PDF version available for download (PDF help)

Number 380 - 1 November 2008

Risks
hazards magazine
 HSE asbestos campaign
 hazards at work

Risks is the TUC's weekly online bulletin for safety reps and others, read each week by over 16,000 subscribers and 1,500 on the TUC website. To receive this bulletin every week, click here. Past issues are available. This edition contains Useful links TUC courses for safety reps Disclaimer and Privacy

Editor: Rory O'Neill of Hazards magazine. Comments to the TUC at healthandsafety@tuc.org.uk

Union News

Work's stresses and strains are top concerns

Stress or overwork, injuries and illnesses caused by the poor use of display screen equipment and repetitive strain injuries (RSI) top the list of workers' safety concerns, according to the TUC's biennial survey of safety reps. Three in five (60 per cent) safety reps reported stress or overwork as a concern in their workplace. Stress was cited as the biggest concern in ten of the 14 sectors covered by the survey. Manufacturing (noise), construction, distribution and hotels (back strains) and voluntary organisations (display screen equipment) reported other top hazards at work. Injuries and illnesses resulting from the poor use of display screen equipment has risen from fourth in 2006 to become the second most common concern, reported by two in five (41 per cent) safety reps. Repetitive strain injuries (40 per cent) are another commonly reported hazard. Other concerns on the increase since the 2006 survey include slips, trips and falls, working alone and violence and threats at work. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Stress casts a gloomy shadow over far too many UK workplaces. And as the current economic crisis creates more anxiety about job security, stress is likely to increase. Unions and employers must work together to combat this as it can have a huge personal cost to workers and a damaging cost to businesses.' Commenting at the survey launch, the TUC leader added: 'Simple office hazards, such as spending too much time fixed on a computer screen or sitting on a badly designed chair, are often overlooked by employers. But today's survey shows that they are actually a huge concern to workers and need to be addressed. Thankfully, over 150,000 safety reps across the UK are on hand to help employers prevent these hazards.'

Bank holiday needed to ease stresses

As recession and work worries hit home, workers need a break - and a new bank holiday could be just the job. On 27 October - the halfway point of the longest gap between UK bank holidays - the TUC and the UK's leading voluntary organisations put their case for a new Community Day bank holiday. The coalition would like a late October break to bridge the four-month gap between the August and Christmas bank holidays, and to give parents a day off during half-term. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Announcing a new bank holiday would cheer up workers across the UK worried about the recession and their jobs. Community Day would recognise the importance of local communities in holding society together, and celebrate that there is more to life than consumption during these difficult economic times.' The earliest date Community Day could come into effect would be October 2010, by which time most commentators expect the economy to be on the road to recovery, TUC said. It added that the new break would give a boost to service and leisure sectors that are expected to be hit hard by the downturn. The union body estimates that one million businesses would benefit from a new bank holiday. Great Britain currently has eight bank holidays, compared to an EU average of 10.9 days. Only Romania has fewer bank holidays.

Commute times starting to decline

The number of people spending more than one hour per day commuting to work fell by 206,000 in 2007, according to TUC. The TUC analysis of official Labour Force Survey (LFS) figures - produced to coincide with Workwise UK's Commute Smart week, the last week in October - shows a fall of one per cent from 2006 in employees undertaking commuter journeys of longer than one hour. Two years ago 21.9 per cent (5,517,000 people) had a one hour plus commute. The latest figures show this has dropped to 20.9 per cent (5,311,000 people). The drop in commute times follows a campaign to promote smarter working by the WorkWise UK coalition, which includes the TUC, the CBI, Transport for London and other leading organisations. Smarter working includes working from home, flexitime schemes and other ways of escaping from the 9 to 5 rat race while still doing your job. Commuters working in London are still most likely to commute for more than one hour each day, but the percentage of long hours commuters in the capital fell sharply last year, with 7.2 per cent fewer (101,000 employees) undertaking long commutes. London, the South East and Eastern regions have the highest percentage of long journey commuters, whilst the North East and Wales have the lowest.

