Protecting Health and Safety after ‘Brexit’ – ‘Brexit Puts Worker Health and Safety at RiskTo: All Branches

Dear Colleagues, 

Following the June 2016 referendum, in March 2017 the UK Government gave notice under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, that Britain would be leaving the EU. From that date a two-year window began during which talks will take place on what the details of the “divorce settlement” with the EU will be. In the meantime Britain is still bound by the obligations and responsibilities of EU membership. 

Once the talks are completed the European Parliament and the European Council need to ratify them. The withdrawal agreement must be ratified by March 2019, so the talks on this probably need to be finished by October 2018. 

The exit talks are separate from the negotiations on the future relationship with the EU after Brexit so the agreement is likely to need to include “transitional arrangements”, so that Britain can continue trading under EU rules to allow the talks on an agreement on future arrangements to be extended. These talks are likely to be very long and complex. Even if all existing EU regulations were to continue to apply, most will have to be restructured as they previously relied on EU institutions, and the talks will also have to lay the foundations for new trading relationships with the EU and the rest of the world. 

The outcome of the negotiations over the new relationship between the UK and the EU will determine what kind of health and safety system the UK will have. The UK joined the EU in 1973, and since then, the European Union has played an important role in protecting the health and safety of working people. The biggest change was the Health and Safety Framework Directive (89/391/EEC) and five “daughter” directives, which established broad-based obligations on member states to ensure that employers evaluate, avoid and reduce workplace risks in consultation with their workforce. At the time, little was required to implement the new regulations as Britain already had a legislative system which met most of the requirements of the ‘Framework Directive’ in respect of assessing and managing risk, as well as the duties of employers. The ‘Framework Directive’ mirrored much of what was in the 1974 Health and Safety at Work etc (HSW) Act, but also the Regulations that had been made under it such as the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, however some of the Directives went further than the existing UK laws so it was necessary

to extend the law. Six new sets of regulations (called the ‘six pack’), together with Approved Codes of Practice and Guidance Notes were enacted on 1 January 1993. These were:-

Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Regulations

Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations

Provision The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations

Manual Handling Operations Regulations

and use of Work Equipment Regulations

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations)

A range of other health and safety directives, implemented through national regulations have also come about as a result of EU directives. These cover the management of specific workplace risks such as the Control of Noise at Work Regulations or The Work at Height Regulations, as well as the protection of specific groups of workers (including new or expectant mothers, young people and temporary workers). Specific directives cover areas such as Construction Work, Asbestos, Chemicals, Lead, Ionising Radiation, etc, etc. Although the pace of activity peaked soon after the introduction of the ‘six-pack’, legislative activity has continued and health and safety regulation in the UK has been firmly driven by the EU. 41 out of the 65 new British health and safety regulations introduced between 1997 and 2009 originated in the EU. 

Workplace health and safety protections are at risk from the Tory government’s Brexit plans. The warning comes in a new TUC briefing, “Protecting Health and Safety After Brexit” (Copy Attached). It reports that although the government has set out its intention in a white paper to transfer all existing health and safety protections from EU law to UK law, there are no guarantees for what happens afterwards. The TUC Briefing says that the government must make sure that a commitment is written into the Brexit deal to, as a minimum, match present and future EU standards for workplace health and safety. The TUC says if this doesn’t occur existing protections will be vulnerable to erosion and repeal. 

Working people must not have their health and safety put at greater risk after Brexit. The government needs a watertight plan to transfer protections from EU to UK law. The best way to guarantee all health and safety protections is to put workplace rights at the heart of the Brexit deal. It should be written into the deal that the UK and EU will meet the same standards, for both existing rights and future improvements. 

