wilfully and deliberately” flouted health
and safety law by refusing to allow Paul McCarthy, 47, to inspect four
tube lines. ASLEF
news release Hazards news, 15 September 2007
Britain:
Safety reps mean action at work
Union safety reps make workplace safety campaigns effective, research
for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has found. The study looked
at the involvement of safety reps in HSE’s better backs campaign,
examining the impact of the training and support provided by Unite’s
Amicus section. Hazards news
report, 1 September 2007 • Hazards safety
reps’ webpage • Hazards
union effect webpage Hazards news, 1 September 2007
Britain:
Official guide says “stop if hazardous”
A new HSE construction “task card” advises site staff to “Think
First, Act Safe, Stop if Hazardous and Keep Safe.” It is rare for
HSE to be so explicit on the stop work issue, although section 7 of the
Health and Safety at Work Act places a clear legal duty on workers to
take care not to put themselves at risk, and the Employment Rights Act
makes in an offence for an employer to victimise a worker for leaving
or refusing to return to the job where there is a serious and imminent
danger.
HSE webpage on Achieving
Behavioural Change (ABC) and the Task Card
[pdf]
• Hazards
magazine victimisation webpages Hazards news, 11 August 2007
Australia:
New charter to protect workers
A new charter of workplace rights that sets out baseline health and safety
and compensation standards has been launched by Australian national union
federation ACTU. ACTU president Sharan Burrow said: “The health
and safety of Australian workers is of paramount importance to the ACTU
and the union movement and this charter spells out a decent set of minimum
standards for workplace rights that can work in all workplaces across
Australia.” ACTU
news release • ACTU occupational health and safety workplace
rights charter [pdf]
• ABC
News Hazards news, 9 June 2007
Britain: Union anger at snub for safety reps
The TUC has expressed anger and bewilderment after the Health and Safety
Commission (HSC) this week decided there will be no new rights for union
safety reps. Commenting on the decision, which was opposed by union commissioners
on HSC, a TUC spokesperson said: “We fail to understand how this
decision could be made in the face of overwhelming support for change
expressed by respondents to the recent consultation exercise, but whatever
the decision, this issue will not go away.” Worker Involvement - Outcome of discussions with Social Partners
- HSC/07/47, paper to HSC meeting, 5 June 2007 [pdf].
Has failure by your employer to consult on risk assessments or to respond
to a safety rep let to injury, ill-health, near miss or other problem
in your workplace? Tell
TUC, in confidence
Are you worth new rights? Hazards
magazine found reps save lives and cash • Hazards
safety reps’ webpages Hazards news, 9 June 2007
Britain:
Bosses and HSE must do better
Employers and the government's own safety watchdog should do more to support
health and safety representatives, unions in the south west of England
have warned. The alert comes after a survey of unions conducted by Hazards
magazine concluded the top problem facing union safety reps is getting
employers to act on safety concerns. Bath
Chronicle • Safety
repressed: Safety reps save lives and cash, so why doesn't HSE give them
more time?, Hazards magazine, issue 97, 2007 • Hazards
safety reps webpages Hazards news, 19 May 2007
Britain:
Outrage at “embarrassing” HSE slap in the face for reps
Unions and campaigners have expressed outrage at what they see as a Health
and Safety Executive (HSE) attempt to ignore the findings of last year’s
consultation on worker involvement. Amicus is calling for complaints about
the HSE recommendations to be made directly to HSE chief executive Geoffrey
Podger, and adds: “What is most insulting is the slap in the face
to safety reps, who each day make it their life to improve the working
environment, helping work colleagues and their employers to ensure people
go home safe.” Risks 299, 24 March 2007
Britain:
Unions demand rethink on safety reps’ rights
Proposals from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that safety reps
should have no new consultation rights despite such measures being supporting
overwhelmingly in a national consultation have led to union consternation
and the deferral of a final decision. A TUC spokesperson said: “We
urge the HSC to respect the views of those employers, safety representatives
and safety professionals who responded to the consultation exercise and
implement the proposed changes as soon as possible.” Risks 299, 24 March 2007
Britain:
Safety reps the key to improving safety
More rights and more time for trade union safety reps is the best way
to improve workplace health and safety, a major conference has been told.
Keynote speaker Hugh Robertson, the TUC’s head of safety, told the
sell-out 8 February event organised jointly by the Health and Safety Executive
and North West TUC: “The key to improving safety is supporting that
band of volunteers in the workplace - union safety reps.” Risks 293, 10 February 2007 • Hazards
union effect
Britain:
New HSE inspection pack on worker involvement
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published a new “topic
pack” to advise HSE and local authority inspectors on worker consultation
and involvement issues. HSE says: “This topic inspection pack is
designed to help staff in HSE and local authorities to: understand what
is meant by ‘worker involvement’; understand the legal requirements
to inform and consult workers, along with the policy position on enforcing
those requirements; determine when discussion of worker involvement is
appropriate; and promote the benefits of involving workers.” Risks 291, 27 January 2007 • HSE publication
alert and full inspection pack [pdf]
Britain:
CWU rams home workplace rights message
Communication workers’ union CWU has repeated its call for new rights
for union safety reps and for them to be given better official support.
