HSE Publish Annual Health and Safety At Work Statistics Report 2017/18

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

Further to LTB 413/18 dated 23 July 2018 (HSE Workplace Fatal Injury Statistics Report 2017/18 – provisional data), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has now published its full annual statistics report covering work-related ill health, work-related stress, depression or anxiety, work-related musculoskeletal disorders, occupational lung disease, workplace injury, costs to GB, industries breakdown, European comparisons and enforcement statistics including prosecutions, enforcement notices and fines.

The fatal statistics released earlier this year and confirmed in this latest report show an annual increase in the number of fatal accidents at work and also a rise in the number of reported cases of worker injuries and ill-health.

The HSE annual statistics show 1.4 million workers were suffering from work-related ill health and around 555,000 from non-fatal injuries in 2017/18. This is up from 1.3 million reported cases in 2016/17.

The number of working days lost due to work-related illness and injury was 30.7 million working days. A slight decrease from 31.2 million last year.

The total number of workplace fatal injuries however has risen from 137 to 144.

Workplace injury and new cases of ill health cost Britain £15.0 billion a year.

Despite repeated government and HSE claims that the UK is the safest place to work in the EU, the key figures for Great Britain show that in 2017/18 there were:

• 144 fatal accidents at work. 
• 1.4 million working people suffering from a work-related illness. 
• 595,000 workers suffering work-related stress, depression or anxiety. 
• 2,595 Mesothelioma deaths due to past asbestos exposures. 
• 12,000 work-related lung disease deaths. 
• 144 workers killed at work. 
• 555,000 non-fatal injuries to workers. 
• 469,000 workers suffering from work-related musculo-skeletal disorders. 
• 71,062 injuries to employees reported under RIDDOR. 
• 13,000 deaths linked to chemical or dust exposure at work. 
• 30.7 million working days lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury. 
• 493 cases prosecuted by HSE. 
• 11,522 Enforcement Notices served. 
• £72.6 million health and safety fines paid by offenders. 
• £15 billion estimated cost of injuries and ill health from current working conditions (2016/17).

The statistics confirm the scale of the challenge the HSE faces in making the nation a healthier and safer place to work and shows that a huge improvement is required to prevent deaths, injury and ill health in the workplace. The statistics serve as a reminder to employers of the importance to manage risk and undertake good health and safety working practices in the work place in order to ensure that every worker goes home at the end of their working day safe and healthy. These incidents still affect too many lives every year.

These statistics could look far worse as a more accurate and inclusive set of figures would include 50 workers killed at sea and in the air, 600 workers killed in road traffic accidents whilst working, 300 members of the public killed by work activities.

Heavy year on year cuts to Government funding of the HSE has undoubtedly, in the Trade Unions’ view, made workplaces less safe and influenced the rise in deaths at work reported for the year. The increase in workplace deaths may be the first sign of the effect of years of budget cuts and reductions in inspections, Enforcement Notices issued and prosecutions, filtering through. The Government cuts to health and safety funding will gradually, increasingly impact on workers. The latest increase in reported workplace deaths reported by the HSE undermines the complacent and ever-repeated statement rolled out ‘parrot-fashion’ by Government Ministers and HSE ‘top brass’ that “The UK has the best safety record in the world and one that is the envy of the world.’ The reductions in the HSE’s and Local Authorities’ ability to inspect workplaces are now being widely brought into question. In every aspect of life, you get what you pay for and the UK Government is paying less money and therefore there’s less attention being paid to workplace safety year on year.

A copy of the HSE Official Health and Safety At Work Summary Statistics for GB 2017/18 is attached.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB618 HSE Publish Annual Health and Safety At Work Statistics Report 2017-18

HSE HS At Work Summary Statistics For GB 2018

Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre – A Political Protest by CWU Women Saturday 24th November 2018

Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre opened in 2001 and is one of the largest detention centres in Europe, holding over 400 people – mainly women and children.

A protest has been organised outside Yarl’s Wood Detention Centre in Bedford on Saturday 24th November 2018.

Controversy has never been far from Yarl’s Wood. Allegations of mistreatment against women being held include sexual abuse, racism and violence. Some women have also committed suicide. There is no doubt that the women being held here, through various hunger strikes, have suffered through their incarceration, as they continue to face indeterminate periods of detention.

When the most recent hunger strike came to an end, a tweet from ‘Detained Voices’ read “The hunger strike is now over but we are still hungry for our freedom and justice. We will continue to protest and fight for our human rights, and will not participate in detention.”

There is no doubt that the fight for these women and children to get their freedom, their dignity and respect, is a cause of great interest to CWU women – this is an important opportunity to show solidarity to these detained women.