Attached:-

Copy of the TUC Briefing “Protecting Health and Safety After Brexit”

Table containing data relating to Statutory Instruments owned and enforced by HSE/local authorities.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

Email Attachments – Click to download

LTB 337/17 Protecting Health and Safety after ‘Brexit’ – ‘Brexit Puts Worker Health and Safety at Risk

Table

TUC Protecting Health and Safety After Brexit

700,000 Fines and Costs for Parcel & Express Mail Company DHL and JCB after Worker is Crushed and Nearly Killed To: All Branches 

Dear Colleagues, 

Two companies have been fined after a worker was seriously injured by a trolley carrying hydraulic rams. Stafford Crown Court heard how Martin Addison of DHL Services Limited (DHL) was auditing in-coming deliveries of equipment in an outside yard at JCB’s headquarters when he was struck from behind by falling machinery. The machinery was being towed by an electric tug and weighed approximately 770kg. The trolley toppled on its side trapping Martin Addison between it and a storage cage. He suffered multiple serious injuries including fractures and internal injuries. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident on 16 October 2013 found there were safety failures related to this auditing activity and the segregation between employees and vehicles using this area, leading to an unsafe system of work. DHL Services Limited pleaded guilty to a criminal safety offence and was fined £266,000 and ordered to pay costs of £23,370.22. JC Bamford Excavators Limited pleaded guilty to two criminal safety offences, and was fined £375,000 with £37,235.42 costs. HSE inspector David Brassington commented: “The dangers of failing to provide effective segregation between pedestrians and vehicles are well known. Both of these companies were well versed in workplace transport risk management and both fell well below the required standard in ensuring that such risks were effectively managed in this area.” He added: “These failings allowed a pedestrian worker into a busy area where vehicles were coming and going and as a result the worker sustained serious injuries from which he has still not recovered. DHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post DHL providing international courier, parcel and express mail services. It is also a competitor of Royal Mail. 

Other Recent Reports From The Courts – Health & Safety Convictions 

£14,000 Fine Following Trench Collapse Accident

Wallace Roofing and Building Ltd of of Glenrothes, Fife, was fined £14,000 at Dundee Sheriffs Court after it pleaded guilty to the criminal safety breaches following a trench collapse that led to injuries that left worker Julian Kilbane in intensive care for six days. None of the firm’s workers had received safety training. 

£80,000 Fine Following Worker Killed by Reversing Vehicle

Cavanna Homes and Steve Hoskin construction company, its groundwork contractor were fined a total of £80,000 including costs, at Exeter Crown Court after a worker was killed by a reversing telescopic material handler vehicle. No risk assessments had been carried out and there were no control measures in place to segregate vehicles and pedestrians in the area where the accident happened. Separating pedestrians and vehicles by introducing measures such as walkways with barriers, could have prevented John Small’s death. 

£200,000 Fine After Worker’s Hand Was Crushed

Cardiff-based steel manufacturing company Rom Ltd has been fined £200,000 plus £17,200 Costs at North Staffordshire Magistrates Court after a worker suffered a serious crushed hand between the rotating rollers on a steel wire straightening machine. The company failed to risk assess the manual operation of the machine and failed to ensure it was correctly guarded. The company also failed to provide the required level of supervision.

£120,000 Fine after Chainsaw Injury

Growing Green Limited has been fined £120,000 plus £2000 costs after a worker was seriously injured by a chainsaw while felling trees. Basildon Magistrates’ Court heard that the employee suffered deep lacerations to an arm and damaged nerves. The man had not been trained to operate the chainsaw, nor had he been provided with the necessary personal protective clothing clothing, gloves, helmets, safety boots and eye protection. There was no supervision and no proper planning of the work. 

£48,000 Fines for Firm and boss fined for persistent safety failings

Flooring company Cambridge Timbertec Ltd and its general manager have been fined after failing to abide by a succession of legal safety enforcement notices. Cambridge Magistrates’ Court heard how Cambridge Timbertec Ltd failed to maintain satisfactory work safety standards after several inspections by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The company had received six previous improvement notices and a written advice and finally it received three prohibition notices and four improvement notices. The company pleaded guilty to criminal breaches of the management of H&S Regs, Noise Control Regs, Hazardous Substances Regs and Work Equipment Regs. It was fined £44,000 inc costs. General Manager Craig Butler was fined £4,000 inc costs. 

