Risks: Union health and safety news - Number 1040 - 13 April 2022

Risks is the TUC's weekly newsletter for safety reps and others, sponsored by Thompsons Solicitors.

COVID NEWS

Covid-19 inquiry must include work safety
‘Living with Covid’ is a dangerous plan

OTHER NEWS

RMT tells Shapps to detain dangerous P&O ferry
Unworkable workload could drive out teachers
Tiny sick pay rise ‘an insult to working people’
Ambulance wait times leaving lives at risk
Tory peer sorry for Grenfell death toll blunder
Firefighters agree terrorist response role
MoD censured after employee is shot
Worker’s burns cost chemical firm £0.5m
Companies guilty after cable strike injuries

EVENTS
Just two weeks to Workers’ Memorial Day

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Brazil: Natura workers force cosmetics giant to talks
Global: Building worker power through health and safety
Global: Black Sea mines threat to seafarers

COVID NEWS

Covid-19 inquiry must include work safety
The UK government-commissioned Covid-19 inquiry must include a focus on workplace safety and enforcement, the TUC has said. It was commenting as it published its submission to the Covid-19 public inquiry consultation on its terms of reference, which closed on 7 April. The TUC said the prime minister’s draft terms of reference should be expanded to fully cover the experiences of workers in the pandemic – especially those who remained in workplaces throughout lockdowns. These workers faced greater risks and unions are concerned that many of them were impacted by a lack of adequate PPE, lax workplace safety, and inadequate enforcement, it said. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The inquiry must take a deep dive into workplace safety – especially into those workplaces and sectors where outbreaks occurred, and where government Covid safety rules fell short.”
TUC news release and submission to the terms of reference consultation.
 

‘Living with Covid’ is a dangerous plan

Ministers should reconsider England’s ‘living with Covid’ plans, health leaders have said, while accusing the government of ignoring the ongoing threat for ideological reasons. The NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, has accused No 10 of having “abandoned any interest” in the pandemic, despite a new Omicron surge putting pressure on an already overstretched NHS. Matthew Taylor, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said ministers should restate advice promoting mask-wearing on public transport to try to cut the number of infections and, consequently, the demand on the NHS. He added “we’re behaving as if this pandemic is over, but it is not over in relation to the challenges facing the health service.”
NHS Confederation news release. The Guardian. Social Europe.
 

OTHER NEWS

Unite slams Caterpillar’s dangerous strikebreaking
Unite has hit out at management at the plant manufacturer Caterpillar, saying its failed attempts to undermine a strike has resulted in mounting concerns for workers’ health and safety. The union was responding to reports that untrained employees at sites in Britain were being offered money to take up production roles at the company’s dispute hit sites in Larne and Belfast. Caterpillar management, though, replied that “safety is our number 1 priority.” However, Unite said on 11 April - the first day of strike action - a striking worker was hit by an HGV, suffering minor injuries, as it was attempting to speed past the pickets. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said Caterpillar “would rather make dangerous attempts to break the strike, putting workers and the public at risk, than pay its workforce fairly. That is utterly irresponsible and a disgraceful way to treat a workforce that has powered Caterpillar to huge profitability.”
Unite news release.
 

RMT tells Shapps to detain dangerous P&O ferry

Maritime union RMT has demanded that the transport secretary detain a P&O ferry over serious safety breaches. The union call came in a letter to Grant Shapps following what it described as a catalogue of failures on the P&O operated Pride of Hull vessel, which has a history of safety issues. Port authorities in the Netherlands listed failures around fire safety, deficient training for crew and below standard ship structural integrity, during an inspection between 7 and 8 April. In the letter to Shapps calling on him to detain the vessel, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch noted: “It is particularly alarming that P&O Ferries is taking such a dangerous and cavalier approach to safety on this particular vessel… P&O Ferries clearly have a strategy of putting ships to sea regardless of the cost.”
RMT news release.
 

