Risks * Number 1050 * 5 July 2022

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

Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of RISKS, the TUC’s weekly update on union health and safety news.

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UNION NEWS

Only half of firms have a policy on abuse of LGBT staff

A new TUC poll has revealed a widespread lack of support for lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) staff at work. The survey found only half (51 per cent) of managers surveyed told the TUC they have a policy prohibiting discrimination, bullying and harassment against LGBT workers. Less than half (47 per cent) said they have a clear reporting route for workers to raise concerns on these issues – even though one in seven (15 per cent) managers have responded to bullying, harassment or discrimination against one or more LGBT workers. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Without these policies, too many LGBT workers experience bullying, harassment and discrimination at work. A step change is long overdue. Ministers must introduce a new duty on employers to protect all workers from harassment by customers and clients.”
TUC news release. Morning Star.
 

RMT leader pledges ‘fight of our lifetime’

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said the national rail dispute was “the fight of our lifetime” for safety and decent jobs. Addressing the union’s annual general meeting in Birmingham, the RMT leader accused Network Rail and the train operating companies of “doing the government’s rotten business and trying to cut thousands of jobs on the railways.” He said: “They are trying to cut thousands of jobs and they have no scruples in cutting back on safety regimes in order to do so. They are seeking to rip up working practices and conditions, agreements that protect our members and in doing so they will drive up unsocial hours, work fatigue and occupational ill health.” He concluded: “So, this is as serious as it gets. It is the fight of our lifetime and of our generation.”
RMT news release.
 

Heaping more pressure on childcare staff won’t work

Instead of trying to provide childcare on the cheap, the government must improve funding for the sector, UNISON has said.  Responding to the government’s launch of a consultation into increasing early years staff-to-child ratios from 1:4 to 1:5 for two-year-olds, the union’s head of education Mike Short said: “Children will be put at risk and staff will be driven out of the early education sector by this government interference. Workers are already quitting due to unmanageable workloads. Attracting new staff will be near impossible if ministers heap ever more responsibility on employees.” He added: “Instead of seeking early years education on the cheap as a way of tackling the cost-of-living crisis, the government must improve funding for the sector.”
UNISON news release.
 

Coca Cola could face strikes over pay bullying

Supplies of Coca Cola could be under threat this summer because workers are furious about an ‘abysmal’ pay deal accompanied by management threats and bullying. Unite says in 2021, Coca Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) made £1.6 billion in profit and had revenues worth £12.7 billion. However, it is offering a pay deal worth 3.25 per cent for the first 12 months, and 1.75 per cent for the following 9 months. CCEP is threatening staff with further reductions to the pay offer and changes to “ways of working” should they take industrial action. The threats have swollen union density at the site. Calling on the company to ‘think again’, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This scandalous behaviour is tainting one of the world’s biggest brands. This Coca-Cola bottling plant is trying to bully and threaten our members into taking a pay cut while making money hand over fist.”
Unite news release.
 

RMT presses for improved lifeboat drill safety

Maritime union RMT is to step up its campaign for the safety workers undertaking lifeboat drills. The union said it will be entering further discussions with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to raise ‘high level’ priorities including maintenance and safety equipment installation and maintenance and the conditions under which drills take place. It says since 1981 there have been 419 deaths involving lifeboats, 346 serious injuries and 116 minor injuries. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said “2022 should be the year that seafarer’s lives are no more placed at risk by any unsafe practice associated with lifeboat drills. Vigorous safety regulations should be established with regard to safety hooks and fall preventers and RMT believes that no lifeboat should be lowered with personnel onboard, rather that they should board just above the water line.”
RMT news release.
 

Parliament ‘an unsafe workplace’, say unions

Parliament must act to stop the ‘seemingly endless’ allegations of sexual misconduct by MPs as political parties cannot be trusted to make it a safe place to work, two unions have warned.  As No 10 admitted Boris Johnson had known about allegations against Chris Pincher before making him deputy chief whip, the FDA and Prospect said politicians were time and again failing to “deal properly with sexual misconduct by one of their own”. In a joint letter to the House of Commons Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, Dave Penman and Mike Clancy, general secretaries of FDA and Prospect respectively, wrote: “If the parties will not act, then parliament must, by taking a zero tolerance approach to sexual misconduct by MPs and by taking seriously its responsibility to provide a safe workplace for those working there.”
Prospect news release. The Guardian.
 

