NEWS RELEASE
BROAD WELCOME FROM STUC FOR NEW HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMISSION STRATEGY
The Scottish Trades Union Congress has welcomed the latest strategy launched today by the Health and Safety Commission that outlines action to be taken to ensure that British workers are afforded the highest level of protection within their workplace while encouraging increased participation by all stakeholders to advocate the economic benefits for employers by reducing workers exposure to risk and ensuring individual stay in work.
Ian Tasker, STUC Health and Safety Officer said,
"We do have some concerns in relation to the way the Government chooses to implement the European Health and Safety Framework Directive. But it has become all too easy to criticise the Health and Safety Executive as it seeks to enforce health and safety legislation against a generally hostile business community and a Government that fails to resource the department to allow them to make real improvements in our health and safety enforcement record.
"Sections of the media have chosen to trivialise the approach taken by enforcement bodies while supporting industry in a mistaken view that profitability of businesses is being threatened by over regulation and enforcement.
"The STUC does not support this view and we welcome the commitment by the Health and Safety Commission to encourage closer working relationships between trade unions and employers and the requirement to expand the network of health and safety representatives across the private and public sector.
"The STUC supports many of the aims set out in the document. However, we are concerned that the current real time cut by the Government on health and safety expenditure, allied with moves to
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deregulate health and safety enforcement in the rail industry, casts doubt on the their commitment to the current revitalising strategy.
"There must be adequate support for this current initiative which seeks to ensure that all stakeholders will be treated equally and with due respect by the HSC, HSE and the Government. We must redouble our efforts to ensure that our members are offered the best protection in the workplace so the UK can be seen as a leader instead of a follower in the way we enforce health and safety legislation."
ENDS
For further details contact
Ian Tasker
David Moxham