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Risks

issue no 82 - 30 November 2002

Editor: Rory O'Neill of Hazards magazine. Comments to Owen Tudor. Order your 2003 Workers’ Memorial Day poster now!

CONTENTS

Risks is the TUC’s weekly online bulletin for safety reps and others, read each week by over 5,500 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 and Privacy statement. The TUC website lists future health and safety events in What’s On - new events are covered below.

ACTION

TUC urges Lords to back asbestos regulations

Conservative peer the Earl of Onslow has ‘prayed against’ the new asbestos regulations which would create a duty to manage asbestos in buildings, and there is likely to be a debate in the House of Lords on Thursday, 4 December. This follows a debate in the House of Commons called for by the Leader of the Conservatives, whose attack on the regulations was condemned by building workers’ leader George Brumwell. The TUC is calling on Peers to support the regulations which could save thousands of lives. TUC general secretary John Monks said: 'Enough is enough. These regulations are the most consulted over safety laws in Britain. They are vitally necessary, and the time to adopt them is long overdue.'

  • A full list of Peers is on the web - lobby any that you have contact with, or write (this weekend!) to Baroness Hollis of Heigham (who will be responding for Labour) or the Earl of Onslow at the House of Lords, Westminster, London SW1A 0PW

Have you got a menopause story to tell?

The TUC will soon be publishing a report on the health and safety implications of the menopause as part of our continuing work on women’s health and safety. We have surveyed safety reps, and now we want personal testimonies to make the issue more live. TUC’s Owen Tudor says: 'We want to know what problems women have encountered at work - what has gone wrong, and what you would have wanted done better.'

  • If you have a story to tell, or if any of your colleagues do, send it to Owen Tudor at the TUC. Testimonies can be anonymous

UNION NEWS

Employees deafened at work need more government help

The TUC is calling for changes to the rules on benefit payouts for employees made deaf by their jobs. It says thousands of workers with little or no hearing currently get no help because the qualifying rules require you to be effectively 'stone deaf' - 50 decibels loss minimum in both ears. TUC general secretary John Monks said: 'We want the threshold for compensation lowered so that people who are suffering a debilitating and disabling condition aren’t told to go away and put up with it. If work has been responsible for major hearing loss, then the least someone should be able to expect is a small amount of disability benefit.'

TUC supports root and branch investigation of rail accidents

The TUC says it supports the creation of an independent, properly funded Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB). In a TUC response to a Department for Transport consultation paper, it says it wants 'to see the highest standards of safety on the railways, and that requires root cause examination of the causes of accidents so that lessons can be learnt for the future.' And the funds to ensure high quality staff and adequate resources should not be pilfered from the HSE railways inspectorate or from budgets for the improvement of safety on the network, TUC says. It adds that the RAIB 'must operate a no-blame approach to individuals in order to get to the heart of the problem and ensure that systemic management failings are identified and therefore can be remedied.'

Unions fear lack of funds will end pressure on rail safety

A funding shortfall could take the spotlight off improving rail safety, TUC has warned. It adds that progress is already too slow, with many of the 295 recommendations of recent enquiries into rail tragedies so far unimplemented. TUC general secretary John Monks said: 'A third of the recommendations of the enquiries after Southall and Paddington have still not been implemented, and without extra funds from the Department for Transport, the HSE won't be able to keep the spotlight on safety in the railway industry.' Speaking on the publication of an HSE update on rail public enquiries, Bill Callaghan, HSC chair, seemed to share some TUC concerns. He said: 'I am particularly concerned that parts of the industry still appear to find it difficult to make the links between delivery of effective overall performance and good health and safety practice.'

  • HSE news release. The Rail Public Inquiries: HSC report on overall progress as of July 2002 on all recommendations from the Rail Public Inquiries [pdf format]

Union inflamed over dangerous fire safety call

Public service union UNISON says government proposals to merge emergency control rooms as part of a modernised fire service could cost lives. UNISON’s response was triggered by prime minister Tony Blair's announcement of a review of joint control rooms - which have been operated by the military providing cover during strikes. UNISON wrote to local government minister Nick Raynsford, who has responsibility for the fire service, to voice ‘strong objections’ to the plans. Union senior national health officer Maggie Dunn said: 'The proposals will turn emergency control rooms into call centres and anyone who has to deal with a call centre will know just how difficult and frustrating the experience can be.' The TUC is backing a 7 December Fire Brigades Union rally in London in support of their campaign for a fair settlement for firefighters.