We've started, but we've not finished

The fall in time spent commuting is welcome, but there's still work to do, TUC general secretary Brendan Barber has said. 'In the UK we work some of the longest hours in Europe, and on top of this we still have to commute an average of 54 minutes per day. This adds up to a very stressful working week for millions of workers across the UK,' he said. 'The decline in long commutes, which predates the current difficulties with the economy, shows that smarter working has finally begun to bite. The fall in commute times is heartening, because it reverses a ten-year trend towards more long-hours work journeys, which culminated in a record number of people spending more than an hour commuting each day.' The TUC leader added, however, the 'statistics also show that one in five employees still spend more than an hour per day on their journey. It's vital that concerns about the economy do not deter employers from introducing flexible working, which could ease the strain for hard-pressed workers while delivering real benefits for business. And the government must do its bit by keeping their promise to extend the right to request flexible working to the parents of children aged up to 16. I hope all employers who receive flexibility requests consider them seriously and do all they can to make flexible working a reality.'

NUJ welcomes progress on police behaviour

Journalists' union NUJ has welcomed a commitment from the Home Office to work with the union to improve police behaviour towards journalists. The union raised its concerns this week at a 'long-awaited' meeting with Home Office minister Vernon Coaker. Whilst cautioning that this is only an early stage in the development of better relations, NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said he believes the meeting has resulted in a number of proposals that could make a difference to NUJ members. The union raised issues including the obstruction and surveillance of journalists and sometimes 'harassment and intimidation'. The NUJ has previously raised concerns about assaults on journalists, recently winning a compensation payout for photojournalist Marc Vallée who was injured by police while working (Risks 374). Summing up the meeting, Jeremy Dear said: 'There's still a long way to go in ensuring that police officers understand their responsibilities to the press. However, this is a welcome first step in trying to improve relations. We've agreed to continue to feed concerns about specific incidents in to the minister and will be watching with interest to see whether senior figures are able to improve the understanding of these issues by officers on the ground. We will continue to campaign for media freedom to be respected at all times.'

One in 10 shopworkers physically assaulted

One in every 10 shopworkers has at some point been physically assaulted, according to shopworkers' union Usdaw. The union revealed its survey findings in the run up to 'Respect for Shopworkers Week' at the beginning of November. Besides store robberies, many staff are being assaulted whilst trying to get on with their daily job, the union said, adding many of these incidents are motiveless and random attacks, whilst many more are customers getting angry at being asked for ID or refused alcohol. Usdaw's John Hannett said: 'It is an outrage that so many of our members can't get on with their daily job without the fear of abuse from customers. That's why Usdaw is running its 'Freedom From Fear' campaign again this year - to show that no abuse, either verbal or physical, of shopworkers is acceptable.' The union general secretary added: 'Our survey shows that incidents of verbal abuse are going down. This is due in large part to our campaign, which has encouraged many employers to take the issue of staff safety much more seriously. However, the British Retail Consortium forecasts a possible rise in incidents of violence due to the economic downturn, coupled with increased stress over the Christmas period. Therefore we urge employers to make the security of their staff a top priority and for customers to keep their cool at Christmas and show due respect to shopworkers.' Respect for Shopworkers Week will take place from 3-7 November.

Unions lobby for pleural plaques payouts

Hundreds of union members descended on Westminster on 28 October to lobby parliament for justice for asbestos victims and the restoration of compensation for victims of pleural plaques. Unite, UCATT and GMB believe thousands of 'seriously wronged' workers have been plunged into compensation limbo by a House of Lords decision in October 2007, which ended the right of those with asbestos-related pleural plaques to receive compensation. Unite deputy general secretary Graham Goddard said: 'The Lords' ruling was a disaster for working people. There is only one cause of this disease and that is the widespread, indiscriminate use of asbestos throughout industry for years. No one protected our people from this exposure, and now they are suffering. Employers' insurers simply want to walk away leaving workers, whose lungs are now full of asbestos, facing a lifetime of worry and not a penny in compensation. This is not right.' Mr Goddard added: 'Compensation must come from those who put them at risk in the first place, and from an insurance industry which made money from that risk. But it is clear that neither employers nor the insurance industry will do right by these workers so we need our government to make them.'

