The CWU is proud to be supporting Gas Safety Week 2016. Gas Safety Week is an annual safety week to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances. It is coordinated by Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas.  
The week aims to raise awareness amongst householders and landlords, about the importance of having their gas appliances serviced on an annual basis. 5000 organisation across the UK signed-up last year pledging to work together to raise awareness of the dangers of poorly maintained Gas Appliances. Unsafe gas appliances can put lives at risk from gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO2) poisoning.
With 22 deaths and nearly 1,000 gas-related injuries in the last three years, it’s vital that people make sure their gas appliances are safety checked every year, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Anyone working on gas appliances while not being Gas Safe registered is working illegally.
Check your gas safe appliances every year Gas appliances should be safety checked once a year and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer. 
Check your engineer is Gas Safe registered Agents, landlords and tenants can find and check an engineer at http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk or call 0800 408 5500

Check your engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card Make sure they are qualified for the work you need doing. You can find this information on the back of the card. 
In supporting the 2016 Gas Safety Week, we are reminding Branches, Safety Reps and Members in a joint awareness campaign with RoSPA, HSE and the ‘Gas Safe Register’ to alert people of the importance of Gas Safety in the home. In the UK, 21 million households use gas for heating, hot water and cooking. There are approximately 7,500 unregistered gas fitters actively working in the UK today with 250,000 illegal gas jobs done every year by unregistered gas fitters. Badly-fitted and poorly-serviced gas appliances can cause gas leaks, explosions, fires, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Dangerous gas work can kill and 22 people have died and 1000 have been injured in the last three years through Carbon monoxide poisoning and other incidents. Carbon monoxide symptoms can be mistaken for flu, food poisoning, viral infections and tiredness. A carbon monoxide alarm costs around £15 to £20 – every home should have CO Alarms and Smoke Alarms – but they are not a substitute for regular servicing.  
The ‘Gas Safe Register’ is the government approved registration scheme for gas engineers in the UK, Isle of Man, and Guernsey. There are more than 120,000 Gas Safe Registered engineers. There are more than 60,000 Gas Safe Registered businesses. All gas appliances need regular servicing and a gas safety check every year (or in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions). All landlords and housing associations are legally obliged to ensure that all gas appliances and related pipes and flues within their rental properties are checked every 12 months for safety. They must issue a copy of the certificate to the tenant within 28 days of the test and give a copy to any new tenants moving in.
Not all gas engineers can work on all gas appliances. Gas Safe Registered engineers carry an ID card that shows the type of gas work they are legally registered and qualified to do e.g. cooker, boilers, gas fires etc.
Dangerous DIY – One in three people would fit a gas appliance themselves to save money. This is extremely risky and dangerous.
If you suspect an illegal gas worker report it to Gas Safe Register:
Gas Safe Register

PO BOX 6804

Basingstoke

RG24 4NB

0800 408 5500

Website: http://www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk/reportillegal
‘Gas Safe Register’ also offers technical support for registered gas engineers. Call the technical helpline on 0800 408 5577, or visit the ‘Gas Safe Register’ Website at: http://www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk/engineers
‘Gas Safe Register’ replaced the ‘CORGI’ gas registration scheme as of April 9, 2009. Corgi ID cards are no longer valid. You can check card ID details instantly online. Only ‘Gas Safe Register’ registered engineers can work on gas and fit, fix and service boilers, gas fires and most types of gas cookers in your home – it’s the law. Keeping the public safe from dangerous gas work is ‘Gas Safe Register’s top priority. If someone other than a ‘Gas Safe Registered’ engineer carries out gas work in your home, you are risking the safety of both yourself and your family, other residents, visitors and your property.
Simple search and identity check
Finding a Gas Safe Registered engineer is easy. You can find an engineer in your area online at the ‘Gas Safe Register’ website: http://www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk – or by calling the free helpline: 0800 408 5500. Every engineer on the Gas Safe Register carries an ID card with their own unique licence number. The back of the ID card lists what gas appliances your engineer is qualified to work on. The message from Gas Safe Register is clear: Before you have any gas work done in your home, make sure you ask for the ID card and check the front and back.
Gas Safe Register’s top ten tips: Great advice for Gas Safety Week 2016
Have all your gas appliances, including boilers, gas cookers and gas fires, safety checked annually.

