HSE(NI) – Corporate Plan 2018-2023

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland HSE(NI) has published its new Corporate Plan for the 2018-2023 period.

The Corporate Plan is regarded as ‘draft’ as it cannot be endorsed and ‘signed-off’ in the absence of a Minister due to the Northern Ireland Assembly currently being ‘suspended’ following a breakdown in power-sharing negotiations between the leading political parties in the province.

However, the HSE(NI) Board has agreed the Corporate Plan following a public consultation which drew widespread positive support. Given the overwhelmingly positive support received at consultation, HSE(NI) will use the ‘draft’ Corporate Plan document to set the priorities and strategic direction for the organisation until the NI Assembly and Executive is restored and a Minister for the Economy is in place to consider the draft.

In the Corporate Plan, HSE(NI) has set out its mission ‘to work with others to reduce serious work-related injury and ill health’. Strategically, HSE(NI) will focus on preventing the most serious workplace health and safety issues in high risk industries and activities.

In addition, for a number of years HSE(NI) has been increasing its activity and focus on occupational health issues. Given the potential short and long term costs to workers and to the economy from ill-health at work, the Corporate Plan represents a step change in activity in this important area which is devastating many lives and costing the Northern Ireland economy over £238m every year.

HSE(NI) is committed to improving health and safety standards across all work sectors in Northern Ireland and has identified three main overlapping themes on which they will focus their work during this corporate plan period. Over the lifetime of the Corporate Plan, HSE(NI), working with others, plans to achieve the following three key outcomes:-

• Reduce Serious and Fatal Accidents by 10% to no more than 50 per annum on average;
• Reduce Major Accidents by 10% to no more than 350 per annum on average; and
• Reduce Over 3 Day Accidents by 5% to no more than 1700 per annum on average

HSE(NI) sees these three targets as challenging and in large part being dependent on the health and safety performance of other parties. This underscores the fact that this Corporate Plan represents a shared vision between HSE(NI), NI employers and NI employees. In addition, this draft Plan focuses on a sector based approach and specifies the challenges and priorities in key industry sectors.

HSE(NI) ran a public consultation exercise from 6 April to 29 June 2018.

HSE(NI) we will focus on those work activities that pose the highest risk and the causes of serious and fatal accidents. They state that underpinning the strategy’s approach is collaboration and partnership.

They will continue to use the traditional model of workplace inspections by HSE(NI) Inspectors as HSE(NI) know these visits are effective in stopping dangerous activities and bringing about improvements.

The HSE(NI) website, and HSE(NI)’s Communications Team will run campaigns, arrange talks and seminars etc., to bring the key messages to wider audiences and this will continue to be a vital aspect of the Inspectorate’s work in the future.

HSE(NI) will also partner with other regulators and stakeholders to raise awareness and drive improvements in both safety and health across all sectors.

They aim to provide, encourage and support leadership in safety and health in Northern Ireland in order to deliver success.

Finally HSE(NI) state that they will deploy the necessary enforcement action options open to them where the circumstances require it.

There are 124,000 businesses in Northern Ireland and the public sector.

A copy of the HSE(NI) Corporate Plan 2018-2023 is attached.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB645 HSE(NI) – Corporate Plan 2018-2023

HSE(NI)-corporate-plan-2018-2023

Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No 17 October-November 2018

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

The Greener Jobs Alliance was launched to promote skills training and job creation to meet the needs of Britain’s rapidly growing low carbon sectors and to green the whole economy.

The transition to a low carbon and resource efficient economy can drive sustainable economic recovery and job creation in every part of the country as well as making existing jobs more secure. But this requires a more strategic national and local approach to deliver the workforce skills needed and to stimulate demand for clean energy and energy efficiency services.

The Greener Jobs Alliance liaises at a national and local level to build the broadest possible support for the policies, investment, partnerships and commitments needed to drive the transition to a low carbon economy.

The Greener Jobs Alliance liaises with training bodies, colleges, universities, employers, local and national government, trade unions, housing associations, campaign and community groups – to build the policies, investment and partnerships needed to drive the transition to a low carbon economy.

The GJA runs a number of ‘free’ courses on the environment for Trade Union Reps in different parts of the UK which have been attended by a number of CWU Reps.

The GJA came into existence as a result of funding from Battersea and Wandsworth TUC.

See attached October-November GJA Newsletter No 17.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB644 Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) Newsletter No 17 October-November 2018

GJA Newsletter No17 Oct-Nov 2018

RMG/CWU Annual National Road Safety Week, 19 – 25 November 2018 – Focus on Supporting ‘BRAKE’ & ‘Think’ Annual Road Safety Week – Theme “Bike Smart”:

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

[In the UK there are 400 motorcyclists and cyclists killed, 8,500 seriously injured and 38,000 casualties every year]

Background and context

This National Brake Road Safety Week (19-25 November) is raising awareness of the safety of those on two wheels and encouraging everyone to be “Bike Smart”. Cyclists and motorcyclists are among the most vulnerable road users in the UK, with more than 100 riders injured every day in needless, preventable collisions.