Unworkable workload could drive out teachers

A poll shows nearly half of teachers in England plan to quit within the next five years. The teaching union NEU) found 44 per cent of teachers plan to leave the profession by 2027. In a survey of 1,788 teachers, a fifth (22 per cent) said they would leave within two years. More than half of respondents (52 per cent) said the workload was “unmanageable” or “unmanageable most of the time”, up from 35 per cent in 2021. Two-thirds of teachers in state-funded schools in England feel stressed at least 60 per cent of the time. NEU joint general secretary Dr Mary Bousted, the joint general secretary of the NEU, said: “Our survey findings show that whether it be recruitment targets missed, talented teachers leaving the profession, the pernicious effects of a punitive and deeply flawed inspection system, or the effect of real-terms cuts to pay over many years, a national policy decision is always the villain of the piece.”
NEU news release. The Guardian.
 

Tiny sick pay rise ‘an insult to working people’

Retail trade union Usdaw has repeated its call for reform of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). The union was commenting after the ‘miserly’ £3 is taking it to just £99.35 a week from 6 April. It said sick pay needs to be paid from day one, at an individual’s normal rate of pay. Usdaw wants the government to improve SSP so it reflects average pay, rather than the current rate. It adds SSP should be available to all – currently low paid workers, those earning below the lower earnings limit of £123 per week, do not qualify for SSP. And it says the government should commit to paying SSP from day one for all absences, removing any reference to three waiting days.
Usdaw news release. BBC News Online.
 

Ambulance wait times leaving lives at risk

Lives are at risk because 999 callers face unacceptable and appalling waits for ambulances in England, the country’s top emergency medicine doctor has said. Dr Katherine Henderson, the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said pressure in the NHS was now so severe that it was breaking its “basic agreement” with the public to treat the sickest in a timely way. She said urgent and emergency care was in a “deeper crisis than ever before”, and for the first time in its history the NHS could no longer stick to its “contract” with the nation to promptly reach seriously ill patients who dial 999. “The current situation is breaking the workforce and breaking our hearts,” Henderson said. Helga Pile deputy head of health at the union UNISON, commented: “Dealing with repeated peaks of pressure with a depleted workforce is taking a huge toll.”
RCEM news release. The Guardian.
 

Tory peer sorry for Grenfell death toll blunder

Former Conservative cabinet minister Lord Pickles has apologised for getting the number of people who died in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire wrong while giving evidence to the inquiry into the disaster. The minister has also said he was ‘discourteous’ when he chided a senior inquiry lawyer for ‘wasting his time’, adding he was ‘extremely busy’. Lord Pickles spoke of “the nameless 96 people who were killed”. But 72 people died in the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, all of whom have been named. In an email to the inquiry, the former housing secretary, who also led the Conservative government’s deregulation drive, said he “misspoke.” He said: “I apologise to the family and friends of the 72 people who died at Grenfell for this unintended mistake, which was unscripted.”
BBC News Online. Architects Journal. ITV News. Daily Mail. Huffington Post.
 

Firefighters agree terrorist response role

Firefighters in London and Manchester have signed agreements that will see them respond to Marauding Terrorist Attacks (MTA), following a ballot of FBU members. MTAs are incidents when terrorists move through a location, aiming to find and kill or injure as many as possible. If firefighters respond to MTA incidents they may be tasked with aiding with the evacuation of casualties as well as firefighting.  The agreements, which are virtually identical, will see the provision of appropriate training and equipment. This equipment will include ballistic protection, including ballistic helmets and goggles. FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: “The agreements provide the framework and detail for strong arrangements that will protect the public and firefighters, consisting of proper training and equipment.”
FBU news release.
 

MoD censured after employee is shot

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been issued with a Crown Censure by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an employee was shot during a training exercise. In January 2019 an MoD employee suffered severe injuries as a result of being shot with live ammunition, where blank ammunition should have been used. The injured worker was medically discharged, suffered from PTSD and difficulty performing routine tasks such as getting dressed, cooking cleaning and driving. The MoD, which as a government department could not be prosecuted, instead accepted the censure after admitting two criminal safety offences. HSE inspector Stacey Gamwell said: “This was a very serious incident which could have easily resulted in death.”
HSE news release.
 

Worker’s burns cost chemical firm £0.5m

A chemical firm has had to pay out almost £500,000 in fines and costs after a worker suffered superficial burns when hairspray chemicals ignited. Robert McBride Ltd was handed the penalty for criminal safety breaches after the 31-year-old worker suffered 13 per cent burns to his right arm and hand following the incident at the company’s site in Hull. On 21 August 2017, a batch of hairspray was being mixed in a 10,000 litre stainless steel mixing vessel. As the worker was adding powders into the vessel using a metal scoop, flammable vapours ignited, briefly engulfing his upper torso. Robert McBride Ltd, which has since shut the Hull factory, pleaded guilty to a criminal breach of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) 2002 and was fined £480,000 and ordered to pay costs of £13,441.80.
HSE news release and DSEAR Regulations – Fire and explosion. BBC News Online. Hull Daily Mail.
 