Always use a Gas Safe Registered engineer to fit, fix and check gas appliances in your home – it’s the law and will help keep you safe.

Always ask to see an engineer’s Gas Safe ID card and check the back of the card to ensure they are qualified to carry out the specific type of gas work you need.

To find a Gas Safe Registered engineer in your area, call the free helpline on 0800 408 5500 or go to GasSafeRegister.co.uk.

Recognise the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, nausea, breathlessness, collapse and loss of consciousness.

Check gas appliances for warning signs that they are not working properly e.g. lazy yellow flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks or stains on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room.

Buy an audible carbon monoxide alarm for your home and make sure it is located near to your gas appliances in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance. Carbon monoxide can leak from appliances and kill.

Only use gas appliances for their intended purpose e.g. don’t use a gas oven to heat a room or use a gas barbeque inside the house.

Always ensure there is enough ventilation for your gas appliances to allow them to burn correctly and make sure you are not blocking any air vents that provide an air supply to the gas appliance.

Anybody working with gas has to be Gas Safe Registered by law. To report someone working without registration, call Gas Safe Register on the free phone number 0800 408 5500.

Further Information
Gas Safe Register 

200 Cedarwood 

Chineham Park 

Crockford Lane 

Basingstoke 

Hampshire 

RG24 8WD
Consumer enquiries 

0800 408 5500 

enquiries@gassaferegister.co.uk
Engineer enquiries 

0800 408 5577 

register@gassaferegister.co.uk
Attachments:

Gas Safety Week 2016 Leaflet

Gas Safety Week 2016 Poster

Social Media Updates

Consumer Article

Landlords Article

Tenants Article

Trade Article

Gas Safety Logos
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
Attachment 1 – LTB555/16 Gas Safety Week 2016 – 19–25 September 2016:

Attachment 2 – Gas Safety Week 2016 Leaflet

Attachment 3 – Gas Safety Week 2016 Poster

Attachment 4 – Social Media Updates

Attachment 5 – Consumer Article

Attachment 6 – Landlords Article

Attachment 7 – Tenants Article

Attachment 8 – Trade Article

Attachment 9 – Gas Safety Logos

Halstead, Essex Dog Attack Tragedy – UK’s 34th Dog Attack Death – CWU Responds to Tragic 3-Years Old Halstead Essex Boy’s Dog Attack Death

