European Health and Safety at Work Week Monday 24 – Sunday 30 October: “Healthy Workplaces for All Ages”
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
Dates:
This year the European Health and Safety Week will take place in the fourth week of October, Monday 24 – Sunday 30 October.
Theme 2016-17:
European Health and Safety Week takes place in October each year and is designed to raise awareness of health and safety at work issues and is organised by the European Agency for Safety and Health, who have published a website full of news, materials and activities. Each year, European Health and Safety Week seeks to promote good health and safety practice.
This year the theme is “Healthy Workplaces For All Ages”.
The European Agency for Occupational Safety and Health (EU-OSHA):
The European Agency for Occupational Safety and Health (EU-OSHA) describe the week as: “Aimed at people in organisations, companies and workplaces of all sizes and sectors. Everybody involved in occupational safety and health matters are invited to take part, especially health and safety professional bodies and institutions, occupational insurance organisations, trade unions, employers, employers organisations, companies, managers, employees and Safety Representatives.
The EU Safety and Health Agency’s 2016-2017 ‘Healthy Workplaces for All Ages’ Workplaces Campaign is focusing on the promotion of sustainable work and healthy ageing throughout working life and effective management of workplace health and safety in the context of an ageing workforce. The Agency has set up a special Website full of News, Materials and activities. The Website can be located at the following link:-
https://osha.europa.eu/en/healthy-workplaces-campaigns/2016-17-campaign-healthy-workplaces-all-ages
HSE:
The European Health and Safety Week is being coordinated in the UK by the Health and Safety Executive. The HSE has set up a Website with lots of information and Guidance at:- http://www.hse.gov.uk/campaigns/european-2016/ and
http://www.hse.gov.uk/vulnerable-workers/older-workers.htm
TUC:
The TUC has produced guidance on the EU Health and Safety Week theme entitled “Health and Safety of Older Workers. (Copy Attached).
National H&S Inspection Day:
The Wednesday of European Health and Safety Week, 26th October is traditionally National Inspection Day when all Trade Union Safety Representatives are encouraged to carry out Inspections of Workplaces where their members are employed. The TUC Guide on Health & Safety Inspections and the TUC Guide on Risk Assessment are both attached (Copies Attached).
CWU Health and Safety Reps are requested to undertake targeted Inspections of Workplaces on National Inspection Day.
Union-appointed health and safety representatives have a legal right to inspect the workplace. Formal inspections of the workplace should be carried out periodically and additionally where there is higher risks, members’ complaints, incidents, near misses, change in conditions, new hazards or accidents have occurred etc. The frequency of health and safety inspections will depend on the nature of the work and risks in the workplace concerned and this is a judgement for the CWU Safety Representative to make and not the management! Inspections may be less often, for example, if the work environment is low risk, like in a predominantly administrative office. But if there are certain areas of a workplace or specific activities that are high risk or are changing rapidly, more frequent inspection may be justified, for example, high risk work or where construction projects are taking place.
The HSE state that Formal Health and Safety Inspections can take different forms and Safety Reps need to decide the best methods for the workplace. Safety Reps should plan and organise their Inspections as we approach the week. Here are some of the ways the HSE state that Inspections can take place.
Safety tours – general inspections of the workplace
Safety sampling – systematic sampling of particular dangerous activities, processes or areas
Safety surveys – general inspections of particular dangerous activities, processes or areas
Incident Inspections – carried out after a near miss (which could have resulted in an injury, or case of ill health), a dangerous occurrence or an accident.
Further information is available from the HSE on Health and Safety Inspections and can be found on the HSE Website at:- http://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/inspections.htm
Calling All CWU Health and Safety Reps – > Get involved in Joint Working:
Achieve on health and safety – make the workplace safer and healthier for you, your members and others. Take Action on “HEALTHY WORKPLACES FOR ALL AGES”.
With increased life expectancy, no default retirement age, raising state pension age, plus poor pension provision; today and into the future, a higher proportion of workers will continue to remain in work as they age.
At the same time, apprenticeship schemes as an alternative to schooling may see more young people also entering the workplace.
Employers have the same responsibilities for the health and safety of employees, whether younger, older, or in-between.