CWU national health and safety officer Dave Joyce said: “Trained
safety reps are at the cutting edge when it comes to addressing the new
health and safety hazards of the 21st century.” Risks 285, 2 December 2006
Britain:
Checkout this checkout workers
Checkout workers should checkout their checkouts or risk back pain, retail
union Usdaw has warned. It says its simple 10 point ‘Checkout Checklist’
will help stamp out back pain for till operators who are shifting several
metric tonnes of goods during an average shift. Risks 280, 28 October 2006 • More
tools for checking out your workplace
Britain:
National Inspection Day, 25 October
National Inspection day this year is on 25 October, the Wednesday of European
Health and Safety Week. The TUC, ever keen on getting safety reps inspecting,
has produced a poster for the day, and there is a page on the TUC website
publicising the event. workers - a guide for safety representatives. Risks 278, 14 October 2006
Britain:
Safety rep exposes Romec safety failures
A trade union safety rep has exposed “blatant” safety failures
at cleaning company Romec. Postal union CWU said a “determined investigation”
by CWU area safety rep Andy McArthur has “uncovered a number of
unacceptable health and safety shortcomings in Romec Cleaning Services”,
a contractor providing cleaning services to Royal Mail and a range of
blue chip companies. Risks 273, 9 September 2006
Britain:
What did HSE ever do for trade unions?
Unions and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) might have occasional differences
– OK, really big bust-ups – but that doesn’t mean there’s
not a lot of good stuff going on too. A new briefing from HSE lists over
20 positive recent developments, from the creation of a “worker
involvement programme” with dedicated staff and its own impressive
six-figure budget, to joint working on campaigns and publications. Risks 267, 29 July 2006
Britain:
New rights – now it doesn’t hurt to ask!
The TUC has produced a handy guide to help safety reps respond to the
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) consultative document on how to encourage,
improve and increase worker involvement in health and safety. Risks 260, 10 June 2006
Britain:
Usdaw safety reps want to PIN down dangers
Retail union Usdaw is to call for extended rights for union safety reps,
including the right to issue Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs). A
proposition backing the call for safety reps to have the power to issue
the legally-binding notices to stop illegally dangerous work was passed
at the union’s Blackpool conference. Risks 255, 6 May 2006
Britain:
Speak up for better safety reps’ rights!
The Health and Safety Executive has now published the dates of its regional
“discussion meetings”, to road test opinion on new workers’
consultation rights. HSE last month issued a consultative document, after
lengthy pressure from the TUC, and now wants “to seek views on how
to encourage, improve and increase worker involvement in health and safety
risk management.”
• Meeting
dates and locations 24 May, Cardiff, 17.30-19.30; 25 May, Cardiff,
08.30-10.30; 31 May, Scotland (location to be finalised), 17.30-19.30;
1 June, Scotland (location to be finalised), 08.30-10.30; 6 June, Manchester,
17.30-19.30; 7 June, Manchester, 08.30-10.30; 13 June, London, 17.30-19.30;
16 June, London, 09.30-11.30. Improving
worker involvement – Improving health and safety • Risks
255, 6 May 2006
Britain:
Rail union wins safety staffing stand-off
Strike action by more than 750 RMT platform station staff and guards at
newly re-privatised South Eastern Trains was averted this week after the
company withdrew cuts in platform staff and agreed to honour a pledge
to staff certain “high risk” stations. Risks 254, 29 April 2006
Britain:
Speak up for better safety reps’ rights!
Want better rights for trade union safety reps? Then you better speak
up now. After lengthy pressure from the TUC, the Health and Safety Executive
(HSE) this week issued a Consultative Document “to seek views on
how to encourage, improve and increase worker involvement in health and
safety risk management. Improving
worker involvement – Improving health and safety, Consultative
Document CD207, full consultative document, summary document, print-off-and-use
feedback form and online feedback form. Single printed copies of the Consultative
Document and summary can be obtained from HSE
Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA, Tel: 01787 881165,
Fax: 01787 313 995. Risks 254, 29 April 2006
Europe:
New research project on safety reps
A new European research project is to analyse the role and effectiveness
of safety reps at work. EPSARE, the brainchild of safety experts in the
European trade union ETUI-REHS research thinktank, was launched because
“research on the effectiveness of safety reps interventions both
in the fields of health and safety and industrial relations is scarce.”