  • national demonstration, FP4F.com, in support of Fair Pay for the Fire service: Saturday 7 December, Central London - also see TUC news release

Union tribunal threat reverses anthrax fear pay cut

Postal workers who had their pay docked after refusing to return to a workplace in the midst of an anthrax scare have had their wages reinstated following action by their union. The workers were evacuated from the building when a suspect substance was seen leaking from a package. An official stoppage occurred for two hours - time for which the workers were paid - but the staff refused to return to work for a further three hours amid fears for their safety and were docked wages by Royal Mail. Kevin Shaw, CWU assistant secretary for health and safety, said a union threat to take the company to a tribunal was enough to make it see sense. He added: 'They believed they were in danger and, in particular after events in America, were fearful of the threat of airborne anthrax.'

OTHER NEWS

Jail for fairground safety inspector on manslaughter rap

A fairground safety inspector has been jailed for 18 months following the deaths of two people when part of a rusty ride collapsed. Barry Ramsey was convicted of two charges of manslaughter and two heath and safety offences. The Old Bailey heard the 52-year-old had not seen the 'disastrous defects' in the corroded ride three weeks earlier. Australian backpacker Narelle Cozens, 28, and her friend Michael Lawrence, 24, died on a Bank Holiday Monday in May 2000 when a car flew off the Supertrooper at an annual funfair in Shepherds Bush Green, west London. Their friend David Johnston, 24, was badly injured. TUC’s Owen Tudor said: 'This shows that grievous safety offences can result in jail sentences. However, it’s the small fry who end up behind bars. The TUC wants a new corporate killing law - it’s time Mr Big was out of the boardroom and in the dock.'

Supervisor charged in rail worker's death

A railway supervisor has been charged with unlawful killing of a track worker who was hit by an express train. Mark Falevina, 36, from Derby was killed as he carried out maintenance work in the dark in August 2001. Beverly Swane, 58, the site safety controller, was charged with unlawful killing at Kettering magistrates court.

HSE criticises proposal to drop work death probes

The HSE has criticised a proposal made by the Coroners Review Team to remove the legal requirement to hold an inquest into a work-related death (Risks 75). In a response to the consultation document from the government convened team, HSE director general Timothy Walker says: 'HSE are opposed to any changes in the coronial system that would remove the statutory requirement for a public inquest to follow a death in circumstances that require it to be notified to an HSE Inspector. We believe that this risks sending the message to society that work-related deaths are not to be given the fullest consideration.' The review team proposals had earlier been criticised by unions and the campaign group the Centre for Corporate Accountability. Dave Joyce of the Communication Workers’ Union CWU said: 'We have told the government that our union for one rejects the suggestion of removing the right of an automatic jury inquest. We feel that automatic investigation by formal public inquests must continue in cases of deaths through accidents and occupational disease at work as well as deaths on the road.'

Government to review employers’ liability insurance

The government is to review the compulsory insurance that provides compensation for workplace injuries and occupational diseases, after business complaints of soaring premiums. The Chancellor Gordon Brown has said the Department of Work and Pensions will launch a review of employers' liability insurance with the CBI, ABI and TUC because of increasing distress calls from companies in the past six months. ABI Director General Mary Francis announced that the cost of claims was rising by 20% a year, and said: ' Gary Booton of the Engineering Employers Federation said: 'Such a review is a welcome first step and something for which we have been calling. The case for joined-up policy reform involving government, insurers and business is compelling.' TUC’s Owen Tudor welcomed the review: 'Our discussions with Ministers and others suggest that radical reform of insurance is needed to boost prevention and rehabilitation. This mustn’t be about shifting the burden onto the victim, but making sure everyone gets a better deal.'

  • Association of British Insurers news release before and after the Chancellor spoke.

