Risks

issue no 43 - 2 March 2002

Editor: Rory O'Neill of Hazards magazine. Comments to Owen Tudor.

CONTENTS

  • New safety rep courses for April to June in the South West

Risks is the TUC’s weekly online bulletin for safety reps and others, read each week by over 3,000 subscribers and 1,000 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 Privacy The TUC website lists future health and safety events in What’s On - new events are covered below.

FEATURE: WORLD RSI AWARENESS DAY

The last day in February every year (the only non-repeating date in the calendar!) is International RSI Awareness Day. The TUC urged union safety reps to use the day to inspect their workplace for RSI risks using a 'risk filter' designed for HSE Inspectors. Here are some of the other global issues addressed on 28 February.

HSE action to lop upper limb bill

The HSE has revised its guidance on the best ways to prevent and manage workplace strain injuries. HSE says work-related upper limb disorders (ULDs), which include conditions known as repetitive strain injury or RSI, can have a devastating effect on the lives of workers in range of jobs, from assembly workers to journalists. It adds that an estimated 4.2 million working days are lost in Britain each year due to about half a million upper limb or neck disorder sufferers, with each employee taking an average of 13 days off work, costing employers at least £200 million. Launching the guidance at TUC headquarters on International RSI Awareness Day, health and safety minister Dr Alan Whitehead, said: "These conditions are not trivial, or the inevitable consequences of working life; they are as unacceptable today as the old industrial diseases were in the past.'

Law or no law, unions take the strain

The US union representing food processing workers is starting a complaints campaign in a bid to tackle workplace strains. The UFCW move comes a year after President Bush axed a workplace ergonomics regulation. "Since the political assassination of the ergonomic standard, more than a million workers have suffered needless ergonomic injuries," said UFCW international president Doug Dority. "I promised that the UFCW would not wait for another standard and that we would begin immediately to organise and mobilise workers to file complaints with OSHA in cases where ergonomic hazards are crippling and injuring workers." The union leader announced that UFCW had filed a complaint with the safety enforcement agency OSHA — 'forcing the agency to take action to protect workers from preventable workplace injuries.' The union’s initial complaint focuses on 'an epidemic' of ergonomics injuries at a Pilgrim's Pride poultry plant in Lufkin, Texas.

RSI still causing pain and suffering

Australia’s Victorian Trades Hall Council marked International RSI Day by calling for more prosecutions of unhealthy employers. The union body also urged safety reps to issue 'Provisional Improvement Notices' - PINs, a beefed up, legally-backed version of the Union Inspection Notices used by UK reps - where they see breaches of manual handling regulations. "The appalling rate of injury followed by the almost complete lack of prosecutions by WorkSafe for breaches of the Manual Handling Regulations show that it is dragging its feet as a regulator. We've had these Regulations since 1988 - how much longer do they need?" said Leigh Hubbard, Secretary of the VTHC. The union body claims payouts for all types of manual handling injuries top $500 million (£181m) per year in Victoria, yet last year there was only one prosecution in the state for breaches of the relevant regulations. Hubbard added: "We would be happy this time next year to be congratulating the government on a reduction in the number of injuries that should come about if they tackled RSI more seriously."

Scottish parliament debates chronic pain online

The Scottish parliament has given the public the opportunity to participate in a debate on chronic pain in a week long online discussion forum. Internet users were invited to submit their views on the plight of Scotland’s 500,000 long term pain sufferers to tie in with a debate on the subject introduced by Dorothy-Grace Elder MSP, convener of the Scottish parliament’s all party group for chronic pain. Dorothy-Grace Elder’s motion for debate is: "That the Parliament considers that the Scottish Executive and health boards should move the plight of chronic pain patients up the health agenda, chronic pain being regarded as the most neglected health issue in Scotland and possibly the biggest in terms of numbers as, according to the Pain Association Scotland, some 500,000 people suffer long-term pain through problems such as back pain and arthritic conditions, and agrees with health professionals who have appealed to the Parliament that the wreckage of many lives through lost jobs, and the loss of millions of pounds to the economy, could be relieved by ending the dire shortage of specialised pain clinics and staff in Scotland."