Unions call for more asbestos protection

Unions have called for greater efforts to protect workers from asbestos. Construction union UCATT said asbestos could be killing up to 10,000 people a year, far in excess of official Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates. HSE puts the figure at 4,000 - an estimate that has been disputed by both unions and occupational cancer experts - and suggests the material kills on average six electricians, three plumbers, six joiners and five other workers every week. A UCATT spokesperson said: 'We think the real toll is over double that. It is a classic working class disease.' It is accepted by all sides that the shocking death toll will rise, with one in four victims being former building workers. Building trades are the target of a high profile HSE prevention campaign, launched last week (Risks 379), and which has been welcomed by unions. Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: 'ATL supports the HSE in highlighting the dangers of asbestos, but calls for greater involvement of union safety reps.' She added: 'ATL also believes that government and the HSE should do more to highlight the issue of asbestos in schools and colleges. Over 400 ATL members have informed us that they have been exposed to asbestos in their workplace. ATL passed a conference motion earlier this year calling for asbestos to be removed from all education establishments, to reinstate the asbestos in schools campaign, and for a Parliamentary Select Committee to be immediately convened to take evidence, discuss and report on the problem of asbestos in schools.'

Other news

New figures confirm work deaths plateau

The workplace fatality rate has not changed appreciably in the last six years, latest Health and Safety Executive figures show (HSE). Statistics released this week reveal 229 workers were killed in 2007/08. This is down five per cent on 2006/07 when 247 workers died, but higher than the figure for either 2004/05 or 2006/07. HSE says reported major injuries at work fell by around 9 per cent since the start of the decade and this trend continues. Work-related ill-health has also fallen across the period, 'although the rate of improvement here is not as great as hoped,' HSE concedes, admitting it is 'probably not on track' to meet its ill-health reduction targets. HSE chair Judith Hackitt said: 'Any improvement in the number of people being injured or made ill by work must be welcomed. However, there is a need for a step change. Of particular concern are the agriculture, construction and waste and recycling industries.' She added: 'HSE is developing a new strategy that seeks to renew commitment from all those involved in health and safety to tackle these challenges and more. In the difficult and uncertain months ahead I urge employers not to take their eyes off the ball. Good business management will be vital and good health and safety management is an integral part of that. Health and safety contributes positively to competitiveness and should not be sacrificed in times of financial pressure.' The number of HSE prosecutions, convictions and enforcement notices were all lower than 2006/07.



More enforcement will mean fewer deaths

Greater emphasis on enforcement of safe workplaces is the best way to reduce the workplace fatality rate, unions have said. Responding to the latest statistics, TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: 'The reversal of last year's increase in fatalities is welcome news to everyone at work. But we are concerned at the lack of progress in reducing the number of people made ill as a result of their work. Recent figures suggest that greater enforcement of the law has reduced injuries at work. So we clearly need more enforcement - particularly in areas of occupational health such as tackling RSIs, back pain and stress, as these make up threequarters of work-related ill-health and are workers' main safety concerns.' The TUC leader warned, however, 'greater enforcement can only happen if the government increases resources to local authorities and the HSE for inspection and enforcement activities. So while business lobbyists harp on about health and safety compliance, the government should side with workers and provide the funding to ensure they are safe at work.' UCATT general secretary Alan Ritchie said: 'Any reduction in workplace injuries or deaths is progress. However deaths in construction remain unacceptably high. Also it has to be remembered that the figures for injuries are misleading research by the University of Liverpool found that only 30 per cent of employees report injuries and just 13 per cent of self-employed workers report injuries. That is a particular concern in a casualised industry such as construction.' He added: 'The Health and Safety Executive's frontline inspectors do an excellent job but the report again reveals that there are simply not enough of them. This is demonstrated by the fall in the number of enforcement notices being issued.'