Companies guilty after cable strike injuries

A two firms have been fined after an employee’s retina was damaged by an explosion caused by a cable strike during construction works at a substation.  Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard how VolkerInfra Ltd, a high voltage cabling contractor, had been subcontracted by principal contractor Siemens Energy Ltd to carry out cabling works as part of a wider construction project in Manchester. On 17 September 2019, an employee of VolkerInfra Ltd operating an excavator struck an existing live cable. The contact resulted in multiple explosions which caused blistering to the driver’s retina. A permit to dig had not been properly completed by Siemens Energy, which pleaded guilty to a criminal safety offence and was fined £900,000 plus £6,327.52 costs. Volkerinfra Ltd also pleaded guilty and was fined £180,000 with £6,430.72 costs.
HSE news release and guide, Avoiding danger from underground services – HSG47. Construction Enquirer.
 

EVENTS

 

Just two weeks to Workers’ Memorial Day

With just two weeks to go until International Workers’ Memorial Day on 28 April, the TUC is urging unions and safety activists to get their plans in place for the biggest event ever. It says there are two reasons for making an extra effort this year. Covid has exposed how worker safety is being disregarded. And the union movement globally is on the verge of winning recognition of occupational health and safety as an International Labour Organisation (ILO) fundamental right at work. Make sure your activity is on the TUC list. For organising ideas and resources, visit the dedicated TUC webpages.
TUC 28 April resources and events webpages. Get your 28 April event on the map!
STUC listing of 28 April events in Scotland.
Find out what is happening worldwide.
Check out the damning new analysis from Hazards of soaring work-related ill-health and collapsing enforcement in the UK.
 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

 

Brazil: Natura workers force cosmetics giant to talks

Job cuts and spiralling workloads that were leading to more stress and worker injuries at a Brazilian cosmetics giant have been challenged by the union. A 25 March protest by members of Químicos Unificados, the union representing workers at Natura Brazil, brought production to a standstill. Four days after the action, the company agreed to meet with the union and to improve conditions at the factory. Natura worker and union leader, Ivani Souza, said: “The work pressure has increased, but there are fewer people working, and we end up paying the price. The workload is excessive and many workers suffer injuries. That’s why we’re asking for decent pay and conditions.” A union statement noted: “There is no doubt that the pressure placed on Natura has borne fruit. Still, this is not the time to sit back and let the company act in its own interests”
IndustriALL news release.
 

Global: Building worker power through health and safety

A new report from the global union UNI shows how unions have risen to the challenges of Covid-19 and increased strength through organising for occupational safety and health improvements. ‘Safer jobs & stronger unions, building worker power through health & safety’ highlights recent trade union campaigns and reveals how occupational safety and health became a rallying point for workers fighting for their rights across the globe. UNI general secretary Christy Hoffman said: “Throughout the pandemic occupational safety and health has been a trigger for worker activism and union action. This report shows how UNI unions have stepped up and won improvements to protect workers in the face of a deadly virus… Now, going forward, unions can build on these gains for a stronger labour movement.”
UNI news release and report, Safer Jobs & Stronger Unions, Building Worker Power Through Health & Safety, April 2022 [In English and Spanish].
 

Global: Black Sea mines threat to seafarers

International maritime employers and unions are urging governments to significantly increase efforts to ensure safe and secure passage for vessels in the Black Sea, following reports of drifting mines. The call follows discussions between global transport workers’ federation ITF and the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG) – the union-industry partners in the International Bargaining Forum (IBF). The IBF designated the Northern Black Sea Region, the Sea of Azov (north of latitude 46°N) and all ports in Ukraine Warlike Operations Areas (WOAs) in early March. “We strongly urge governments to do all in their power to mitigate the threat and secure the safe passage for vessels trading near these conflict areas. It is essential that the world’s seafarers can continue to perform their duties safely and keep global supply chains moving,” said David Heindel, chair of the ITF Seafarers’ Section.
ITF news release. ILO news release.

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Courses for 2022

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