New TUC report underlines importance of health and safety
14:36 - 03/08/2010
New TUC report underlines importance ...
A new report published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), entitled ‘The Case for Health and Safety’, has challenged a number of widespread beliefs about workplace health and safety, including the idea that Britain is one of the safest countries to work in around the world.
The report revealed that over 20,000 people die prematurely at work every year. However, this figure is a conservative estimate and, in reality, is thought to be much higher. For instance, the TUC estimates that around 15,000 deaths are caused each year by occupational cancers alone. In addition to this, the report suggests that around 1.2 million people suffer from work-related illnesses and that there are around 246,000 reportable accidents at work every year.
The TUC, which is the national trade union centre in the UK and represents the vast majority of workers, is now calling for the Government to appoint a “champion for health and safety” to tackle the issue.
The report makes a number of other recommendations to improve health and safety standards in the UK, such as giving company directors a legal duty to enforce health and safety regulations and ensuring that only companies who build the cost of properly protecting their workforce into contract bids should be granted public sector contracts.
The perception of health and safety as a burden or as being about lots of silly rules and prohibitions has been largely blamed for diminishing its importance and resulting in it being viewed as less of a priority. The report also argues that it affects government policy because decision-makers “read the newspaper headlines, rather than the obituaries.”
It’s not all bad news; injury rates, and some ill-health rates, are declining and significant improvements have been made in the safety culture of many industries in recent years. However, the TUC warn that Britain still has a major problem in regards to workplace diseases and that any reduction in enforcement could lead to an increase in accidents, injuries and deaths. The pivotal message of the report is that “health and safety is as relevant, and necessary, today as it has ever been.”
Perry Leeks, Operations Director at First Response Training, believes that it is incorrect interpretation of health and safety law, rather than the regulations themselves, which can cause problems. He says: “Most of the well publicised barmy examples in the media which perpetuate the ‘health and safety gone mad’ image are usually due to poorly trained staff applying the rules incorrectly.
“At First Response Training we have a team of expert trainers who deliver Health and Safety training in a way that is interactive, relevant and interesting. We have a suite of training courses that can help those who are responsible for health and safety in their settings understand what they need to do. For more information, please call and speak to one of our advisors.”
The report revealed that over 20,000 people die prematurely at work every year. However, this figure is a conservative estimate and, in reality, is thought to be much higher. For instance, the TUC estimates that around 15,000 deaths are caused each year by occupational cancers alone. In addition to this, the report suggests that around 1.2 million people suffer from work-related illnesses and that there are around 246,000 reportable accidents at work every year.
The TUC, which is the national trade union centre in the UK and represents the vast majority of workers, is now calling for the Government to appoint a “champion for health and safety” to tackle the issue.
The report makes a number of other recommendations to improve health and safety standards in the UK, such as giving company directors a legal duty to enforce health and safety regulations and ensuring that only companies who build the cost of properly protecting their workforce into contract bids should be granted public sector contracts.
The perception of health and safety as a burden or as being about lots of silly rules and prohibitions has been largely blamed for diminishing its importance and resulting in it being viewed as less of a priority. The report also argues that it affects government policy because decision-makers “read the newspaper headlines, rather than the obituaries.”
It’s not all bad news; injury rates, and some ill-health rates, are declining and significant improvements have been made in the safety culture of many industries in recent years. However, the TUC warn that Britain still has a major problem in regards to workplace diseases and that any reduction in enforcement could lead to an increase in accidents, injuries and deaths. The pivotal message of the report is that “health and safety is as relevant, and necessary, today as it has ever been.”
Perry Leeks, Operations Director at First Response Training, believes that it is incorrect interpretation of health and safety law, rather than the regulations themselves, which can cause problems. He says: “Most of the well publicised barmy examples in the media which perpetuate the ‘health and safety gone mad’ image are usually due to poorly trained staff applying the rules incorrectly.
“At First Response Training we have a team of expert trainers who deliver Health and Safety training in a way that is interactive, relevant and interesting. We have a suite of training courses that can help those who are responsible for health and safety in their settings understand what they need to do. For more information, please call and speak to one of our advisors.”
Make your selections below and enter your postcode (if applicable). This will provide you with information about a course in a location convenient to you
