Toggle high contrast

Campaigners confront minister on safety cuts

Issue date

Campaigners confront minister on safety cuts

Unions and safety campaigners have taken the fight for safer work to the government's doorstep. As part of Workers' Memorial Day activities on 28 April last week (Risks 503), union reps and members of the Hazards Campaign and the Construction Safety Campaign protested outside the London HQ of the Department of Work and Pensions, the government ministry pushing through a dramatic erosion of safety enforcement and rights in the UK. Simon Hester, a union rep with Prospect's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) branch, confronted employment minister Chris Grayling on the DWP steps. He questioned the minister's decision to cut 35 per cent from HSE's budget, a move he said meant inspections on major construction sites would only now take place after a death or serious injury had occurred. The union rep added that workplaces in the public, health, education, local government, transport, quarries and agriculture sectors would also no longer be inspected unannounced. Significant elements of the manufacturing industry will also go without inspections in future, he said. 'The role of the HSE is being undermined,' the Prospect rep said. 'We won't be the last line of defence anymore, we will be coming in to pick up the pieces,' he said. 'If we are going to fight for the living we have to get off our knees and organise.' The visibly shaken minister responded: 'My door is always open.'

Morning Star.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

To access the admin area, you will need to setup two-factor authentication (TFA).

Setup now