TUC Launches Updated Workplace Safety Guide As Concerns Mount Over Cuts To Inspections

The new edition of the TUC's bestselling safety publication Hazards at Work was published last Friday, amid growing concerns over cuts to workplace safety inspections.

The guide, now in its 30th year, warns of a 'hostile' political climate to health and safety that has resulted in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) being prevented from making proactive visits to many workplaces to check that employers are working in ways that don't put their staff at risk.

The government has cut the HSE budget by 35 per cent, and local authority safety inspection teams are also working with substantially reduced funding, at a time when the UK's safety record appears to be getting worse.

In 2010/11, the latest figures available, there was a 16 per cent increase in deaths across all workplaces, with some industries such as construction (22 per cent) seeing an even bigger rise.

The TUC says that the current upward trend in workplace fatalities will be not be reversed unless there is an increase in the enforcement of health and safety law in all workplaces. That is why union safety reps and anyone with a practical interest in health and safety should have a copy of the 2013 edition of Hazards at Work, says the TUC.

The 448-pageguide has 24 chapters on the common hazards and causes of ill health at work and advice on how to assess and prevent them. These include practical measures on how to deal with bullying, stress, violence, working time, occupational cancer, and biological hazards.

Hazards at Work contains HSE and other guidance, extensive checklists, case studies and web resources. This year's edition also contains a new chapter on people in 'vulnerable' categories, such as young employees, shift workers, agency workers and disabled workers.

TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said:

"This guide is an essential tool for union safety reps and employers and has never been more badly needed.
The government seems determined to water down health and safety laws despite recent increases in workplace fatalities. It seems incredible that ministers seem unconcerned by the cut in the number of workplace inspections at a time when more people are dying and getting injured at work. Protection is more important now than ever and this book is one of the best tools for understanding, assessing and dealing with health and safety issues."

Dave Joyce of the CWU has issued a letter to all CWU branches (LTB171/13) advising of the availability on a ‘first come first served’ basis of the TUC Hazards At Work handbook to branches to buy.

Dave wrtites:

The new 2013/14 TUC/CWU Hazards at Work, Safety Reps Handbook has been completely revised and updated in this fourth edition of the best-selling guide to health and safety at work, in its popular A4 size book format and is now available. It contains completely rewritten chapters on all those areas where there have been legislative changes. Other chapters have been fully updated to reflect any changes in case law or good practice, or where any new guidance has been issued since the previous edition.

The new edition has been published amid growing concerns in the CWU and amongst Trade Unions as a whole over cuts to workplace safety inspections. The book warns of a 'hostile' political climate to health and safety that has resulted in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) being prevented from making proactive visits to many workplaces to check that employers are working in ways that do not put their staff at risk.

The normal commercial price per single purchase copy of the new book direct from the TUC is £45 and to Educational bodies £30. To TUC affiliated Trade Union members the cost is £18 per copy.

However, the CWU HQ Health, Safety & Environment Department has once again, as with the earlier editions negotiated a one off bulk purchase discount price which we will pass on to Branches, reducing the price per book to £12 per copy plus p&p.  

We have a limited supply of 500 copies to be sold on a first come, first served basis and these will be sold at the agreed bulk purchase, discounted price as follows. Each box contains 13 Books.

The Health, Safety & Environment Department will sell them on to Branches by the Box. Total cost £175 per box containing 13 Books at £12 each, plus p&p (Parcelforce 24) Orders should be placed ideally by the 31 March 2013. Branch orders will be despatched ASAP.

Contact your CWU branch office for further details.

The full report Hazards At Work: Organising for Safe and Healthy Workplaces is available here

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