The UK National, Annual Road Safety week is an initiative created and co-ordinated annually by “BRAKE” the Road Safety Charity, supporting and encouraging organisations, employers, fleet operators and Trade Unions such as Royal Mail and the CWU to raise road safety awareness and prevent casualties year-round. “THINK” the UK government’s designated road safety campaign now jointly supports the National Road Safety Week.

Every 30 seconds someone somewhere in the world is killed in a road crash. The misery of road death and injuries caused by vehicles is a shameful epidemic that we should all try to reduce.

The HSE estimates that a third of all road traffic accidents involve someone who is at work. Last year over 500 people were killed, over 5,000 seriously injured and 40,000 slightly injured in collisions involving a driver, driving for work. 

For any company with staff who drive for work – whether it’s a fleet of commercial vehicles or company cars – ignoring fleet drivers and road safety can cost dearly. As well as being devastating to those involved, road crashes have massive financial, reputational and legal implications for organisations. For example, in the UK, the cost to employers of at-work road crashes is estimated to be around £3 billion a year.

Road Safety Week is the beginning of a campaign to reduce accidents, injuries, deaths and suffering as well as reducing business costs through implementing a road risk management programme of effective policies and procedures. Investing in fleet risk management, improved

driving standards and awareness-raising therefore makes sound moral and financial sense for all organisations with staff who drive for work.

The campaign is all about improving road and driver safety, supporting, coaching and assisting drivers. This month – 19-25 November, is the ‘BRAKE’ road safety charity’s annual, UK National Road Safety Week, so Royal Mail Group, working with the CWU and Unite/CMA along with “BRAKE”, “THINK”, RoSPA” and “Road Peace” will be focusing on jointly supporting National Road Safety Week.

All Royal Mail drivers have a responsibility to drive safely and minimise risk to themselves and the public. As part of a business-wide focus on road safety, we are sharing a series of Road Safety messages with drivers in Logistics on “Bike Smart”.

Facts and Figures

In the UK the number of accidents involving Bikes (Motorcycles and Cycles) is huge, causing needless carnage, crashes, injuries and damage plus untold suffering and stops people living safe and healthy lives.

•  100 cyclists are killed, 3000 seriously injured and there are 18,500 casualties every year in the UK.
•  300 motorcyclists are killed, 5,500 seriously injured and there are 19,500 casualties every year in the UK.
•  45% of all cyclists and 41% of all motorcyclists’ deaths occur at or near junctions.
•  Last year there were 38 cyclists and 6 motorcyclists involved in RTC’s with Royal Mail Group vehicles – in the last two years, 2 were seriously injured and 2 motorcyclists were killed.
•  67 claims have been settled by Royal Mail Group during last year that involved cycles or motorcycles costing half a million pounds.
•  Every 30 seconds someone somewhere in the world is killed in a road crash.
•  The misery of road death and injuries caused by vehicles is a shameful epidemic that we should all try to reduce.
•  For any company with staff who drive for work – whether it’s a fleet of commercial vehicles, company cars, HGVs etc., – ignoring fleet driver and road safety can cost dearly.
•  Managing road risk is also a fundamental part of an employer’s legal and moral duty of care towards its employees and members of the public.
•  Driving is the riskiest activity most employees engage in. Road crashes account for 39% of work-related deaths in the European Union.

The ‘BRAKE’ & ‘THINK’ ‘Bike Smart Campaign Aims to Get ALL Drivers to make roads safer for people on bicycles and motorbikes by:-

• Taking time to look properly before pulling out at junctions

Turn your head to look, don’t just rely on a sideways glance. Bikes are smaller and narrower than cars and it can take longer for our eyes and our brain to notice that they are there. Turning your head and looking for longer will help you to spot bikes and will help you to judge their speed and distance, so you can pull out safely and avoid a crash.

• Always stopping behind the lines at a junction

Never drive into a bike box if the traffic light is amber or red. Riders need this space to enable them to move safely through junctions. Don’t drive or park in cycle lanes either.

• Leaving plenty of room when overtaking or passing bikes

When passing a bike, you need to give as much space as you’d give another car when overtaking. This means at least 150 cm between you and the rider.

• Slowing down on rural roads

Most crashes involving bikes happen on rural roads, and many of these are because drivers are travelling too fast. Slowing down will help you to take sharp bends more safely and you will be more likely to spot riders in front of you.

• Driving slowly in places where people live

Driving more slowly will give you more time to spot danger and more time to react. It also means you can stop a lot more quickly. 20mph is the right speed in places where people live, work and play. Slow traffic makes more people want to walk and cycle in their communities.

• Avoiding ‘dooring’ of hitting bikes with your vehicle door by using the Dutch reach to check for bikes.

Instead of using the hand nearest the door to open it, reach across with your opposite hand. This forces you to turn your head so you can check for bikes before you open the vehicle door.

• Hours of Darkness

Not all cyclists display lights on their cycles or dress in bright colours so be more vigilant when driving during the hours of darkness especially at peak times which coincide with school/college start and finish times.