Schools failing to tackle poor pupil behaviour

Teachers are warning of a rise in poor and problematic pupil behaviour in schools across Wales following the pandemic, which is leaving teachers exposed to increased abuse. Members of NASUWT, meeting at the union’s Cymru Annual Conference, reported a rise in poor pupil attendance and attitude to learning, a failure to follow instructions or demonstrate respect for teachers and other school staff following pupils’ return to the classroom after the disruption of the pandemic. Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, said: “Where employers do not fulfil their duty of care to our members we will have no hesitation in taking steps, including taking refusal to teach ballots, in order to protect their health and welfare from abuse and violence.”
NASUWT news release.
 

OTHER NEWS

Work exposures as a firefighter cause cancer - official

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has declared that occupational exposures as a firefighter a preventable cause of human cancer. On 1 July, a working group of the World Health Organisation (WHO) agency announced: “After thoroughly reviewing the available scientific literature, the Working Group classified occupational exposure as a firefighter as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), on the basis of sufficient evidence for cancer in humans.” It added: “Occupational exposure as a firefighter causes cancer. There was sufficient evidence for cancer in humans for the following cancer types: mesothelioma and bladder cancer. There was limited evidence for cancer in humans for the following cancer types: colon cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, melanoma of the skin, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.”
IARC alert, news release, Q&A and infographic.
Demers P, DeMarini D, Fent K, Glass D, Hansen J, Adetona O and others. Carcinogenicity of occupational exposure as a firefighter, Lancet Oncology, Published online 30 June 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(22)00390-4
 

Firefighters’ union welcomes cancer recognition

The UK firefighters’ union FBU has welcomed a decision by the World Health Organisation’s cancer research agency IARC to recognise work as a firefighter as a cause of several cancers and has called on the UK government and fire service employers to act. FBU national officer Riccardo la Torre said: “This classification should be a huge wake-up call for both the government and fire and rescue services. Government now need to urgently acknowledge that cancer is an occupational hazard within firefighting.” He added: “We also recognise that this news will be worrying for firefighters and want to reassure all of our members that the union will fight to protect your safety at work.” He said the FBU would work to get fire chiefs, employers and ministers to take the risks seriously. “It’s now time to sit up, listen and act to protect firefighters from this life-threatening occupational hazard,” he said.
FBU news release. Work Cancer Hazards blog.
 

Film industry rethink on working culture

The British Film Institute (BFI) has acknowledged that long hours working remains a persistent problem for the industry and that more support should be provided for its freelance workforce. The BFI’s Skills Review examined the needs for training and skills development across the production sector for scripted film and high-end television and made recommendations to address increasing pressure on the industry. Spencer MacDonald, national secretary with the creative industries union Bectu, welcoming the review, adding: “We urgently need a rethink of the industry’s working culture to create lasting and meaningful change for crew. It’s critical that employers work in partnership with the workforce and its representatives to establish healthier working practices and shore up the industry for the future.”
Bectu news release.
 

Special Covid leave scrapped for NHS England staff

Enhanced sick pay provided to NHS staff during the Covid-19 pandemic has been axed. The special pay arrangements were offered to staff who were off work sick with either Covid or long Covid during the pandemic. Staff received pay if they were isolating from the virus and a full 12 months pay if they had long Covid. But from 7 July staff will revert to normal contractual sick pay arrangements. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the changes were part of learning to live with Covid. It comes as Covid infections and hospital admissions are rising, driven by two new fast-spreading sub-variants of Omicron - BA.4 and BA.5.
BBC News Online. Evening Standard.
 

