Unions angered by "complacent" Government response

News | HSP
07.07.2008

The union Prospect, which represents 1700 HSE staff, has described the Government's response to the DWP Select Committee's report as "disappointing but unsurprising".

"The union has argued for many years that there is a clear correlation between inspection and improvements in health and safety performance, and it was refreshing to see that recognised by the work and pensions committee," said Prospect negotiator Mike Macdonald.

"For the Government to again refuse point blank to investigate increasing funding for proactive investigation, a policy we know works, is at best complacent."

The construction union UCATT expressed concern about the Government's reluctance to support statutory health and safety duties for directors, saying the voluntary approach had been "a failure" with just 44% of companies following the guidance. The union also described the Government's rejection of a register for tower cranes as "myopic".

On the subject of inspections, UCATT general secretary Alan Ritchie said: "Self-regulation does not work in dangerous casualised industries such as construction.

"By talking about the importance of giving 'advice and guidance', ministers and HSE chiefs give the impression that they think it is more important to stuff education material into envelopes than inspect sites."

He added: "It is clear that the HSE does not have sufficient resources to adequately perform its role.

"Someone, somewhere sitting in their ivory tower should once and for all tell us exactly what price they place on a worker's life."