£7,500 Fine and £10,000 Compensation Following Worker Getting Fingers Cut Off 

G&D Pallets boss Alexander Mackay was fined £7,500 and ordered to pay an injured worker £10,000 compensation at Dundee Sheriff Court after casual worker Michael Rice tripped over a broken pallet and fell into a moving sawblade, slicing off three of his fingers. The HSE visited the company after the incident on 20 December 2011 and issued an immediate prohibition notice shutting down operations. 65-year-old Maclay admitted a criminal safety offence. Surgeons were only able to reattach one of Mr Rice’s fingers, leaving him permanently disfigured and impaired. The victim had been employed as a casual worker for in 2010 and 2011 and had never been given basic training or refresher training. Sentencing Mackay, the Sheriff Alastair Brown told Mackay he could have gone to jail. He added that this was a gross management failure. It was Mackay’s responsibility to protect the employees and that cannot be delegated on to or shuffled off on others. There was obvious dangers which Mackay should have seen but failed to take even the most basic steps to protect employees and therefore is seems that a prison sentence would normally be appropriate.

£750,000 Fine for Asbestos Crimes

North London construction firm Barroerock Construction Limited was fined £750,000 at Canterbury Crown Court for putting 200 workers at risk of asbestos exposure and was prosecuted after repeated asbestos failings. The HSE carried out investigations of working practices in 2013 and 2014 while Barroerock were converting into flats a former nine storey office building in Ashford, Kent, which was known to contain asbestos. The court was told that company ignored and failed to act on a refurbishment and demolition survey which resulted in workers being exposed to asbestos during the demolition phase of the project. A further visit was made following complaints about safety practices and the HSE found that dangerous practices were continuing with the company failing to prevent the breathing in of asbestos fibres on the site. Barroerock Construction Limited, pleaded guilty to two criminal safety offences and was fined £750,000 plus £14,874.68 costs. The £10m a year business has gone into liquidation and sole company director Sean O’Connor has since launched a new ‘phoenix’ company operating from the same address.

£250,000 Fine for Solar Panel Firm after Worker Falls through Roof

Bristol solar panel installation company Solarjen Limited, known as Paul O’Brien Solar Installations (SW) Ltd at the time, has been fined £250,000 and ordered to pay costs of £12,073.14 after a 49-year-old worker fell more than 3.5 metres through a roof void at Fairlawn School, Bristol in June 2015. The victim suffered serious injuries, including bleeding on the brain, a fractured spleen and fractured ribs. Bristol Magistrates Court heard how the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company failed to ensure physical guarding was in place to prevent workers from falling through voids in the roof. The HSE also found the company failed to appropriately supervise the work. Solarjen Limited pleaded guilty to a criminal breach of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The HSE found that the company failed to properly organise the work and train workers to make sure the workers knew what safety measures were needed. No supervision was providing to ensure work was not undertaken without safety measures being put in place. As a result, serious harm was caused to one worker and others were put at serious risk.

£125,000 Fines and Costs For Solar Panel Firm and Its Director after worker breaks back in fall

Eco NRG Solutions Ltd, a solar panel company and its director Jon Luke Antoniou have been fined after a worker suffered serious injuries in fall through a roof at a farm in Cornwall. Taunton Magistrates Court heard how Lewis Harding, 28, had been fitting solar panels on a fragile roof at Venn Farm on 19 May 2015. He fell more than three metres through a fragile skylight and broke his back in three places. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company failed to take adequate precautions to prevent workers falling from height. There was no edge protection, under-roof netting or boarding provided on site. The company instead relied on an ineffective use of harnesses. Unsafe working had been taking place for months before the incident and then continued for months afterwards. HSE’s investigation found that the bad practice was attributable to the neglect of director Jon Antoniou. Eco NRG Solutions Ltd pleaded guilty to two criminal safety offences and was fined £115,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,879.60. Jon Luke Antoniou pleaded guilty to a criminal safety offence and was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,957.40. HSE inspector Sue Adsett said: “The worker is lucky to have not sustained more life-threatening injuries from what we found to be a serious breach of the law. This case highlights the importance of directors being vigilant and acting on their legal obligations.”