Triple death highlights Corus corporate role

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said the explosion at the Corus steelworks in Port Talbot highlights failures to manage safety at a corporate level. Three Corus employees - Andrew Hutin, Stephen Galsworthy and Len Radford - died in the November 2001 incident, while a further 12 employees and contractors suffered serious injuries. An investigation, carried out jointly by South Wales Police and HSE, resulted in the prosecution of Corus UK Ltd in December 2006. The company was fined £1.33 million and ordered to pay costs of £1.74 million at Swansea Crown Court. The cause of the incident was determined as water entering the blast furnace, following the failure of safety-critical water-cooling systems. HSE director for Wales, Terry Rose, said its report on the blast, published last week, 'summarises the lessons to be learned both for Corus UK and the steelmaking industry.' He added: 'The explosion at the blast furnace number 5 was a stark reminder that safety needs to be managed at a corporate level.' Michael Leahy, general secretary of Community, the union representing many Corus employees, said: 'The report vindicates the prosecution of Corus for their unforgivable lapses in health and safety which led to the deaths of our members. Community recognises that the new management at Corus have begun to implement the lessons learnt at Port Talbot, but these must be fully rolled out at sites across the country.'

Man was killed by ammonia fumes

A Wigan cold storage company has been fined £35,000 following an incident in which a man was killed. Engineer Alan Golden, 54, died following a massive leak of ammonia at the Golborne premises of Cold Move Ltd on 27 September 2005.

The firm admitted five breaches of safety regulations in a case brought by Wigan Council's environmental health officers. In addition to the fine, it was ordered to pay prosecution costs of £6,116. Liverpool Crown Court heard that the breaches included failing to install a self-closing valve on the three oldest compressors, including the one on which Mr Golden, who had asked for specialist training, had been working. Another involved failing to maintain breathing apparatus at the site. Sentencing the firm, Judge Nigel Gilmour QC said: 'It is accepted that it cannot be established that any of the admitted breaches were causative of Mr Golden's death.' The judge praised Mr Golden's colleague, Philip Walsh, who made repeated efforts to find him and another colleague, who also helped in the search. Both men were taken to hospital and needed oxygen treatment. The court heard Mr Golden would have died almost immediately after inhaling ammonia fumes while draining oil from a compressor. After the case the victim's wife and family said they welcomed the conviction.


Network Rail blamed for Grayrigg crash

Track maintenance failures contributed to a train crash in Cumbria which left one person dead and dozens injured, a report has concluded. Margaret Masson, 84, of Glasgow, died and 82 people were hurt when a Virgin West Coast Pendolino train derailed at 95mph near Grayrigg in February 2007. A Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report said rail infrastructure company Network Rail incorrectly set up points that failed and were the ultimate cause of the derailment. Network Rail chief executive Iain Coucher said: 'The tragedy at Grayrigg was caused by the failure of our infrastructure, something we were devastated to discover.' The report prompted rail union RMT to renew its call for a joint public inquiry into the Grayrigg and Potters Bar derailments. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: 'It is now abundantly clear that systematic management failings, lack of resources and the fragmented contract culture still prevalent on the railway all played their part in the complex of causes of the Grayrigg derailment.' He added that Network Rail's attempt 'to point the finger of blame at individuals it managed so poorly was outrageous, and for police to keep two of our members under suspicion of manslaughter for nearly a year without a shred of evidence demands an apology.' The union leader said: 'It is a total no-brainer that there is a link between funding cuts, unrealistic workloads, inappropriate work practices and fragmentation on the one hand and inadequate standards on the other.' The report praised train driver Iain Black for averting a much greater disaster. It stated that 'upon regaining consciousness' the seriously injured ASLEF member 'had the presence of mind' to call an off-duty colleague to relay a message to Virgin Trains Operations control asking for trains to be stopped on the line.