Reproduced below is the press release issued following the death of a 3-years old Halstead, Essex boy which followed just a week after the Dog Attack Death in Huddersfield.
The CWU, which represents the largest number of dog attack victims in the UK, has today expressed its condolences and deepest sympathies to the family and friends and of the latest 3-years old dog attack fatality victim Dexter Neal in Halstead, Essex, coming just a week after a 52 years old man was killed in Huddersfield – which occurred a short distance from where one of its members was savaged and severely injured in a dog attack in the same area.
3000-4000 Postmen and Women are attacked by dogs every year and two have been nearly killed, delivering the Mail.
According to CWU statistical records this is the UK’s 34th Dog Attack Death – 18 Children and 16 Adults with all but 3 of them occurring since 2005 which indicates the steep rise over the last decade.
Dave Joyce, CWU national health and safety officer, who spearheaded the union’s successful ‘Bite-Back’ campaign to revise the UK’s dangerous dogs laws, said: “This is yet another tragic loss of life, two in one week and a this is a big concern to our Union.” He added; “The CWU sends condolences to the family and friends of the young victim, who hasn’t had a chance at life but we’ve done this on too many occasions now. I don’t know how bad this needs to get before the UK public wake up to the out of control and growing menace of out of control dogs blighting our country, maiming and killing people and young children across towns, urban and suburban areas alike. We now have the laws in place thanks to the Communication Workers Union’s 7-year ‘Bite-Back’ campaign – so the Police and Dog Wardens have the tools to build a battleship but can’t even build a raft because of the lack of resources and attention to the issue. The government needs to focus attention on tackling the problem of irresponsible, bad dog ownership now or these numbers will continue to climb and climb. Give the Police and Dog Wardens the resources they need.”
Dave Joyce added; “Although our campaign succeeded in changing and toughening up the law and sentences, this latest death, the UK’s 34th Dog Attack Death and the 31st since 2005, and this again highlights the danger posed by dogs and the need to tackle irresponsible ownership.” “Whilst a lot of talk centres on the breed of the animal, the problem is ‘on the other end of the lead’. How many more lives must be lost before more effective action through adequate resources and controls are put in place. We still get 3,000 to 4,000 attacks on CWU members every year and this must stop. The breed and type of dog is secondary to the bad ownership problem. Many of these people shouldn’t have dogs at all.”
The CWU successfully campaigned for changes to the UK’s dog control laws through its ‘Bite Back’ campaign, which was set up in 2008 following near-fatal attacks on two postal workers in Sheffield and Cambridge. CWU’s campaign has achieved new Dangerous Dogs Act Laws across the UK.
The CWU campaigned for seven years to get the law changes in Scotland, then Northern Ireland in 2011 and finally in England and Wales in 2014. Over that period, 30,000 postmen and women and hundreds of telecom engineers were attacked by dogs, with many seriously injured.
Some 70 per cent of these attacks on Postal Workers take place on private property where irresponsible owners were previously immune from criminal prosecution. The changes extended the law to apply everywhere plus introduced extended police seizure powers and tougher sentences of up to 14 years in jail and unlimited fines. Recently an Essex Dog Owner was fined £8,800 when his dog bit off the fingertips of a Postwoman, signalling a big increase in Fine Levels following new Court Sentencing Guidance from the Sentencing Council.
Dave Joyce concluded: “More police dog legislation officer and dog warden resources are needed and an injection of resources into public awareness campaigns, training and ownership controls need examining.” “We cannot allow this situation of dog attack deaths to continue at the present rate – it’s not acceptable in a civilised society.”
-Press Statement Ends-
NOTE:

The 34 Deaths are made up of 18 Children and 16 Adults, occurring in the following years.

Year Deaths

1989 1

1990 0

1991 1

1992 0

1993 1

1994 0

1995 0

1996 0

1997 0

1998 0

1999 0

2000 0

2001 0

2002 0

2003 0

2004 0

2005 1

2006 1

2007 2

2008 1

2009 5

2010 2

2011 0

2012 3

2013 4

2014 6

2015 3

2016 3
Attachments;

• Those Killed in Dog Attacks in the UK (August 2016) Total 34

• Press Reports on the Dexter Neal Fatal Dog Attack
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 554/16 Halstead, Essex Dog Attack Tragedy – UK’s 34th Dog Attack Death – CWU Responds to Tragic 3-Years Old Halstead Essex Boy’s Dog Attack Death:
Boy 3 Killed by Dog