Strains survey reveals little information and a lot of pain

A survey by recruitment agency Pertemps has shown that nine out of 10 workers receive no information or training about RSI and are unaware of the dangers. Half of the 400 office workers surveyed complained of aches and pains in their hands and lower arms as a result of using computers, while one in three had suffered from RSI. The survey, to mark RSI Awareness Day, found that one in five workers only took a break from their computer at lunchtime. Tim Watts, chair of Pertemps, said: "Employees who work in badly designed offices, or fail to take sufficient breaks from repetitive tasks, are at risk of developing RSI, which is a painful and disabling condition." Andrew Chadwick, director of the RSI Association, urged workers to seek immediate medical help rather than ignore any pain.

RSI Association goes online

The RSI Association launched its new website on International RSI Awareness Day. The organisation says 'you will find probably the most comprehensive range of information available regarding all aspects of RSI - causes, treatments, research findings, legal issues and much more.' It adds: 'We aim to make this site the first stop for information about issues related to RSI. Over the coming months we will continue to add more pages to our site, including a database of current research on RSI. Do visit us regularly for the latest updates.'

ACTION

More MPs sign HSE resources motion

The construction safety early day motion first put down on 6 February 2002 by Labour MP Michael Clapham has garnered more support - it has now been signed by 148 MPs. EDM 828 'calls on the Government to give the Health and Safety Executive the resources it needs, especially in construction, to field the inspectors necessary to enforce health and safety laws and advise employers on good practice.' More signatures will put real pressure on Ministers to increase the HSE’s budget, so if you haven’t yet lobbied your MP and they haven’t yet signed up, please do it now!

  • EDM 828: health and safety resources for construction - see if your MP has signed the motion. Check who your MP is

UNION NEWS

GMB tells local authority reps HSE's forum is for 'em

General union GMB is urging grassroots safety reps to get involved with a new forum dealing with the local government sector. GMB says: "The government’s safety watchdog HSE set up a Committee to focus on major health and safety issues within local authorities. This is the first time such a Committee has existed.' GMB adds: 'There are a number of steps that YOU can take to ensure that the GMB message is put across. The GMB is asking all of our safety representatives to get involved in the work of the Forum by: telling your manager about the HSE Local Authority Forum, show them the Forum’s work plan and ask how they plan to support the work of the HSE; write to the GMB with your comments on the work plan; and send any relevant information to the GMB that you want the HSE and government to be aware of.'

TGWU tells minister its air "safety not semantics"

Following a further exchange of letters on the security situation at Manchester Airport, Bill Morris, General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union, is continuing to press the Secretary of State, Stephen Byers, to hold a public investigation into recent security breaches. In his latest letter, Mr. Byers has agreed there are issues at Manchester but has said it is the "application" of security measures rather than the measures themselves that are at issue. Mr. Morris said: "In the letter to the Secretary of State we are saying very clearly that passengers, the local community and TGWU members as stakeholders in the airport demand safety not semantics." Mr Morris has described the proposals by the airport to cut safety and security costs by 30 per cent as showing "a callous disregard to passenger and employee safety and an act of gross irresponsibility which then travelling public would never understand."

Teachers’ union welcomes attack on school bullies

New government guidance on pupil exclusion will help tackle one of the biggest problems in schools today, teachers' union NUT has said. The union has welcomed revised government guidelines on pupil exclusions and bullying which it says is now known to be a major concern of children and young people calling helplines. Serious bullying or possession of an offensive weapon will now be added to the grounds for immediate expulsion. Deteriorating pupil behaviour was one of the major reasons cited by newly qualified teachers for the high drop-out rate from the profession in a study commissioned by the NUT last year. It is also cited as a main reason for not wanting to join the profession.

  • More in the NUT journal, The Teacher in word or pdf formats

OTHER NEWS

New move to tackle violent patients

Health trusts across Scotland have been awarded cash to help protect NHS staff from violent patients. Sixteen schemes are to share the £400,000 of funding announced by deputy health minister Hugh Henry. He has also commissioned a report into the action that could be taken against those who abuse healthcare staff. NHS professionals and trade unions will look at options including warning card schemes and the withdrawal of treatment in extreme circumstances. He added: "We are committed to doing everything we can to allow health staff to carry out their daily work in a safe environment." A Health at Work Guideline Development Group, featuring health workers and unions, has also been set up to look at effective ways of dealing with violent patients which will bring forward proposals in the summer.

Miner vibration injury payouts nudge half a billion pounds

The government says it is close to paying over half a billion pounds to miners for VWF (vibration white finger) injuries. Minister for energy, Brian Wilson said: "Over £480 million has been paid to claimants suffering from VWF. But I am determined that no stone shall be left unturned to get money faster into the pockets of these men who have given their health to provide this nation with fuel.' The minister added: "Compensation for respiratory disease and VWF is now being paid out at a rate of over a thousand pounds per minute." The government agreed both compensation schemes after lengthy campaigns from mining unions, including court action.

