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Health & Safety
UNISON
calls for safety action NOW!
Union members must 'act now' to protect workplace health and safety
rights and standards from an unprecedented attack, public sector
union UNISON has said. Its short guide on 'The threat to health and
safety' says the system protecting workers 'is under greater threat
now than at any other time.' In addition to cuts to the Health and
Safety Executive's funding and a significant reduction in official
workplace safety inspections, it warns 'hard-won health and safety
legislation is on the chopping block and people are becoming more
vulnerable to issues such as stress, bullying and violence.' With an
estimated 500,000 public sector workers set to lose their jobs,
UNISON adds, insecure workers will be less likely to raise safety
concerns and will be reluctant to take sick leave.' The impact of
this is that workplaces become both more dangerous and unhealthier,'
the guides notes. With many UNISON workplaces now classified as 'low
risk' and exempt from preventive, 'proactive' HSE inspections,
workers are losing essential protection. 'Studies show that over 90
per cent of employers improve their health and safety policies
either immediately before or after an inspection,' the union points
out. It says UNISON reps should encourage members to keep on
reporting and recording health and safety incidents. It adds they
should raise concerns about the cuts to health and safety with their
local MP and should tell their story through the local media,
highlighting how the cuts are affecting people in particular
workplaces.
Interested in Health & Safety? Check out the Hazards Magazine:
hazards.org/news/Apr - Jun2012
hazards.org/news/2011/Oct-Dec
hazards.org/news/Aug2011
hazards.org/news/2011/Jan-June
For general Health and Safety advice please visit the national UNISON
site:
www.unison.org.uk
For urgent advice please contact the Health & Safety Officer via
the UNISON office:
029 2087 2580 or contact MCooper@cardiff.gov.uk
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