Dangerous incidents at UK laboratories exposed

Dangerous incidents at UK laboratories, hospitals and Covid test centres potentially exposed staff to coronavirus and other hazards over the course of the pandemic, according to official reports. Documents obtained by the Guardian reveal many involved leaks and spillages of virus-laden fluids, but investigations also took place into a flood at an animal facility housing Covid-infected monkeys, mix ups that led scientists to work on live virus by mistake and a researcher being bitten by an infected ferret. The Health and Safety Executive recorded at least 47 “dangerous occurrences” involving coronavirus at UK hospitals, Lighthouse labs and research facilities - including Public Health England’s Porton Down laboratory, which received a Crown improvement notice - over the course of the pandemic. Reports from 37 cases were released to the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act. The rest were withheld because of ongoing investigations.
The Guardian.
 

Recycling boss guilty of worker’s manslaughter

The boss of a Wales recycling company has been found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter after one of his employees died when he was trapped in machinery. Norman Butler, 60, from Prestatyn, died in November 2017 at Recycle Cymru in Kinmel Bay, Conwy.  Company director Stephen Jones, 60, was found to have failed in his duty of care to protect the employee. Jones’ negligence “was shockingly bad,” Mold Crown Court heard. He was released on bail and will be sentenced on 15 July. Norman Butler had only been working as a van driver for the company for a month before his death. He was alone at the warehouse when he walked up a conveyor belt to clear a blockage before falling into the machine. His body was found three hours later by a colleague.
BBC News Online. Daily Post. Wales Online.
 

RESOURCES

Substituting hazardous chemicals at work

The OECD has revamped its ‘Replacing harmful chemicals with the Substitution and Alternatives Assessment Toolbox’ (SAAToolbox). The international agency says “replacing harmful products with safer ones is one of the most effective ways to eliminate or reduce exposure to toxic or other hazardous products. Chemical alternatives assessments are a process that can help identify and compare potential chemical and non-chemical alternatives that can be used as substitutes to replace chemicals.” The new SAATtoolbox provides information “about chemical substitution and alternatives assessments and get practical guidance on conducting them.”
SAAToolbox.
 

EVENTS

Find out about ‘fundamental’ safety, 1-3-30pm, 11 July online

An online information session hosted by the ILO International Training Centre is to be held on 11 July on the topic ‘A Safe and Healthy Working Environment is now a Fundamental Principle and Right at Work’. The session will provide detail on the game-changing June ILO decision, which elevated occupational health and safety to join the four other ‘fundamental’ rights at work [the right to organise, and protection from child labour, forced labour and discrimination at work] that must be observed by all ILO’s 187 member states. These core ILO safety rights include a duty on employers to consult with workers and their representatives, training, and the right to refuse dangerous work.
A Safe and Healthy Working Environment is now a Fundamental Principle and Right at Work, 1.30-3.00pm UK time, Monday 11 July [in English, with simultaneous interpretation to French and Spanish]. Register online.

 

UK Hazards Conference, Keele, 29-31 July 2022

The National Hazards Conference, the biggest and best workers’ health and safety event in the UK, will again be face-to-face this year. The Hazards Campaign-organised conference, on the theme ‘Decent work is safe and healthy’, is returning to its usual Keele University venue after two years online. This year, there is also an online option for those who would rather not attend in person. The conference, which features top speakers and a wide range of workshops and provides unparalleled opportunities to network and exchange ideas, relies on delegate fees and union sponsorship to survive.
UK Hazards Conference, Keele University, 29-31 July 2022. Online booking form and programme to download or complete online. Sponsorship form.
For further information, email hazconf@gmhazards.org.uk or call 07734 317158.
 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Europe: MEPs call for psychosocial risk law

MEPs have again called on the European Commission to prepare a new law on the prevention of psychosocial risks. Warning that psychosocial risks are the cause of 60 per cent of all working days lost, the European Parliament this week adopted a Mental Health in the Digital World of Work report. In the wake of the adoption, European trade unions - via a joint EndStress.EU platform involving ETUC, Eurocadres, EFFAT, EPSU and industriALL - wrote to European Commission jobs and social rights commissioner Nicolas Schmit to propose the new law. They note that 80 per cent of establishments in the EU identify at least one psychosocial risk factor as being present in their workplace. Less than 40 per cent of workplaces have action plans to prevent psychosocial risks at work across the EU, while 88 per cent of EU workers experience stress problems at work.
ETUC news release.
 