The origins of this solidarity protest stem from the Eastern region and their Regional Women’s Committee. They are keen for women all over the UK to come to Bedford and join them in what is a wider protest where demonstrators plan to link arms and surround the detention centre. We are liaising with Paul Moffat – Eastern Regional Secretary and Laura Snell Chair of the Eastern Region Women’s Committee and full logistics will be communicated in the week leading to the demo.

The nearest hotels to the detention centre are the Travelodge and Premier Inn (post code MK41). In terms of travelling from Bedford train station to Yarl’s Wood details can be found here:

http://www.yarlswood.co.uk/contact-us

Branches should note that attendance shall be covered by the Branch or relevant Regional Women’s Committee.

Yarl’s Wood is one of 11 immigration detention centres in Britain, run by a private sector company. It holds up to 410 people, mostly women, some pregnant, who are awaiting and often fighting deportation. Many of these women have done nothing wrong. Around half of the women in Yarl’s Wood have claimed asylum and many are still waiting for decisions and appeals to be heard. But, even if they aren’t criminals they are detained as though they are, in a place which feels like a prison.

Any enquiries should be referred to the Equal Opportunities Department in the first instance.

Yours sincerely

Dave Ward

General Secretary

18 LTB 617 – Yarls Wood Detention Centre – A Political Protest by CWU Women

ELECTION OF NATIONAL DELEGATIONS – LABOUR PARTY WOMEN’S CONFERENCE 2019

For the first time Labour will be holding a stand-alone Women’s Conference which will take place on 23rd-24th February 2019 in Telford.

The NEC has agreed the 2018 election arrangements for the National delegations listed above. Accordingly please find attached the Election Regulations, Nomination Forms and Candidates Consent and Biographical Detail Form for these elections.

The Timetable for the elections is:

Nominations open: 6 November 2018

Nominations close: 20 November 2018 (14:00)

Despatch ballot papers: 27 November 2018

Ballot closes: 11 December 2018 (14:00) 

Any enquiries regarding this Letter to Branches should be addressed to the Senior Deputy General Secretary’s Department on telephone number 020 8971 7237, or email address sdgs@cwu.org.

Yours sincerely,

TONY KEARNS

SENIOR DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY

18LTB613

Regulations – LP Women’s Conference 2019

LP Women’s Nomination Forms 2018

Candidate Consent & Biographical Details

The UK Work Stress Network Annual Conference 2018 – Hillscourt Conference, Centre, Rednal, Birmingham B45 8RS – Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th November 2018: “Future Proofing Our Work Stress Protections”

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

The UK Work Stress Network has announced that their Annual Conference 2018 will take place at the Hillscourt Conference Centre, Rednal, Birmingham B45 8RS on Saturday, 24 November 2018, 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and Sunday, 25 November 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.

In line with CWU Conference Policy, the CWU is proud to announce its continued support and sponsorship of both the UK Work Stress Network Conference and the new edition of the organisation’s excellent “Work Stress Handbook” published earlier this year.

The UK National Work Stress Network is a Trade Unionist led organisation which is committed to the eradication of the causes of work-related stress and associated illnesses. It campaigns to advance this aim through its involvement with the Hazards Campaign and in conjunction with the TUC, European organisations and within UK Trade Union structures.

The Network calls for:-

• Employers, Company Directors and Managers at all levels to acknowledge their duty of care and for their acceptance of their health and safety responsibilities to the workforce;
• Legislation and enforcement procedures to outlaw all forms of workplace stress, bullying and victimisation; also to ensure full corporate liability for workplace injury; and
• The creation of a caring, supportive workplace culture with ‘Dignity at Work’ for all and for worker sensitive procedures for all.

The Network consists of many hundreds of like-minded people, some of whom have suffered the consequences of work-related stress. Amongst them are experienced caseworkers, counsellors, occupational health workers, Trades Union lay and paid officers and those who are just determined to see effective management which recognises the needs of the workforce as well as of business.

The Conference will examine working lives becoming much more complex and stressful. Working life is becoming more complex from all angles. Following the EU referendum result, with ‘BREXIT’ looming, we face an uncertain future for the country, employment and business. Employment and other laws originating from the EU, once transferred into UK law, will almost certainly face dilution or even removal under another Conservative Government. Health and Safety laws are still in place but many employers disregard or are ignorant of the HSE Stress Management Standards.

The Prime Minister has flagged up a greater need for better care and support particularly for Mental Health. The government commissioned Stevenson-Farmer independent review into workplace mental health concluded that the UK faces a significant mental health challenge at work and that both employers and government must prioritise and invest far more in improving mental health. At the same time the NHS is struggling to keep up, and no extra money seems to be forthcoming. Pressures on public services continue to remain high under the enduring austerity regime. Workers face increasing demands on their time and skills.