Firm fined after agency worker fall

A firm has been fined £3,500 after an agency worker fell from a platform, breaking his pelvis. Oil & Gas Systems Ltd (OGSL) was also ordered to pay costs of £2,457.80 after pleading guilty to safety offences. The agency worker, James Barker, was asked to go up on to a skid working platform being manufactured by the company, to touch up some paintwork prior to it being shipped out to a customer. He fell just over 2 metres through an aperture and broke his pelvis in two places. An Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that an OGSL manager had warned him to take care, as there were holes in the floor created by the removal of some panels. This was to allow for the skid to be picked up by a crane soon after. This meant that the company were aware of the risk, but had not put in place any measures to mitigate this. The company pleaded guilty at Swansea Magistrates' Court to a charge under The Work at Height Regulations 2005. HSE inspector Scott McKinnon said: 'Falls from height remain a major cause of workplace injuries, with falls from below or around head height contributing to around 80 per cent of all falls injuries. It is not necessary to fall far to land hard. Our investigation determined that the panels should not have been removed prior to asking Mr Barker to work on the platform, and that his injuries - caused by a fall of over two metres, were avoidable.'

Union concern at dilapidated public buildings

Public sector union UNISON has voiced concern at the poor state of many public buildings, which could put workers' health and safety at risks. Local authorities have admitted they have some way to go to ensure their buildings are suitable for staff after a survey revealed that half of all council offices were in poor condition. Close to half of the 86 local authorities councils polled for the Local Authority Office Accommodation: A Determination of Change survey by property agent DTZ admitted their buildings were in poor or very poor condition in terms of supporting operational needs and objectives. Two-thirds said they had plans in place for refurbishment or consolidation. A UNISON spokesperson, questioned by Personnel Today, commented: 'Many council buildings are quite old, so they may no longer be suitable for today's modern office.' She told the magazine: 'Despite the difficult economic circumstances, employers still have a duty of care to their employees, and they must make sure that health and safety remains a priority.' Jim Grierson, director of corporate consulting for DTZ, said the public sector had under-invested in its estate for many years.

New advice on winter working

Now that the clocks have gone back, and winter is approaching, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is offering guidance to ensure workers remain safe during the colder, darker months ahead. HSE principal construction inspector Peter Black said: 'For those working outdoors, the winter months bring additional challenges to keeping safe. Cold weather and shorter periods of daylight mean there is more potential for accidents to happen. With a little planning, and common sense, these can be avoided.' He added: 'Operators of construction plant, such as diggers, telehandlers, cranes etc must ensure they regularly clean their windows so they can safely see all around. This should be combined with constant use of mirrors and a banksman where appropriate. Lights on all vehicles should be cleaned regularly to ensure vehicles are visible at all times, and vehicle depots should be well lit to avoid slip and trip hazards - workplace transport accidents account for many of the deaths and injuries we investigate every year.' Other sectors like farming with outdoor work should make sure lone workers are safe, HSE said. Areas highlighted by HSE included ensuring water supplies do not freeze and any gas heaters do not present a carbon monoxide risk. Drying rooms for wet clothes and hot water for washing become even more important in bad weather. And people exposed to vibration from power tools will be more vulnerable, it added.

International News

Australia: Health checks won't check work health

Progress on a major programme to introduce health checks at work for some Australian workers has stalled - because employers are refusing to entertain a union request to include possible workplace risk factors. The state government had hoped to press ahead with the Aus$218 million (£86m) WorkHealth initiative. In March, state premier John Brumby said WorkHealth would roll out from July, with health checks, lifestyle programmes and health advice for 2.6 million Victorian workers over the next five years. However, seven months later, progress is limited to a small, unannounced pilot project that has so far given health checks to just over 200 workers. The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) said it has been granted more changes before health checks are offered to its workers in the second half of the pilot. State secretary Steve Dargavel said the WorkHealth checklist would include questions on workplace practices that affect the health of workers, such as hours, shifts, conditions and facilities. 'This is (WorkSafe) money that we think workers should have a big say about,' he said. However, official safety watchdog WorkSafe said it has only agreed to discuss these changes with the union. The employers' group, meanwhile, is adamant it will not accept the changes under any circumstances. David Gregory, the head of workplace relations at the Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said it amounted to making the programme an 'industrial weapon.' Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Brian Boyd, who is on an advisory committee for the project, said several unions had concerns about WorkHealth.

