Thompson's Health And Safety And The Cuts Seminar Warns Of Dangers Ahead

In a prelude to a more detailed report to come later this week, Derek Maylor, Chair of the NW BTU H&S Co-ord spoke to Unionsafety about a seminar held in Manchester 28th Feb on how the cuts will damage health and safety culture in the UK:

The North West TUC and Thompson Solicitors hosted a safety seminar looking at the ConDem government’s programme of savage cuts. Combined with proposed legislation, the massive cuts to Local Authority and HSE budgets will put members’ safety and, in some cases lives, at risk in the workplace as employers cut corners, risk assessments are diluted and the HSE’s already limited powers are restricted even further.

Phil Liptrot, Naheed Akhtar and Michael Tighe took around 100 Union Safety Representatives from around the north west through the workplace safety implications of the cuts and ways of preparing for what lies ahead.

The Co-ord have repeatedly talked about proposed changes to RIDDOR which will make employers less accountable and this was reiterated.

Greatest concern however was for the 35% cut in HSE funding which will lead to fewer inspections, fewer investigations and fewer prosecutions. Whilst many companies are already making cuts it is important that USR’s realise their legal rights to have paid time to perform their duties and the facilities to do so.
 
Delegates were shown graphic pictures of what happens when things go wrong in work, and the stories which do not make the front pages of the Daily Mail.

Source: Derek Maylor / Unionsafety

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