£495,000 Fine for Truck company after worker’s death

ATE Truck and Trailer Sales Ltd, a company that buys, refurbishes and sells heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and trailers has been sentenced after the death of a worker. Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that on 21 February 2013 William Price suffered fatal head injuries when he was struck by the roof of a trailer he was dismantling at the Marston Industrial Estate site. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found ATE had undertaken this task before and had an established method in place. However, it failed to properly consider the risks involved in this work and did not provide the 63-year-old with any information in relation to his safety when ‘stripping down’ the trailers. ATE Truck and Trailer Services Ltd pleaded guilty to a criminal safety offence and was fined £475,000 and ordered to pay costs of £20,000. HSE inspector Judith Botwood commented: “This tragic accident was preventable had all parties considered the risks involved and taken appropriate measures to reduce that risk.” Mr Price’s daughter, Hayley, said she hoped the fine would prevent a similar tragedy. “It has been awful,” she said. “There are so many things we have missed out on.”

Construction Boss Jailed After a Member of the Public is Killed by Falling Window Frames.

A construction boss has been jailed for a year for manslaughter over the death of a lawyer, crushed by half-tonne window frames in Mayfair, central London. Amanda Telfer, 43, was killed when the stack of large unglazed frames collapsed on her as she walked past a building site in Hanover Square on 30 August 2012. An Old Bailey jury found the supervisor at IS Europe Limited, Kelvin Adsett, guilty of manslaughter and a criminal breach of safety law. Judge Peter Rook QC said the 64-year-old had shown “reckless disregard” for what was a life-threatening situation. Westgreen Construction Limited site manager Damian Lakin-Hall, 50, was convicted of a criminal safety offence and sentenced to six months jail, suspended for two years. IS Europe Limited was found guilty of two criminal safety offences. Costs of £100,000 were also imposed on the three defendants. Another member of the public had almost been hit in a “near-miss” incident at the site just days before the fatal accident.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

Email Attachments – Click to download

LTB 335/17 £700,000 Fines and Costs for Parcel & Express Mail Company DHL and JCB after Worker is Crushed and Nearly Killed

New TUC Guide – “Gender in Occupational Health & Safety” Published to Help Health and Safety Reps Keep Both Men and Women Safe and Healthy at Work To: All Branches 

Dear Colleagues, 

The TUC has published a new guide for trade union health and safety representatives on gender and occupational health and safety which is to help Reps take gender differences between men and women into account when identifying health and safety concerns at work. 

Unions are committed to improving the working lives and conditions of all workers. Pressing for healthy, safe workplaces for everyone is part and parcel of the union representative’s role. Being aware of the issues relating to gender in occupational health and safety ensures unions strive to ensure that workplaces are safer and healthier for everyone. This is because, where the differences between men and women are acknowledged when assessing risk and deciding suitable risk control solutions, there is a greater chance of ensuring that the health, safety and welfare of all workers is protected. 

The guidance argues that a gender-stereotyped or the ‘one size fits all’ approach is now out-of-date. 

Where the differences between men and women are taken into account when assessing risk and deciding suitable risk control solutions, there is a greater chance of ensuring that the health, safety and welfare of all workers is protected, says the TUC. 

The new guide outlines some of the main health and safety risks women can face at work: 

Back pain: Women tend to suffer more from pain in the upper back and limbs as a result of repetitive work in both manufacturing and offices, while men tend to suffer more from lower-back pain from exerting high force at work.