Dogs – Those killed in Dog Attacks

Health and Safety at Work: The Law at a Glance – Safety Reps & Branch Guide:
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
Overview
All people have a legal right to be protected from work related risks.
In general the law imposes a range of duties on employers, the self-employed and employees as well as others such as designers, manufacturers or suppliers of articles and substances for use at work.
These are expressed as broad general duties in the Health and Safety at Work (HSW) Act but are spelt out in more detail in subsidiary regulations such as those dealing with the management of health and safety and specific health and safety issues.
While most modern health and safety law applies ‘across-the-board’, there are also additional regulations covering industry sectors such as construction, agriculture, railways, mines and quarries and major hazard and nuclear installations. Besides laying down duties, the law also gives the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Local Authority inspectors (EHOs) wide ranging powers – to prosecute and to issue notices halting dangerous work or requiring improvements. Guidance on complying with the law is contained in Approved Codes of Practice (ACoPs) and HSE guidance notes. Guidance in British and International standards as well as industry guidance may also be relevant.
Two of the most important pieces of health and safety legislation in the UK are the Health and Safety at Work, etc., Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. These set the standards that must be met to ensure the health and safety of all employees and others who may be affected by any work activity. Other regulations also exist to cover work activities that carry specific risks, for example lifting and carrying, computer work and electricity. A summary of the key pieces of legislation is provided in this short summary guide. Although these are the main pieces of legislation affecting health and safety, other specific legislation may also be applicable. When in doubt, further advice should be sought.
Some of the key requirements of health and safety law can be summarised briefly as follows:
1. General Duty of Care

All employers have a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees. They also have a duty to protect non-employees from risks arising out of their work activities. The primary UK legislation covering occupational health and safety is the Health and Safety at Work Act. It imposes general duties for health and safety on employers, employees and others such as landlords, manufacturers, suppliers and designers.
Employers (including individual directors) have the main responsibilities. They must:

• ensure the health, safety and welfare of all their employees

• produce a written policy statement explaining how they intend to do this

• consult with Unions and Union Safety Reps

• protect others such as the public, their contractors and visitors.

Employees have duties to:

• take care not to put themselves and others at risk

• co-operate with the employer’s arrangements for ensuring health and safety.
NOTE: Managers have additional health and safety responsibilities and the employer has to provide the necessary health and safety management training, expert support and resources to fulfil those responsibilities. [Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA), Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSW).]
2. Common Law Duties 

Common law is law developed through legal cases, rather than by Acts of Parliament. 

The common law duty on an employer is to take reasonable care of the health and safety of their employees and to guard against reasonably foreseeable risks to health and safety. This ‘duty of care’ can be important where there is no particular statutory law covering something, e.g. repetitive strain injury or stress.
There are two forms of liability – actual liability and vicarious liability where the employer is held liable for the negligent acts or omissions of its employees.
Employers’ common law duties are wide-ranging and include:
• ensuring there is a safe place of work 

• providing safe tools and equipment 

• ensuring workers are reasonably competent 

• guarding against reasonably foreseeable risks of injury 

• ensuring safe working systems
3. Health and Safety Management System

Employers must take and give effect to adequate arrangements for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of protective and preventive measures. They must record these arrangements (where five or more are employed) – for example, as part of their health and safety policy statement (see below). [MHSW]
4. Safety Policy Statement

A written policy statement must be prepared by employers (if five or more persons are employed) covering the employer’s organisation and arrangements in force for ensuring health and safety. It must be brought to the attention of all employees. [HSWA]
5. Competent Persons

An adequate number of ‘competent’ persons have to be appointed by employers, with sufficient time and resources at their disposal, to assist the employer to comply with his legal duties and to implement emergency arrangements (see below). Competent health and safety advisers can be either employees with appropriate qualifications and experience or professionally qualified consultants. [MHSW]
6. Risk Assessment

Suitable and sufficient’ risk assessments must be carried out by the employer. The purpose is to identify hazards, assess the probability that harm may arise from them and evaluate the effectiveness of control measures. [MHSW] (This duty is elaborated in regulations dealing with specific hazards and issues e.g. substances hazardous to health (COSHH), and Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations (DSE).
7. Tackling Risks at Source

There is a duty of care upon employers to ensure that workplaces must be made safe without risks to health. So far as is reasonably practicable, accidents and work related health damage should be prevented by tackling risks at source, using engineering means in preference to systems of work, personal protective equipment only being an acceptable alternative where risks cannot be controlled by such other means. [MHSW, ACoP].
8. Information, Instruction, Training and Supervision