HSC calls for action to keep vehicles off the track

Just before another lorry plunged into the path of an oncoming train, a new report from the HSC calls for a programme of targeted action to reduce the likelihood of accidents caused by vehicles getting on to railway lines. The report was prepared by a Working Group established by HSC, at the request of the deputy prime minister, to look into the problem of vehicles obstructing railway lines following the incident at Great Heck, near Selby, last February in which 10 people died. Introducing the report, Richard Clifton, head of the HSE's Railways Directorate and chairman of the Working Group, said: "Drawing on initiatives already in place, we propose a series of 'first pass' risk assessments, within the year, to filter out lower risk locations and identify those sites where further safety measures are deemed necessary. This could entail anything from changing road markings to erecting new safety barriers.'

Train whistleblower set to win compensation

A Connex train driver who was forced to quit his job after exposing safety lapses could win up to £600,000 damages. Laurie Holden, a former ASLEF safety rep, sued the rail operator under the 1998 Public Interest Disclosure Act, designed to protect employees who expose public scandals. He resigned two years ago after repeatedly warning Connex basic safety rules were being flouted, highlighting excessive hours and fatigue, dramatic cutbacks in training and company secrecy about potential risks. The chair of an industrial tribunal in Croydon accused Connex of caring more about its image than passenger safety. Final damages will be decided in April.

ASBESTOS

Asbestos victims lobby Liddell

Scottish Secretary Helen Liddell is due to meet lawyers to discuss the mounting problems of asbestos victims fighting for compensation payouts. Hundreds of former shipyard and factory workers in Scotland have encountered difficulties. Solicitors acting for the asbestos victims say that payments had not been made even in cases already settled in court. Jack Dempsey, vice chair of Clydeside Action on Asbestos, said difficulties were mounting for victims and families. "Some of these victims are dying, many are very ill. Time is not on their side. This is compounded by the ever-growing number of cases coming to light because of the long time-lag between exposure to asbestos and the onset of symptoms.'

Workplace asbestos controls to be tightened

The HSC want to revise the two existing asbestos approved codes of practice (ACoPs) on work with asbestos. HSC says the ACoPs on control of work with asbestos and on work with asbestos insulation, asbestos coating and asbestos insulating board are being revised to take account of new requirements in the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations and to promote current good practice in industry. Bill Macdonald, head of HSE's Workplace Risk Management Unit said: "The proposed changes to these ACoPS will show more clearly what everyone - from asbestos removal and maintenance contractors, to analytical laboratory workers - needs to do to work safely with asbestos". TUC's Owen Tudor said: "These draft ACoPs are welcome additions to the fight against asbestos diseases. They take us one more step down the long road to finishing it with the fatal fibre, and there is a welcome emphasis on consultation and safety reps."

Northern Ireland: Asbestos claims to cost millions

The UK Government is facing a huge bill for compensation from former employees of the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast over their exposure to asbestos when the yards were in public ownership. Hundreds of workers have already died from asbestos-related diseases and doctors say they expect increasing numbers of people to fall ill in future. As a result, the government is preparing itself for claims up to £200m.

Global: pesticides and asbestos targeted for trade controls

A United Nations Environment Programme committee of government-appointed experts has concluded that three widely-used pesticides and all forms of asbestos should be added to an international list of chemicals subject to trade controls. "This decision of the Committee is another big step towards eliminating the risks associated with asbestos and its products. Even in countries like mine, where these products have been banned for a long time, they remain a major problem when decontaminating buildings and paying the huge costs of treating people with serious diseases caused by asbestos," said Interim Chemical Review Committee chairman Reiner Arndt of Germany. The controls, which will need to be ratified in the autumn, would be introduced under the Rotterdam Convention, an international chemical control programme agreed in 1998 and falling under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO).

France: Top court tells firms to pay asbestos claims

The appeals court in Paris has ruled that 29 of 30 companies fighting claims, including auto-parts maker Valeo SA, must compensate former employees. Even though France did not ban asbestos until January 1997, long after most other industrialised nations, the court ruled that employers were still responsible for ensuring that their workers did not become ill after exposure to the mineral. "In accordance with the contract of employment...the employer has a safety obligation, especially with regard to sickness contracted by the employee due to products made or used by the company," the court said.