There is relentless change at work, which in itself is intensely fatiguing.

Recent research has shown that those with disabilities suffer disadvantage at a range of levels – all of which increases stress levels.

Are you a young worker dealing with the brave new world of zero hours contracts, coping with the demands of more than one employer? Are you a middle aged worker coping with the pressures of being both a worker and a parent to children (younger and older) at home? Are you the carer of elderly parents? Or are you an older worker having to work much longer than you had ever anticipated? Working life is becoming more complex from both ends of the age spectrum.

• Young workers 
• Older aging workers 
• Zero Hours Contracts 
• Doing two jobs 
• Working and parenting 
• Working and being a carer 
• Long hours of work 
• Manual work demands 

Whichever applies, the world of work has never been more stressful.

A greater recognition of mental health issues is very welcome and brings increased responsibilities for employers. It also brings more challenges for our work as health and safety stewards.

This conference will examine the impact of mental health issues at work as we move through our careers that are being extended every year. It will examine new research on specific age groups and what problems are being identified. It will explore strategies that we can promote to improve working life for those with mental health issues in the workplace.

No-one has any idea precisely what is ahead for us. All we can say for certain is that as Trade Unionists we will be operating in a challenging and changing environment.

This UK National Stress Network Conference will give an opportunity to reflect, discuss and learn from each other. It will examine what is ahead as hopefully there will be by then a much clearer idea of the future. The Conference will focus on how best to defend hard-won Trade Union Health and Safety protections whatever the atmosphere the UK is faced with post Brexit. The conference will also look at the strategies needed, whistleblowing, campaigning, organising, and how Unions, Safety Reps and Workers can protect themselves. The Conference will be identifying the protections already achieved in work stress, what is under threat and how best to protect them.

Speakers and workshops are to be confirmed shortly. Those who attend regularly will be aware of the record for providing interesting speakers and stimulating, interesting workshops.

UK National Work-Stress Network Conference Further Information:-

Julie Walker
6 Greenhill Avenue
Ripley
Derbyshire
DE5 3JJ
Email Address: ukstresscoordinator@gmail.com
Website: http://www.workstress.net/

Registration:

A copy of the Booking Form is attached in pdf format and is also available from the following link:

http://www.workstress.net/about-us/conferences

This conference is aimed at Health and Safety Representatives, Trades Union Officials and Shop Stewards, Human Resources and Health and Safety Specialists and Stress Management Consultants.

This is a very popular annual event – book early to secure a place.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

18LTB610 The UK Work Stress Network Annual Conference 2018

Future Proofing Our Work Stress Protections

CWU Women’s Conference Motion – Female Facilities in BT

At this year’s CWU Women’s Conference a motion was debated and carried regarding the provision of female toilets across the BT Estate.

The main instruction within the motion called for the Women’s Advisory Committee to work with the CWU Officers to ensure that BT urgently address the issue of access and lockable toilets in BT buildings where only one toilet is available; where multiple toilets are in place this should be suitably labelled to identify male or female use and fit for purpose.

The motion also stated that BT should ensure that where no toilet is available on site, details of the nearest toilet (in a public or BT building), is displayed in a prominent location within the building to assist everyone who needs access to toilet facilities.

As a result of this motion representations have been made to BTPFS and discussions have now taken place on the issue of improving toilet facilities, particularly for female engineers.

The business have informed the CWU that a project has already commenced which involves surveying each of the 172 buildings where there are currently female engineers.

The survey will inform on the requirements in each building in order to complete an appropriate refresh of the toilets. It is hoped that the survey will be completed by early November and that refresh will begin between November and completed by March 2019.

A specification regarding the female toilets to include:

• Gender neutral signage. 
• Good lighting. 
• Uni-sex toilets with single cubicle (no urinals) 
• Floor to ceiling walls or individual toilets. 
• Robust locks. 
• Clean environment and a feeling of safety. 
• Directional signage in the reception of the building.

Times scales are as follows:

• Local P&FS refresh programme to commence late Autumn 2018.
• Duration of programme will be circa 12 months 

The CWU has also being informed of a Welfare location app that is at user testing stage that will inform engineers about the location of building facilities. When the app is opened a map is displayed with the location and the nearest BT buildings with toilets. It is expected that this app will be available in October 2018.

Clearly as more female engineers are recruited into the business there will need to be a requirement to monitor where new females join and in which buildings they are working in order that the provision of female facilities is sufficient.

It will be the intention of the CWU to continue to work with the business to ensure this programme is rolled out and that the refresh programme is completed.

Any queries should be addressed to Sally Bridge, National Officer atsabridge@cwu.org

Yours sincerely,

Sally Bridge

National Officer  

LTB 608.2018 CWU Women’s Conference Motion – Female Facilities in BT 29.10.18