Employees must be given comprehensible information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure their health and safety and that of others. [HSWA, MHSW and other regulations e.g. COSHH].
9. Health and Safety Law Poster

Employers have a legal duty under the Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations (HSIER) to display the approved poster in a prominent position in each workplace or to provide each worker with an equivalent copy of the approved leaflet/pocket card that outlines British health and safety law. [HSIER]
10. Cooperation and Co-ordination

Employers sharing workplaces or employing sub-contractors to undertake work must co-operate and co-ordinate their activities to ensure that they can meet their health and safety responsibilities. [MHSW]
11. Hazardous Agents

Exposure to hazardous agents such as dust, fumes, noise, vibration, radiation or harmful micro-organisms must be eliminated or adequately controlled by employers. [HSWA, COSHH, Noise at Work Regulations (NAWR), Ionising Radiations Regulations (IR), Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations (CAW), Control of Lead at Work Regulations (CLAW). Sites with more than 25 tonnes of hazardous substances must be notified to HSE. [The Dangerous Substances (Notification and Marking of Sites) Regulations.]
12. Health Surveillance

Arrangements should be made by employers for any necessary health surveillance of employees and appropriate records should be kept as required. [MHSW, COSHH, CAW, CLAW, WTR and IR]
13. Work Equipment

Employers have an obligation that all work equipment must meet essential safety requirements and safe systems of work must be established. Risks from work with Display Screen Equipment must be assessed and controlled. [Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), DSE]. There are still residual requirements in specific machinery type regulations e.g. woodworking machinery regulations, power press regulations etc.
14. Personal Protective Equipment

Where risks cannot be controlled at source (see point 6 above), appropriate personal protective clothing and/or equipment should be provided free of charge by employers, it must have storage facilities and be maintained. [HSWA and Personal Protective Equipment at Work (PPE) Regulations]
15. Articles and Substances

Manufacturers and Suppliers must ensure that articles and substances should be safe and without risks to health when properly used. They must be: properly designed; tested; packaged; labelled; accompanied by adequate information; and moved, stored and used safely. [HSWA, Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging) Regulations]
16. Special Precautions

Employers must ensure that special precautions are taken when working in confined spaces and working at height. Harmful manual handling should be eliminated. Lifting plant and pressure systems should be regularly eliminated. Safe use of electricity and site transport should be ensured. [HSWA, Manual Handling Operations Regulations, PUWER, Pressure Systems Safety Regulations, Electricity at Work Regulations]
17. Emergency Arrangements

Adequate emergency arrangements must be put in place by employers, under the control of ‘competent persons’. There must also be suitable procedures for employees to report serious and imminent danger as well as shortcomings in health and safety arrangements. [MHSW]
18. Fire

Adequate precautions should be taken against fires and explosions and adequate means of escape and firefighting equipment should be provided. Employers must carry out and review Fire Risk Assessments. Carry out and maintain Fire Precautions. Check that Fire can be detected and employees warned. Check that employees can get out quickly. Check and maintain firefighting equipment and that it is sufficient and available. Plan for an Emergency. Provide employees with Information, Instruction and Training on Fire Safety precautions. [The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (The Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 made under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005)]
19. Workplace Requirements

Essential workplace requirements should be ensured by employers, including those concerning a reasonable temperature, good cleanliness, adequate working space, adequate ventilation, adequate lighting plus safe access and egress (including traffic routes). Adequate welfare and first aid facilities should be provided. Existence of commercial or industrial premises must be notified to the appropriate health and safety enforcing authority. [Workplace Health Safety and Welfare (WHSW) Regulations and Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations].
20. Reporting and Recording Accidents, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences

