19/05/2003 - Features
Row over the value of safety reps
John Edmonds, general secretary of the GMB, described the failure of the Government, the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to fully acknowledge the contribution of safety representatives as "a mystery story".
Mr Edmonds described how partnerships between employers and union safety representatives had dramatically reduced levels of workplace injury. At the confectionary company Nestle, joint efforts to reduce slip and trip accidents had resulted in a 60% reduction in such incidents in three years. There had also been a 40% reduction in manual handling accidents at the company over a two-year period. Similar improvements at Transco and Birds Eye Walls were also outlined and John Edmonds said that there were "many more such examples from across the country."
He described research that had shown that in workplaces where trade unions were recognised there were 5.3 serious injuries per 1,000 workers, whereas in non-unionised workplaces the figure was 10.9 per 1,000, more than 50% worse. Likewise, further studies in the construction sector had shown that the presence of a safety representative was "overwhelmingly the most significant factor" when it came to safety compliance, added the union leader.
In a scathing attack on policymakers Mr Edmonds said: "Any normal person would say this is the 'Holy Grail' of health and safety. Those that don't must be out of their tiny minds."
He described a catalogue of failures by the Government, HSC and HSE in promoting the role of union safety representatives, in terms of both guidance and strategy - in particular the Revitalising Health and Safety Strategy (2000) which set a target of a 30% reduction in accidents by 2010.
John Edmonds claimed safety representatives were neglected due to "failure of management, old fashioned culture and lack of courage". He added: "I fear that many are still stuck in the 1980's and 1990's, believing that partnership between employers and unions isn't politically correct."
Interestingly, Mr Edmonds was followed to the podium by Kate Timms, deputy director general for policy at the HSE. She described how the HSE was in the process of carrying out its own study into the impact of safety representatives and committees and admitted that "at this stage" the findings appeared to be "significant". She said the evidence would be looked at more fully and that they "would then have to decide what sort of roll-out programme to have and what resources were available."
Kate Timms vehemently rejected any suggestion that the HSE was a "failed organisation".
John Edmonds acknowledged the HSE's latest research into the impact of safety representatives but said he was concerned that the work may lead to non-unionised safety reps being thought of as having the same value as those with union backing.
Two of the main reasons why union safety reps were so effective was because they had access to external advice from their trade union and because union backing meant that they had "the power to challenge management", he said.
Feature article by Jonathan Thomson