Global: New ILO guide on biological hazards at work

Groundbreaking new guidelines on handling biological hazards in the workplace have been agreed at an International Labour Organisation (ILO) meeting in Geneva. The meeting of experts from governments and employers’ and workers’ organisations agreed the guidelines on preventing and controlling work-related injuries, diseases and deaths related to exposure to biological hazards in the working environment. The guidelines define a biological hazard as any microorganism, cell or other organic material that may be of plant, animal, or human origin, including any which have been genetically modified, and which can cause harm to human health. This may include, but is not limited to, bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, prions, DNA materials, bodily fluids, and other microorganisms and their associated allergens and toxins.
ILO news release.
 

Global: IOSH welcomes biohazard guidelines

New international technical guidelines on biological hazards at work have been welcomed by the safety professionals’ organisation IOSH. Dr Ivan Williams Jimenez, the IOSH policy development manager, said: “As the knowledge and information on biological hazards in the workplace keeps improving, IOSH welcomes the efforts to protect workers against these agents.” He added: “Harmonisation and improvement in existing classification systems of occupational infectious diseases is needed, together with stronger evidence base on the impact of hazardous agents on occupations, industries and infectious diseases. IOSH hopes to contribute to the important debates that will take place in the next two years.”
IOSH news release.
 

Jordan: Officials sacked after port chlorine gas deaths

Top port and safety officials had been sacked after a deadly toxic gas leak. A tank of chlorine gas fell as it was being loaded by crane onto a ship in Jordan’s Red Sea port of Aqaba on 27 June, releasing the toxic substance. At least 13 people, including five Vietnamese nationals, were killed and more than 260 others injured, according to the latest official toll. An investigation showed “great deficiency and negligence in safety measures for dealing with hazardous materials in the Aqaba port”, said Jordan’s prime minister Bisher al-Khasawneh during a cabinet meeting. The director and other officials from the state port operator as well as the head of the maritime authority were sacked, the premier added. The gas canister’s weight far exceeded the maximum load of the crane cable bearing it, said interior minister Mazen al-Faraya, who headed the investigation.
Khaleej Times. BBC News Online.
 

Global: Tragedy shows why safety is ‘fundamental’

The tragic deaths of at least 13 people in a chlorine gas leak in a Jordan port highlights the need for safety to be top global priority, the international transport unions’ federation ITF has said. Commenting on the 27 June incident in the Red Sea port of Aqaba, ITF president Paddy Crumlin said: “We commend the swift actions of emergency responders at the port, but this accident should never have happened in the first place.” Crumlin, who is also chair of the ITF dockers’ section, added: “It throws into sharp relief the safety regime at this port and raises tough questions about how dangerous loads are typically handled in the region.” He concluded: “OSH is a fundamental workers’ right. Tragedies like this have a massive impact, not just on the families of the victims, but on the wider workforce and port community.”
ITF news release.
 

Qatar: Worker deaths under-reported in killer heat

A BBC Arabic investigation has uncovered allegations that Qatar is under-reporting the number of migrant workers who have died of heat stroke. Migrant workers who have complained about labour laws being broken have been jailed, the investigation found. BBC Arabic investigation warned that across the Gulf extreme heat is affecting ever more people, especially millions of migrant workers who go there to support their families back home.  Temperatures that go above 50 degrees Celsius, thanks to climate change, can leave workers with life-altering illnesses including heart failure, it said.
BBC News Online.

PUBLICATIONS

TUC Hazards at Work 6th Edition

Stock Code: HS111
Price £22 RRP £52
Also now available as an eBook
This is the Sixth edition of the TUC's best-selling guide to health and safety at work.
Used by reps, officers, employers, professionals in the field and even enforcement officers. This incredibly popular book is now even more informative at over 400 pages, an invaluable resource, which incorporates common hazards and cause of ill health at work, and how to assess and prevent them.
The book also contains HSE and other guidance, extensive checklists, case studies and web resources.
Order your copy
There are discounts on bulk orders, over 5 copies, please contact us for details.
Those on TUC approved courses can receive discount, please call for details 0207 467 1294. Or email at: publications@tuc.org.uk
 

TUC Courses for Safety Reps 2022

Find the latest courses at https://www.tuc.org.uk/TUCcourses