Violence and harassment: Women tend to work in lower-paid and low-status jobs where bullying and harassment are more common, while men predominate in better-paid, higher status jobs and supervisory positions.

Not having the right tools: Women working in male professions like construction, engineering and the emergency services are at risk from inappropriately designed tools. 

The guide also provides a checklist for trade union representatives to help them pursue issues around gender at work – including questions about whether sex and gender differences are taken into account in manual handling risk assessments, and in assessments of postural problems including prolonged standing or sitting. 

The findings are aimed at helping union reps encourage employers to take action on the issues that will make a real difference to the health, safety and welfare of women in their workplaces. 

People come in all shapes and sizes and when it comes to health and safety, the ‘one size fits all’ approach is old-fashioned and dangerous. Nowhere is that clearer then when looking at gender. Pressing for healthy, safe workplaces for everyone is part and parcel of the union rep’s role, and the TUC’s new gender checklist will help reps to pursue issues around gender in the workplace, and make sure that all workers have the best possible protection from illness or injury. 

A copy of the Guide is attached.

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

Email Attachments – Click to download

LTB 334/17 New TUC Guide – “Gender in Occupational Health & Safety”

Gender Attachment

Election of National Delegations 2017Labour Party Conference Postal Constituency Delegates

Further to LTB 313/17 dated 8th June 2017.

Branches will recall that LTB contained the ballot results for the CWU Postal Constituency delegation for the Labour Party Conference 2017.

The purpose of this LTB is to advise Branches that following his successful election as a Labour MP for the Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill Constituency, Hugh Gaffney, Glasgow and District Amal will not be taking up his elected position on the delegation and in these circumstances this position will now go to Richard Wilkins.

A copy of the revised ballot table for the Postal Constituency delegation is reproduced below for your information  

LABOUR PARTY – Postal Constituency

Lay Members (5 Members to be elected)

Paul Braithwaite

North Lancs & Cumbria

65,025

*Elected

Kye Dudd

Bristol & District Amal

67,455

*Elected

Sajid Shaikh

Birmingham District Amal

74,594

*Elected

Alan Tate

London Regional MT

80,170

*Elected

Richard Wilkins

South Central Postal

54,390

*Elected

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

Health and Safety Fines Rise By 148%To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

UK companies paid £6.1 million in health and safety fines in 2016. That’s a rise of 148% on fines paid in 2015.

The average pay-out had risen to £211,000 – four times the £69,500 average cost seen in 2015.

These fines came from a total of 292 incidents recorded in 2016 and 358 incidents in 2015.

This rise in fines can be attributed to changes introduced with the new Sentencing Council guidelines introduced in February 2016. This definitive guidance to Magistrates and Judges introduced new tougher sentences for health and safety, food hygiene and corporate manslaughter offences.

As compelled by the new guidelines, courts must now consider culpability, seriousness and likelihood of harm and the size of the business when imposing fines.

This new system has been implemented to improve compliance with health and safety legislation for larger organisations (such as Royal Mail and British Telecommunications) by imposing fines proportionate to the size of the business. Fines for businesses with a turnover in excess of £50m can now reach up to £10m for health and safety offences, and corporate manslaughter fines could be as much as £20m.

These latest figures highlight 18 fines that were issued worth over £1 million during the year. This is a marked increase over 2015’s number of £1 million fines of which there was only two.

The new sentencing guidelines send a strong, stern message to all businesses and employers big or small that it is critical to ensure that safety processes and systems are a board level priority.

The figures reveal that the construction sector was the most costly, racking up a fines bill of almost £14m. This was followed by manufacturing (£12m), Utilities (£8.4m), Leisure (£7.4m), Logistics and transport (£7.2m), Industrials (£3.9m) and the Public Sector (£2.6m).

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

Email Attachments – Click to download

Attachment 1 – LTB333/17 Health and Safety Fines Rise By 148%

Royal Mail Security Response To Recent Terrorist Events And Government ‘Critical’ Threat Level:To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

As recent events have demonstrated, with the atrocities in Westminster, Manchester and London Bridge, the terrorist threat to the UK is still very real, but the nature of that threat has changed, as has the resilience of the UK to respond in respect of these incidents.