Risks 252, 15 April 2006
Britain:
Non-union workplaces clueless on consultation
An investigation by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) boffins into workforce
participation in non-union workplaces has found most are clueless when
it comes to consultation rules and there is very limited participation
from the workforce as a whole. Risks 237, 17 December 2005
Britain:
Worker Safety Adviser funds up for grabs
A £1 million fund to encourage greater worker involvement in health
and safety in small businesses is accepting applications. The Health and
Safety Executive (HSE) operates the Worker Safety Adviser (WSA) Challenge
Fund - worker Safety Advisers are a watered-down and extremely rare version
of the national system of roving union safety reps unions have been seeking
for over a decade. Risks 234, 26 November 2005
Britain:
The complete TUC guide to everything
The TUC has published ‘Hazards at work: Organising for safe and
healthy workplaces’, the epic, must-have, one-stop guide for safety
reps and anyone else who knows the difference between seeing a safety
problem and solving it. Risks 227, 8 October 2005
Britain:
If you want to get safe, get organised
Union workplaces are safer, healthier places for a reason – because
union organisation keeps them that way. It’s not that we know more
– although we usually do – it is because we have the numbers,
the support and the skills to get our safety message across. Risks 226, 1 October 2005
Britain:
Amicus calls for better safety rules offshore
Oil industry workers need better health and safety protection and rights,
the offshore union Amicus has told the government. At a meeting in Aberdeen
this week, union leaders told health and safety minister Lord Hunt there
should be a complete revision of the “fundamentally failing”
health and safety representative regulations for offshore workers. Risks 223, 10 September 2005
Britain:
Making the boss hand over the info
Safety reps can use employment law to force employers to hand over crucial
safety information, a workers’ health and safety watchdog has said.
Employment advisers from the London Hazards Centre (LHC) say some employers
are using the Data Protection Act as a legal smokescreen to deny safety
reps access to information to which they are clearly entitled under the
safety reps’ regulations. Risks 220, 20 August 2005
Britain:
Safety reps' rights - the law online
The legal rights of union safety representatives are spelled out in the
'Brown Book' - the one-stop source for the regulations, code of practice
and guidance on safety representatives. The TUC has produced a version
of this essential reference guide for training purposes, available online
for the first time. Risks 201, 9 April 2005
Britain:
Union project body maps the route to glory
A trade union college has won a prestigious national health and safety
award. The Association of Colleges (AoC) "College Champion"
health and safety award for 2005 went to the Trade Union Studies Centre
at Lewisham College, which took top honours for its collaborative "body
mapping" project with construction union UCATT. Risks 200, 2 April 2005
Britain:
TGWU membership pays off
The Transport and General Workers' Union secured over £72 million
in accident and injury compensation last year for individual members.
It says this takes the total compensation settlements won since the union
was founded to over £1.65 billion. Risks 200, 2 April 2005
Britain:
Prospect sows the seeds of safety
An apple a day is supposed to keep the doctor away, but scientific and
specialists' union Prospect has added a banana and an orange to the recipe
in a bid to improve workplace health and safety. Three new fruity health
and safety posters from the union stress the importance of workplace health
and safety inspections and health and safety representatives. Risks 195, 19 February 2005
Britain:
HandS
up for safety reps
The safety rep colonisation of cyberspace is continuing at warp speed.
A new and extremely impressive addition to the galaxy of safety reps'
websites is "HandS", the brainchild of an Amicus health and
safety rep, is among the most comprehensive sources of well-targeted information
you are ever likely to find. Risks 190, 15 January 2005 • HandS
website
Britain:
London roadmap for a safety rep in every workplace
London's unions have prepared an ambitious roadmap for a health and safety
rep in every workplace and a "positive and meaningful partnership
between that rep, the employer, unions and the Health and Safety Executive."
Risks 184, 27 November 2004
Australia:
Survey finds unlawful intimidation safety reps
One in three health and safety reps has been intimidated into not raising
health and safety concerns, a survey in the Australian state of Victoria
has found. The same number reported being bullied after raising a health
and safety issue in the workplace. Risks 180, 30 October 2004
Britain:
Future of safety reps conference, London, 7 October 2004
An October 2004 participatory seminar on the future of safety reps will
discuss the work of trade union safety representatives. Further information
online or telephone 020 7794 5999. Risks 170, 21 August 2004
Australia:
Unions want to get it right
Union organisations in the Australian state of Victoria have launched
a campaign for sweeping new workplace health and safety rights. Victorian
Trades Hall Council's "Getting it right" campaign aims to press
the state government to honour its commitment to revise health and safety
laws. Risks 163, 3 July 2004
Britain:
Roving reps scheme "limited" but welcome, says TUC
Union schemes will dominate the first round of Worker Safety Adviser (WSA)
Challenge Fund projects. TUC head of safety Hugh Robertson welcomed the
recognition of the positive union role, but warned: "This initiative
is very limited and we still need changes to the safety reps' regulations
to ensure that we have roving safety reps and better rights to extend
the benefits of the union safety effect nationwide." Risks 163, 3 July 2004
New
Zealand: Unions train 6,000 safety reps
Six thousand trade union health and safety reps have been trained in just
one year in a bid to drive down New Zealand's alarming toll of workplace
death and injury. Risks 155, 8 May 2004
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