INTERNATIONAL

China: Employer sentenced for forced overtime

The director of a privately-owned garment factory in Zhejiang province has received a suspended one year prison sentence and a fine for locking in workers and forcing them to work overtime. On two occasions last year workers locked in the factory were injured trying to escape. The plant director also threatened employees with heavy penalties and fines if they tried to resign.

China: Explosion at chemical plant kills at least six

An explosion at a chemical plant in China's north east has killed at least six people. At least 19 others were injured when a container of polyethylene exploded at the Liaoyang Petrochemical Co. The explosion in a workshop started a fire but the company's firefighters brought it under control within a few minutes, sources said.

Global: Unions organise for Workers’ Memorial Day

Unions worldwide are being urged to start planning activities for Workers’ Memorial Day. The annual 28 April event commemorates those who die as a result of workplace accidents or occupational diseases, and highlights the need for improved safety. Global union federation ICFTU says the international launch will take place in ILO in Geneva 'where a major announcement by the Director General is expected about making 28 April an official ILO Day, within the UN system.' Earlier this year Taiwan became the 4th country to adopt its own official commemoration day, following similar actions in previous years by Canada, Spain, and Thailand (Risks 40). The TUC, UK unions and campaign groups and the HSE are all backing Workers’ Memorial Day this year. Monuments to those killed at work have been erected across the UK and the world.

  • Order your Workers' Memorial Day 'forget-me-knot' ribbons. Single ribbons @ 25p plus p+p; 2-99 ribbons @ 25p each inclusive of p+p; 100+ @ 22p each inclusive of p+p: Available from Greater Manchester Hazards Centre

  • Tell the Hazards Campaign what you are planning for Workers’ Memorial Day - the site will list activities as WMD draws closer

Global: Journalists call for an international safety campaign

The International Federation of Journalists, the global journalists’ group, has expressed the sympathy and solidarity of journalists around the world with the family, friends and colleagues of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl following his execution at the hands of terrorists in Pakistan. 'The horrifying and cruel killing of a colleague is a brutal reminder that journalists are increasingly targeted by the enemies of democracy and press freedom,' said Christopher Warren, IFJ president. Warren added: 'Journalism worldwide faces its gravest crisis when terrorists or political tyrants target reporters. There is an urgent need for an international campaign, involving the whole democratic community, to eliminate all forms of targeting of media and journalists. The killers of journalists must not be allowed to go unpunished.' The IFJ says that more than 1,000 journalists and media staff have been killed over the past 10 years, many of them targeted by political groups, criminals or armed forces.

USA: Lone working is murder

Not allowing employees to work alone at night and providing good outside lighting around businesses open after dark could prevent most workplace homicides, researchers have found. Research leader Dr. Dana Loomis, professor of epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, concluded: 'Among environmental interventions, strong and consistent reductions in the risk of a worker being killed on the job were associated with bright exterior lighting. Among administrative interventions, the largest beneficial effect was for staffing practices that prevented workers being alone at night.' Loomis added: 'Eliminating solo work at night could reduce the risk of homicide for workers by up to 70 per cent.'

USA: Safety watchdog outs worst workplaces

Approximately 13,000 employers have been notified that injury and illness rates at their worksites are higher than average and that assistance is available to help them fix safety and health hazards, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced. The workplaces identified had eight or more injuries or illnesses resulting in lost work days or restricted activity for every 100 full-time workers; the national average is three instances for the same number of workers. "This identification process is a proactive tool to raise awareness that injuries and illnesses are high at these facilities," OSHA administrator John L. Henshaw said. "Our goal is to identify workplaces where injury and illness rates are high, and to offer assistance to businesses so that they address the hazards and reduce occupational injuries and illnesses."

USA: Work risks at heart of Chevron disability case

The US Supreme Court is considering the case of an oil refinery worker with a liver ailment to decide whether a company or an employee gets to decide whether a workplace represents a danger to a worker's health. Workers' advocates say that individuals with HIV, heart ailments or other medical conditions should not be excluded from jobs simply because the employer believes that the workplace could expose them to danger. Corporate lawyers say they fear that companies will be sued - or even prosecuted criminally - if they put a sick worker into what they consider to be an unsafe environment. The test case concerns Mario Echazabal, 56, a maintenance worker at the Chevron oil refinery near Los Angeles International Airport, who has hepatitis C, a chronic, non-infectious liver ailment. Chevron revoked a job offer and barred Echazabal from the plant, claiming that exposure to chemicals and solvents there could endanger his health. An original decision in favour of the company was overturned by the court of appeal.