The incidents and raised government threat level were discussed with Royal Mail Group Security who in turn have been working in consultation with the Police Anti-Terrorist Division and Government Agencies.

Royal Mail Business Advice following consultation with the Police and Government Authorities is that it remains business as usual for Royal Mail. The authorities have informed RMG that the threat level to the UK communications sector, including postal operations, is unchanged and remains low.

However, the message to all Royal Mail Group staff is that it is important for all of the workforce to remain vigilant. Follow Royal Mail Group Security procedures at all times. They are designed to keep staff as safe as possible. They include measures such as:

(a) Following access control processes

(b) Managing site visitors correctly

(c) Maintaining vehicle security

(d) Always wearing photo ID and challenging anyone without visible ID

(e) If any member sees anything untoward, they should contact the police immediately.

(f) Please stay alert, vigilant and stay safe.

Attached is the communication that was issued by RM Group Comms and was published on the intranet and on RMTV.

The Security team led calls with key stakeholders (including Ops, Comms, HR) in response to the terror attacks and to review the threat level rise to Critical. The threat to the UK Communications Postal Sector however remains LOW. As mentioned in the attached message, the assessment, based on all available advice is to maintain a business as usual approach with increased vigilance, compliance with existing Business Safety and Security Standards and awareness that members may experience extra security measures when undertaking their duties at transport hubs, key sites or areas where major events are taking place.

The Police are promoting and recommending further advice as follows:-

“Run Hide Tell’ video and leaflet, which provides guidance on how to respond to a firearms or weapons attack can be found at the National Police Chiefs Council NPCC Website at:- http://www.npcc.police.uk/NPCCBusinessAreas/WeaponAttacksStaySafe.aspx
The ‘CitizenAid’ charity which provides guidance and advice on how the public could save lives during an emergency incident by following some basic steps before the arrival of the Emergency Service. ‘CitizenAid’ is the initiative of four deeply experienced UK civilian and military clinicians working in collaboration with industry to improve public resilience. The Website is at:- http://citizenaid.org/

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer

Email Attachments – Click to download

Attachment 1 – LTB327/17 Royal Mail Security Response To Recent Terrorist Events And Government ‘Critical’ Threat Level:

Attachment 2 – Managers Security Updates

CWU Accounts 2016
 
Further to LTB 191/17 dated 3 April 2017 and LTB 217/17 dated 19 April 2017.
 
Please find attached the details of the monies that make up Branch Funds. 
 
The attached document lists each Branch with the brought forward balance from 2015 and the closing balance for 2016. This demonstrates the movement in each account for the financial year 2016.
 
Additionally please find attached the Financial Statement required by Section 32A of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 as amended, for the period 1st January – 31st December 2016.
 
Please can you ensure that this information is brought to the attention of the members of your Branch.  
 
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
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB317/17 – CWU Accounts 2016

Attachment 1

Attachment 2

GENERAL ELECTION
 
From the starting point in the polls, facing a hostile right wing press and a Tory party bankrolled by billionaires, last night was a hugely positive result for Labour that heralds a change in the balance of political forces in the UK.
 
Under Jeremy Corbyn it put forward the bold and optimistic agenda for change that this country needs. It energised young voters and hundreds of thousands of Labour and trade union members who got out on the street to campaign for it. This is the platform Labour wins from.
 
We want to thank all our reps and members for their efforts over the past eight weeks. The trade union movement itself needs to change to help deliver the shift in values that last night signals. We will be saying more about this in the coming weeks and the union’s press release on the election is attached to this LTB. 
 
We want to congratulate our members who stood in the election: Julie Gibson, Matt Kerr and Chris Webb all fought great campaigns and increased the Labour vote; Hugh Gaffney for winning in Scotland with a massive swing; and James Frith for taking Bury North from the Tories.
 