The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department has been actively supporting the Road Safety Week Campaign annually since 2003 and is pleased to be involved again. Some key points for ASRs:

1. The Royal Mail Safety Team and CWU Health and Safety Department have agreed to work together on fleet and driver safety, raising awareness and standards, gaining buy-in, managing and reducing the risk to drivers, vehicles, and journeys; and to continually improve fleet and driver safety.
2. The Royal Mail Group Regional Safety Health and Environment (SHE) Teams covering Royal Mail, Parcelforce and RMSS have been asked to liaise with the ASRs from both Unions to discuss participation and support with the road safety week’s activities.
3. CWU ASRs will be fully involved as set out in detail in the attached ASR Activity Plan with full input, participation and support.
4. ASRs should contact local SHE team members and Area/Sector/Unit Managers and PiCs to discuss the activities planned as soon as possible.
5. The initiative is corrective and supportive not punitive. Participation remains voluntary and is encouraged.

CWU Area Safety Reps Activity Plan for Road Safety Week

An Activity Plan for CWU Area Safety Reps is attached. ASRs were asked to follow the ASR Activity Plan/Guide and Schedule for the week. During Road Safety Week ASRs are asked to focus their daily Workplace Safety Inspections on a number of Units, preferably high impacting units and liaise with line managers to agree which units should be focused on and visited/inspected during the November National Road Safety Week (RSW). ASRs should also check that front line managers complete their activity plans which support the ‘National Brake Road Safety Week’.

“BRAKE” Road Safety Week Video

Here is the link to the “BRAKE” animation video which will hopefully be used during the WTLL sessions:-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV84viOy3ok&feature=youtu.be

Attachments: Road Safety Week:-

• Activity Plans
• Posters
• Handouts

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB642 RMG CWU Annual National Road Safety Week 19 – 25 November 2018

Poster 3_Leave Space Overtaking 150cm

Poster 4_Turn your head_Bicycle

Poster 6_Dutch reach_Bicycle

ROYAL MAIL THINK BIKE

RSW Bike Smart – one-pager for logistics drivers – Novt 2018

RSW Bike Smart Nov 2018 ASR Checklist Draft v1

RSW Cycling_Driver advice sheet_FINAL

RSW November 2018 Managers Checklist Draft v1

RSW18_getting_involved Poster

Special Redesign Conference Report

The National Union and it’s Branches came together in Bournemouth over the weekend of 3rd & 4th November to discuss the future of the CWU.

Every part of the unions structure was debated from finance to education.

Dave Ward CWU General Secretary opened conference by saying that this was the most important conference in the unions 23 year history, we need to change or face merger.

The first section to be discussed was Branches and finance motion 3 was carried unaminously which called for 70% of the withheld rebate to be released to HQ’s and the remaining 30% held in a fund that Branches can request a payment from for projects.

Motion 14 was carried putting in place a 14 point health check for branches

Section 2 Regions

It was agreed that the new Regional Executive Committee will now contain the position of Regional Treasurer

National Structures

It was agreed that the national executive would be increased by 4 which would allow those who where not from an industrial background to sit on NEC

Conference’s

Motion 43 calling for the continuation of Annual Conference was narrowly defeated following a card vote, Luke Smith Deputy Branch Secretary spoke in debate to keep Annual Conference.

Motion 44 calling for Annual Conference and policy forums was carried

It was agreed that with retired members conference moving to Bi Annual conference there would be a retired members event held in the year in between.

It was also agreed to increase the amount of motions on Health &Safety

Education

Motion 56 calling for Alvescot Lodge to be retained as a residential training centre was defeated.

Motion 57 instructing the NEC to draw up a full strategic financial plan with projected savings of each of the three elements of the asset review, this will be published to branches before any final decision is taken to dispose of any asset

Conference then carried motions 67 – 71 enabling the NEC to draw up the rule changes needed to make the amended redesign document policy at Annual Conference 2019.

My thanks to the Branch Delegation Luke Smith, Dennis Smith, Steve Clarke, Ernie Orviss, Richard Line and MickGoldsmith for giving up thier weekend to represent the membership of Eastern 5

If you require a copy of the Redesign documents please contact the Branch Office

Andy Beeby

Branch Secretary

CWU Eastern Number Five Branch

Stand Up To Racism March – London 17 November, meet at 12 noon outside the BBC, Great Portland Street, Oxford Circus.

The purpose of this LTB is to notify branches of a march in London to demonstrate against racism and fascism.

We are seeing the biggest rise in support for fascism, the far right, racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism since the 1930’s. The far right are now beginning to mobilise on a scale not seen for decades.

In order to unite against this threat Stand Up To Racism has initiated a national demonstration. The protest is supported by the TUC.

Please come and join the CWU contingent by meeting at the CWU balloons, which will be clearly visible on the day. We are sure Branches will understand that it’s important to have a big turnout from the CWU to show solidarity and determination to tackle this threat.

Social media tags for use on the day are #N17Unity #NoRacismNoFascism

Any enquiries on the contents of this LTB should be addressed togsoffice@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward

General Secretary

18LTB637 Stand up to Racisim