RESOURCES

UNISON safety site revamped

UNISON has revamped its comprehensive workplace safety news and resources webpages.

New resources from GMB

The GMB has added new guides on Workplace transport accidents and Blood-borne viruses in the workplace to its safety news webpages.

PCS factsheets

The PCS health and safety department has produced new factsheets on becoming a safety rep and on the importance of reporting accidents.

  • Becoming a safety rep in word and pdf formats. Report it! in word and pdf formats.

Needle points

US public service union AFSCME says US health care workers suffer an estimated 600,000 to 800,000 needlesticks and other skin punctures or cuts each year. A new guide from the union looks at the causes and consequences of these injuries and spells out prevention priorities.

Hazards campaigns

The award-winning Hazards website campaign pages have been updated and now include new examples of union health and safety campaigns from across the world.

Global union safety

International union umbrella groups have upgraded their safety webpages. Union Network International (UNI) represents communications, graphical and other union groupings worldwide. IFBWW represents forestry, building and woodworkers’ unions.

EVENTS

Only newly announced events, events next week and very important events will be listed here in future. But there is a comprehensive listing of health and safety events on the TUC website - bookmark it for easy reference!

Asbestos and the law conference, Liverpool, 7 March

The Asbestos and the law conference features prominent speakers from asbestos campaign, legal, statutory and other organisations. All proceeds to Liverpool and District Victims of Asbestos Support Group. Venue: No7 Harrington St Chambers, Liverpool. Fee £250. Application form. Further details: Liverpool and District Victims of Asbestos Support Group, 3 Oriel Close, Water Street, Liverpool L2 8UQ.

HSC/E education open meeting, Birmingham, 7 March

SEAC and HIFEAC, the two HSC advisory committees dealing with education (the Schools Education Advisory Committee and the Higher and Further Education Advisory Committee) are holding a joint open meeting on Thursday, 7 March at the NASUWT headquarters, Hillscourt Education Centre, Rose Hill, Rednal, Birmingham from 10.30am to 3pm. Attendance and lunch are free - to apply for tickets, contact Nikki Davis at HSE, 39 Baddow Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 0HL (tel: 01245 706229).

Women’s health and safety conference, Gateshead, 8 March

An International Women’s Day Conference focusing on women’s working conditions. Organised by the Northern TUC’s Health and Safety Forum and sponsored by Thompsons, it takes place in Gateshead Civil Centre from 10am to 3pm and will be chaired by Northern TUC Chair Gill Hale (UNISON). Joyce Quin MP will be speaking. Register for free by contacting Melanie Lowden or phoning 0191 232 3175.

TUC Beat bullying at work seminar, Glasgow, 26 March

The latest in the regional series of seminars on bullying will take place from 9.30am to 3pm in Glasgow. Registration costs £11.75 for trade unions and £23.50 for others - you can register on the web, email Liz Wood or phone 020 7467 1250.

Workers' Memorial Day 2002, 28 April

TUC is planning to highlight occupational health, including access to occupational health services, and rehabilitation. Ask your union for details of Workers’ Memorial Day events or organise your own. Hazards magazine round up of Workers’ Memorial Day resources.

Hazards 2002, National Hazards Conference, 6-8 September

The National Hazards Conference will be held in Manchester for the second year running. Further details from Greater Manchester Hazards Centre. There is a financial appeal to keep registration costs down, backed by the TUC.

European Week of Health and Safety 2002, 14-21 October

Next year’s week will take place in Britain from 14 October, on the theme of stress.

USEFUL LINKS

Visit the TUC health and safety website or the main TUC website pages on health and safety. See what’s on offer from TUC Publications and What’s On in health and safety.

TUC courses for safety reps

NEW COURSES FOR APRIL TO JULY:

Wales (also as pdf) Scotland North West The Midlands Southern and Eastern Region (also as pdf) South West (also as pdf)

For details of courses in the Northern, Yorkshire and Humberside regions, contact the TUC Regional Education Officer

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.

HSE Books , PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA. Tel: 01787 881165; fax: 01787 313995.

Disclaimer

Although the web links were all checked at the time of posting this bulletin, we are not responsible for most of the websites you will be taken to. Sometimes they are temporarily offline (so try again!) or change so that the links no longer work.

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Newsletter (5,000 words) issued 2 Mar 2002

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