Given the nature of the result there will be further developments over the coming days. As a union, we need to continue to connect our industrial and political agendas and to drive forward our work to deliver a New Deal for Workers and re-assert trade union values in this country. We will be saying more about our strategy for this shortly.  
 
Any enquiries on the content of this LTB please forward to gsoffice@cwu.org
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
 
Dave Ward Tony Kearns
General Secretary Senior Deputy General Secretary
 
 

 
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 316/17 – General Election

More Than Women’s Issues” – New Work Foundation Report Calling For An End To Workplace Taboos Surrounding Women’s Reproductive and Gynaecological Health Conditions:
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
This 2017 Work Foundation Report calls for an end to workplace taboos surrounding women’s health conditions in relation to women’s reproductive and gynaecological health conditions.
Under-recognised chronic gynaecological health conditions are holding-back women’s productivity and could be damaging their career and earning potential.
A new report launched by the Work Foundation highlights that women’s health conditions, such as endometriosis or infertility, having a long-term condition during pregnancy, and the experience of the menopause, are still considered taboo and are under-recognised in the workplace.
Endometriosis, a chronic condition that affects one in ten women of reproductive age in the UK, is the second most common gynaecological condition. It occurs when cells similar to those lining the uterus grow elsewhere in the body and can cause symptoms such as excessively painful periods, chronic pelvis pain and fatigue. There is no cure and symptoms get worse with age. The symptoms can also lead to poor mental health.
The Report builds upon a study conducted across ten countries that found women with endometriosis experience reduced work performance, losing on average almost 11 hours of work each week. This was mainly due to reduced effectiveness in work.
The costs of this lost productivity are considerable – on average costing around £6,000 per person each year. A lack of support can also lead to women losing their jobs – particularly if they work in physical roles.
Women with endometriosis can be reluctant to disclose their conditions due to concerns around stigma and a lack of understanding.
Researchers are calling for perceived taboos around women’s reproductive health to be shattered. They argue women need to be empowered to get support through greater recognition of conditions and ensuring parity alongside other workplace health issues.
Researchers also call for dialogue among employers, policy makers and health professionals and for endometriosis to be included in the Equality Act as a chronic, debilitating disease.
Ms. Karen Steadman, Health, Wellbeing and Work Lead at the Work Foundation, states that women’s reproductive and gynaecological health is replete with whispered conversations and euphemisms and it’s time to change this.
Many of these conditions manifest in stress, poorer psychological health, fatigue and pain, all of which we know have considerable implications for work.
The motherhood pay penalty, where mothers take time out of the labour market, is well known to sharply increase the gender pay gap from the age of 40. However, many women also experience reproductive health burdens that can also affect their ability to work and therefore possibly further exacerbate gender pay inequality.
The report says these conditions should not just be dismissed as ‘women’s issues’. As they affect so much of the UK’s working age population, they are important for the economy as a whole.
The report is the first in a new series of papers by the Work Foundation looking at gender, sex, health and work.
The Report also highlights:
Poor mental health associated with infertility

Long-term health conditions becoming worse during pregnancy

Potential discrimination in the workplace for pregnant workers

42 per cent of menopausal women find their symptoms negatively affect their job performance

Women feel discussing the menopause with managers as being taboo

The Report’s authors have included a set of recommendations, which include:
Improved recognition of women’s reproductive health in workplace policy

Workplaces should provide confidential support for female workers

More information on conditions and work should be provided by Government services and health professional organisations

Review the legal status of conditions

Review clinical guidance

Increase recognition of work as a health outcome

More research is needed in this area to better understand the challenges

A pdf copy of the Report is attached.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
– LTB315/17 “More Than Women’s Issues” – New Work Foundation Report Calling For An End To Workplace Taboos Surrounding …..

Attachment 2 – Work Foundation 2017 Report More Than Womens Issues