Global: Trade unions demand nano protection

Holland's main union federation has called on the Dutch labour minister to introduce preventive measures for workers exposed to nanomaterials. In a letter dated 9 October, FNV notes: 'The FNV cannot accept the existing indistinctness on the protective measures that should be taken by companies to assure sufficient protection when working with nanoparticles. The Labour Inspectorate does not have the tools needed to provide employers with corrective advice in protecting workers. This situation is unacceptable and needs to be solved immediately.' FNV believes current voluntary measures to encourage producers and employers to publicise the presence of nanoparticles in products have failed. As a result, it says the Dutch government should follow the French government's lead. The French are poised to introduce a compulsory requirement on suppliers to provide the authorities with details of nanomaterials present in products placed on the market or imported into France. FNV also wants the presence of nanoparticles to be identified in workplace safety datasheets. A paper published online in October in the Annals of Occupational Hygiene found that measures of real-time worker exposure during a nanoparticle manufacturing process showed 'elevated number concentrations during production, which can be an order of magnitude higher than background levels.' The authors conclude: 'These results are important for workers, employers and regulators in the nanotechnology field as they provide information on encountered exposures and possibilities for mitigation measures.'

  • HESA news report including a link to the full English language FNV letter.
  • Evangelia Demou, Philippe Peter and Stefanie Hellweg. Exposure to manufactured nanostructured particles in an industrial pilot plant, Annals of Occupational Hygiene Advance Access, published online on 17 October 2008. doi:10.1093/annhyg/men058. [abstract].

Pakistan: Call for protection for hot spot journalists

Journalists and camera operators in Pakistan's violence hot spots must be provided with training and protection to deal with the extreme conditions in which they are working, journalists' organisations have said. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the International News Safety Institute (INSI) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) jointly called on Pakistan's media owners to take immediate and serious action to ensure their staff and freelance personnel are adequately prepared for reporting on civil unrest and conflict zones. Areas of concern include Baluchistan, North-West Frontier Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Pakistan is among the top 10 most dangerous countries for journalists in the world. Eight journalists and media workers were murdered or killed in the country in 2007. Five have been murdered or killed so far in 2008. The safety call came on the completion of three INSI-organised training courses in Karachi and Islamabad. The training prepared 50 journalists and camera operators for reporting in war zones and other violent environments, covering bomb blasts and civil disorder, dealing with kidnapping and hostage situations, and administering improvised first-aid. 'Journalists and camera operators gave powerful testimonies during the training about the grave risks they face on a daily basis. They are concerned not only for their personal welfare but for the safety of their families,' the IFJ, INSI and the PFUJ said in a joint statement. 'Media owners must provide their personnel with training and equipment, while government at all levels must provide support and an assurance that all acts of violence against journalists, ranging from murder to threats, are fully investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.'

Resources

Special report on occupational cancer

The latest newsletter of the European trade union health and safety think tank, HESA, includes a 'Special report: Work-related cancers - Seeing through the smokescreen.' The report includes details of French grassroots action against occupational cancers, asbestos litigation, using Google Earth to improve workplace conditions, cancers in Scotland's Silicon Glen and an innovative Italian approach to addressing cancer risks.

Events and Courses

HSE stress event for union reps, 25 November, London

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has organised a free event for safety representatives on dealing with stress, using the HSE stress management standards. Gremlins in the HSE computer, however, mean bookings made already have been lost, so the watchdog is asking people to resubmit their applications.

TUC courses for safety reps

COURSES FOR SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER 2008

Useful Links

  • Visit the TUC www.tuc.org.uk/h_and_s website pages on health and safety. See what's on offer from TUC Publications and What's On in health and safety.
  • Subscribe to Hazards magazine, supported by the TUC as a key source of information for union safety reps.
  • What's new in the HSC/E and the European Agency.

Newsletter (5,300 words) issued 31 Oct 2008

This page http://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-15546-f0.cfm
printed 8 February 2012 at 05:37 hrs by 38.107.179.234