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date: 14 June 2010

embargo: For immediate release

Health and safety review ignores injury risks faced by workers

The TUC has expressed concern at the remit of the Government's review of health and safety legislation announced today (Monday).

The review will 'investigate concerns over the application and perception of health and safety legislation, together with the rise of the compensation culture over the last decade'.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'This will not be an open and frank review aimed at achieving better regulation. Instead it is an attempt to undermine the already limited protection that workers have by focusing on the needs of business.

'We are also surprised the Government is addressing the 'compensation culture' again as successive reports show there is no such thing and claims have been falling over the past ten years.

'Businesses are responsible for a working culture that injures a quarter of a million workers every year and makes a further half a million employees ill. The review should by investigating this instead.

'Rather than focusing solely on the 'needs of business', the Government should protect workers by increasing inspections and enforcement action against employers who put their staff at risk by ignoring existing laws, as well as introducing a legal duty on directors to protect their workers.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

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Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk

Press release (300 words) issued 14 Jun 2010