However, they do need to consider any particularly vulnerable groups and this may include older or younger workers, or women of child-bearing age for example. Working for longer, and the fact that children now grow up with computers, may also result in longer exposure to risks (whether muscular-skeletal or otherwise).
Both employers and regulators will need to consider this, both for the current and longer term implications.
As the working population ages, it is likely that there will be more workers with disabilities or long term health problems (and not all related to work) so measures such as rehabilitation and return to work will also be of increased importance.
The good news is that good workplace design and well managed health and safety benefit all of those in the workplace, young, old, and the in-between. And of course, with today’s young workers becoming tomorrow’s older workers, it really is the case that we need healthy workplaces for all ages.
That’s why the CWU is encouraging employers and branches to work together to ensure that workplaces really are healthy for all ages.
Questions For Safety Reps To Ask on Inspections:
Are risk assessments, policies, and procedures diversity-sensitive – that is, do they consider the different hazards and risks for all workers whether younger, older, or perhaps vulnerable in some other way?
Is prevention the key focus of the employers health and safety strategy (so far as is reasonably practicable), followed by the minimisation of exposure to risks?
Are there effective rehabilitation and return to work procedures?
Are workplaces, the work, and equipment adapted to fit the individual? For example are they ergonomic, do they reduce manual handling, and are there opportunities for job rotation?
Safety Reps – Why get involved?
CWU members are safer and healthier in workplaces because of the Union’s army of active, trained, experienced, dedicated safety reps and where hazards are risk assessed.
Promoting the campaign during European Health and Safety Week provides an opportunity to engage with the employer and managers on workplace hazards, rehabilitation, and return to work.
Health and safety is important to workers, it’s important to the CWU, and it’s also important to our customers as many of our members work in local communities. Remember a safe and healthy workplace and job, is also a safe place for customers and the community.
Health and safety is important to workers, it’s important to the CWU, and it’s also important to our customers as many of our members work in local communities. Remember a safe and healthy workplace and job, is also a safe place for customers and the community.
How To Get Involved In EU H&S Week:
Promoting the campaign during European Health and Safety Week provides an opportunity to engage with the employer and managers on workplace hazards, rehabilitation, and return to work.
CWU members are safer and healthier in workplaces because of the Union’s army of active, trained, experienced, dedicated safety reps and where hazards are risk assessed.
Regional Safety Forums – meet and discuss a common approach to the EU H&S Campaign week.
Safety Reps – meet and speak with your members.
Encourage Members and potential members – to raise their concerns about workplace health and safety hazards together.
Safety Reps – campaign, recruit and organise – on issues of local concern and get results!
Inspect the workplace or investigate members and non-members (potential recruits) complaints and submit a report and put the matters on the Health and Safety Committee Agenda.
Hold a Union workplace meeting to raise awareness, during lunch time if this will increase turnout, and invite non-members to demonstrate what the Union does on Health and Safety – use Union Health and Safety and Recruitment materials.
Carry out a body or risk mapping exercise – a simple, effective, and fantastic way to identify the areas of concern at your member’s workplace.
Survey the workforce and members with a simple questionnaire to identify health and safety concerns they feel are important.
Work with the Safety Advisors and Managers to implement Safety Standards and policies and procedures relevant to concerns at the workplaces to improve compliance.
Jointly review relevant safety standards and risk assessments, policies, and standard operating procedures with the Safety Advisors and Managers.
Hold a “spot the hazards” campaign.
Cover the theme of healthy workplaces for all ages in a local Branch newsletter or on the Branch Website.
TUC/CWU Hazards Manual guidance:
The CWU European Health and Safety Week Poster will be attached as a pdf copy and hard copies of the Poster will be mailed Out to Branches and Regional Health and Safety Forums for display in workplaces.
CWU European Health & Safety Week 2016 Poster:
The TUC/CWU Hazards Manual contains lots of guidance on:- risk assessment; safety rep inspections; the ageing workforce; disability and health and safety; gender safety and health; the menopause and work; sickness absence; young workers; older workers.
Attachments:-
TUC Guide – “The Health & Safety Of Older Workers”
TUC Guide – “Health & Safety Inspection”
TUC Guide – Risk Assessment
CWU European Health & Safety Week 2016 Poster:
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 588/16
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 
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