Tuesday 9 December 2003 - News - Health and safety
Private employers 'worse on health and safety'
The country's biggest
union issued a "safety warning" today over the record of private
firms given contracts by local authorities and health trusts.
Unison claimed private contractors consistently trailed public authority employers over health and safety measures.
Research for the union found that private firms had fewer health and safety committees, fewer union safety reps and carried out fewer risk assessments than employers in the public sector.
Less than one in four contractors gave safety reps paid time off for training and other duties compared with 96% of public authority employers, according to a survey of 134 union branches.
Hugh Robertson, head of health and safety for Unison, said: "Our survey shows that when contracts go out, the risk to the worker goes up.
"Employers in the public sector should consider the health and safety record of contractors before they award contracts and also ensure that they adhere to strict health and safety requirements during the life of the contract."
Max Herd
Unison claimed private contractors consistently trailed public authority employers over health and safety measures.
Research for the union found that private firms had fewer health and safety committees, fewer union safety reps and carried out fewer risk assessments than employers in the public sector.
Less than one in four contractors gave safety reps paid time off for training and other duties compared with 96% of public authority employers, according to a survey of 134 union branches.
Hugh Robertson, head of health and safety for Unison, said: "Our survey shows that when contracts go out, the risk to the worker goes up.
"Employers in the public sector should consider the health and safety record of contractors before they award contracts and also ensure that they adhere to strict health and safety requirements during the life of the contract."
Max Herd
