date: 13 May 2004 embargo: 00.01hrs Friday 14 May 2004

Attention: industrial correspondents, health and safety media

A firm without safety reps is not a safe place to work

Employers sensible enough to realise the business benefits that a team of active, highly trained union safety reps can bring to their company are likely to have the safest workplaces in the UK, says the TUC today (Friday).

An article in the Spring issue of the TUC-backed health and safety magazine Hazards, looks at the positive impact that union safety reps can have on minimising workplace accidents and injuries. It says that an army of over 320,000 safety reps - trained by the TUC - are responsible for the prevention of thousands of accidents at work each year.

The TUC says that for safety reps to be effective in helping keep work safe, it is crucial that they attend regular training courses. Every year the TUC trains some 10,000 safety reps. However, the TUC is concerned that many safety reps are carrying out their duties without ever having gone on a training course, in some cases because their employer is breaking the law by refusing to give safety reps the time off work to attend a course.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'It’s no accident that workplaces where there are unions tend to be much safer places to work. Unions help employers keep their staff safe and their workplaces hazard free. In those workplaces where suspicious bosses refuse to let unions in, it is unfortunately the staff who end up paying the price because they’re the one who have to work in unsafe conditions.'

Notes to Editors: The full Hazards article on safety reps including case studies and detail on the courses provided by the TUC can be accessed at http://www.hazards.org/ Hazards magazine is the TUC-backed workplace health and safety magazine and is recommended reading for all trade union safety reps and others concerned about workplace safety. Hazards, PO Box 199, Sheffield S1 4YL (0114 267 8936) email: sub@hazards.org Online subscriptions: www.hazards.org/subscribe.htm - All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

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Contacts:

Media enquiries: Liz Chinchen 020 7467 1248 or 07699 744115 (pager) or email media@tuc.org.uk

Press release (400 words) issued 14 May 2004