Safety pledge after rabies death

Scotland's main conservation agency has vowed to continue restrictions on the number of people handling bats following the first fatal case of rabies in the UK for 100 years. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has been carrying out a detailed risk assessment after 56-year-old David McRae, from Angus, contracted European Bat Lyssavirus (EBL), a rare strain of the infection. SNH spokesperson George Anderson said: 'All but a handful of licences have been suspended until we know what the risks are and what procedures need to be put in place. Now we have made sure everybody's safe, we need to work with a wide range of experts in areas like human health and infectious diseases.'

Footballers warned of training risks

Four out of 10 professional footballers are injured before the season even starts, research reveals. A study by the Football Association found these injuries force players to miss an average of 22 days during the season. The total cost to English clubs is estimated at almost £75m each year. Caroline Woods and colleagues at the FA's medical and exercise science department analysed pre-season injuries among players from 91 English clubs over two years. They found nearly a fifth of all injuries were sustained before the season got under way. Writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, they urged clubs to review their pre-season training programmes.

  • BBC News Online. Caroline Woods and others. The Football Association Medical Research Programme: an audit of injuries in professional football — analysis of preseason injuries. British Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 36, pages 436-441, 2002 [abstract]

INTERNATIONAL

Australia: Asbestos ban delay will kill thousands

The number of people diagnosed with deadly asbestos-related diseases has reached epidemic levels and is expected to rise dramatically in the next 30 years, an Australian victims' support group has warned. Ella Sweeney of Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia, speaking at the launch of Asbestos Awareness Week, said Australia had one of the highest rates of asbestos-induced diseases in the world. She added: 'Over the next 30 years thousands of people will be diagnosed with asbestos diseases.' A government plan to phase out asbestos from next year with a complete ban taking effect by 2010 (Risks 24) was not good enough, she said, calling for a complete ban immediately. 'They are still bringing raw asbestos into the country at this time,' she said. 'A lot of people can be exposed in eight years.'

Australia: No smoking on the job if you work at Philip Morris

Tobacco multinational Philip Morris is offering its Australian staff a one-off payment of $7800 (£2,800) to give up their monthly ration of cigarettes as it takes a step towards a smoke-free workplace. The company has also set up ventilated smoking rooms in its offices across Australia and in its Melbourne manufacturing plant to stop its workers being exposed to cigarette smoke involuntarily. The company says the policy had been altered in response to changes in public opinion and new information about smoking, not because of the risk of litigation from staff. The changes bring Philip Morris into line with British American Tobacco Australasia, which introduced ventilated smoking rooms in June, also offering a $1000 (£360) annual payment instead of the traditional allowance of 100 cigarettes a week.

Australia: Unions want 'death' database

The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) is continuing its push for a national database of coroners’ findings. AWU has demanded state and federal governments contribute $1.5 million each to a national coronial database to track trends in deaths from unnatural causes (Risks 78). 'Each year, 2,900 Australians die of work-related diseases and injuries,' said AWU national secretary Bill Shorten. Speaking ahead of a summit meeting to discuss the union proposals, he added: 'A national coronial database can help us cut that number by detecting badly-designed machinery, chemical exposures and other factors that kill workers.'

  • Opposition to UK plans to drop mandatory inquests into work deaths

Australia: Union and watchdog take call centre action

The Australian Services Union and state safety watchdog Worksafe Victoria are taking joint action to tackle call centre health and safety problems. A series of call centre health and safety days mark the start of a two year project to develop an occupational health and safety best practice model for the industry. The move comes alongside a nationwide union 'Call Central' campaign, coordinated by union federation ACTU. Unions have developed a charter of minimum health and safety and employment standards for call centre work.

Canada: Union wants less work, not more compo

A plan to increase compensation rates for nursing home workers in New Brunswick, Canada, won’t solve what’s causing the accidents and injuries, a union has warned. CUPE nursing home workers in New Brunswick have been part of a working group looking at ways to reduce accidents and decrease insurance premiums. They say injured workers wouldn’t suffer in the first place if there were more people to do the job. Nursing home worker Valerie Black said: 'Until we can get out from under these crushing workloads, both worker compensation rates and injuries will continue to rise. It’s simple - more staff means a manageable workload with fewer injuries, less claims and lower rates.' Michel Boudreau, president of the union council representing nursing home workers, commented: 'Everyday our aging population is putting more pressure on workers who care. What we need is more staff at all levels and better equipment.'

