Union supports MPs’ concerns for health and safety

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Monday, 21, Apr 2008 12:00

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) today welcomed a report calling for a rethink over the removal of over 320 Health and Safety Executive (HSE) posts from London. The union also echoed MPs’ concerns that lack of resources in HSE are having a damaging impact on accident rates in the workplace.

The work and pensions select committee's report into 'The role of the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive in regulating workplace health and safety' which is published today, warns that if a move to a single HSE headquarters in Bootle goes ahead there could be a significant loss of expertise as many of the current staff will be unwilling to relocate to Bootle.

The union supports the report's recommendation that there needs to be an increase in health and safety inspector numbers. However, PCS highlighted the fact that inspectors can only be effective when given the adequate support. There is also the need for the HSE to have adequate numbers of staff who support the frontline delivery work such as policy staff, litigation teams and the administrative staff who free up time for inspectors to go out and inspect by providing important local knowledge, and by offering early advice to business.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said, "We now call upon the government to release further funding to the Health and Safety Executive to be able to implement these recommendations. Union representatives will be meeting with the chief executive shortly and we will seek further answers from him in light of the select committee’s findings. We are saying to the government that if you take health and safety in the workplace seriously you need to think again about these proposals to move jobs out of London which will inevitably mean a massive loss of skills and knowledge."

ENDS

Notes to editors

¿ For further information, interviews and comment please contact Jayson Sloss PCS Negotiations Officer on 07788 118820.

¿ PCS, the Public and Commercial Services Union is the union representing civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 325,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies. It also represents workers in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK’s sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich.

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