New Zealand: Timber workers urged to take care over arsenic

Timber workers are being urged to make sure that their employers meet all health and safety requirements as concern grows over the use of arsenic in timber treatment. Mike Ward, the national health and safety co-ordinator of the union EPMU, is investigating reports of health concerns about the use of copper chrome arsenic (CCA) in tanalised timber. Meanwhile, he says it is important that workers be provided with proper personal protective equipment and facilities to wash properly. A study by US scientist Rick Maas of the University of North Carolina concluded that regular direct contact with CCA-treated timber was 'a national health priority,' with exposure presenting a high cancer risk. Ward recommends that workers make sure their company is complying with official guidance on the use of wood preservatives. The union is urging members concerned about the issue to contact their union organiser. In February, the USA's Environmental Protection Agency announced a two year phase-out of the treated timber. New Zealand’s Building Industry Authority has said it will consider changing the building code and reclassifying arsenic treated timber as a hazardous material.

Norway: Ban on passive smoking likely

This week Norway, under pressure from hospitality unions, became the first nation to announce plans for a blanket ban on smoking in all public places. HRAF union spokesperson Jens-Petter Hagen declared himself 'mighty satisfied' with the proposals.

USA: Catalogue workers publish catalogue of injuries

A union trying to organise 800 workers at the Brylane catalogue-clothing distribution centre in Indianapolis is sending its own glossy booklet to customers. Like the company's catalogues, this publication features women wearing Brylane clothing. But the models in the Sweatshop Holiday Catalog 2002, unveiled at a 'fashion show' outside the company’s New York HQ, are Brylane workers injured at work. The publication will be mailed to thousands of Brylane customers by the union UNITE to put pressure on the firm to accept a union. Brylane has disputed the union publication's claim that one in 10 workers at the Indianapolis plant suffers from repetitive strain injuries. Workers in the glossy union publication, however, tell of injuries suffered when they are forced throughout their shift to throw objects over their heads for packing or storage. Jason Coulter, UNITE's assistant national organising director, said: 'These catalogues are our way of letting customers know how Brylane treats its workers.'

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!

International RSI Awareness Day conference, 28 February

The RSI Association are holding a conference in Nottingham to celebrate international Repetitive Strain Injuries awareness day (the last day of February is the only non-repeating date of the year). Further details from the RSI Association.

Risks 100 conference, 4 April

A day-long conference celebrating the 100th issue of Risks which will be issued that day, addressing the themes that Risks addresses - union and international news, action and resources. Note the date for now - booking forms will be available in due course.

UK stress conference, 12 April

The UK National Work Stress Network’s conference will take place on Saturday 12 April 2003 at Hillscourt Conference Centre, Rednal near Birmingham, sponsored by NASUWT. Conference details and flier.

International Workers Memorial Day, 28 April

This year the theme will be corporate accountability for workers’ health and safety. The TUC will be co-ordinating a series of events around the country. A background briefing on the 2003 theme is available on the page of the TUC website devoted to Workers’ Memorial Day.

  • Order a poster from the TUC (single copies free) or bulk copies at a good price from Hazards

European Week for Health and Safety at Work, 13-19 October

The theme for the Week in 2003 will be 'dangerous substances' (EU Agency press release). The TUC will be stressing the hierarchy of control, and especially the need for substitutes and general toxic use reduction strategies. Key hazards dealt with will include asbestos, asthmagens and solvents. Future years’ themes have also now been decided.

USEFUL LINKS

Visit the TUC http://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.

TUC courses for safety reps

COURSES FOR JANUARY TO MARCH 2003:

Midlands, North, North West, Scotland, South East and East Anglia, South West, Wales, Yorkshire and Humberside

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.

Newsletter (3,800 words) issued 30 Nov 2002

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printed 23 May 2012 at 09:30 hrs by 38.107.179.231