Accidental injuries, dangerous occurrences and notifiable occupational diseases should be reported to the appropriate enforcing authority and records kept. Records also have to be kept of the results of workplace environmental monitoring, health surveillance and maintenance etc. RIDDOR’s reporting requirements now are that injuries and diseases causing over seven days’ incapacitation (not counting the day on which the accident happened must be reported to HSE). [Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, RIDDOR, COSHH]
21. Safety Representatives, Safety Committees and Consultation

Employers must consult their Trade Union Safety Reps on health and safety matters. The Trade Union has the right to appoint Safety Representatives who must be consulted on all matters affecting the health and safety of employees they represent and be permitted to carry out their functions including Inspections and Investigations, speaking to and representing employees on health and safety issues, making representations to employers/managers and liaising with the HSE/LAs etc. The employer must establish a joint health and safety committees which TU Safety Reps can attend. Safety Representatives are entitled to paid time off to perform their role and to attend Union approved training courses. [Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations]
22. Insurance

All employers must have specific insurance to provide compensation to employees following successful civil law claims for damages in the event of work related injury or damage to health. [Employer’s liability (compulsory insurance) act 1969]
23. Self Employed

Self-employed persons have broadly similar duties to those of employers where others can be affected. They must co-operate effectively with employers they are working with or for and other self-employed persons to meet the objectives of health and safety law. [MHSW]
24. Employees Duties and Rights

Employees must:

Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by what they do or do not do; co-operate with their employer and others (e.g. contractors on site) in meeting health and safety requirements; report any shortcomings in health and safety arrangements (consistent with their knowledge and training); and not interfere with or misuse anything provided to assure health, safety or welfare at work. 

Employees have a right to:

Work in places where all the risks to health and safety are properly controlled. Stop working and leave the area if you reasonably believe you are in serious and imminent danger. Inform the employer about health and safety issues or concerns. Receive clear information, instruction, training and supervision in how to carry out your job safely and without risks to health. [HSWA, MHSW, PPE]
25. Manufacturers and Suppliers

Manufacturers, designers, importers, suppliers, erectors or installers of any plant, machinery, equipment or appliances for use at work and manufacturers, importers and suppliers of substances for use in work activities have extensive duties: to ensure safety and absence of risks to health; to carry out research and testing; and to provide adequate information. [HSW]. Manufacturers of machinery have to ensure that it meets EC ‘essential safety requirements’ and bears the CE mark. [Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations] [Note: In addition to the above statutory duties, all the above parties have significant common law duties, meaning that injury as a result of a failure to meet an expected standard could result in a successful action for damages in a civil court].
26. Enforcement

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors and Local Authority enforcement (EHO) officers have wide-ranging powers to: enter premises; take samples and measurements; inspect documents; require persons to answer questions; and issue legally enforceable notices (prohibition notices, deferred prohibition notices and improvement notices). They also have powers to prosecute. Those found guilty of health and safety offences can face an unlimited fine and/or a period of imprisonment. [HSWA]
27. Employment protection

Employment law protects all employees from suffering any harm (detriment) because of any reasonable actions they take on health and safety grounds. This applies regardless of length of service. Employees, including Union H&S Reps, should not suffer harm for instance by being victimised, disciplined, denied a promotion, stopped pay etc., or being dismissed because they:
• Carry out or propose to carry out activities expected of them in connection with preventing or reducing risks to health and safety; perform or propose to perform functions they have as union-appointed safety reps or H&S committee members; took part, or proposed to take part in consultation with the employer under H&S regulations, or for taking part in an election under that law bring to their employer’s attention by reasonable means a concern about circumstances at work which they reasonably believe are harmful, or potentially harmful to health and safety reasonably believe a situation to be of serious and imminent danger and because they could not reasonably be expected to avert it, they leave or propose to leave the workplace or any dangerous part of it, or if they refuse to return while the danger continues reasonably believe a situation to be of serious and imminent danger, and take or propose to take appropriate steps to protect themselves and others. This is to be judged by reference to all the circumstances including knowledge, facilities and (the disclosure must be made in good faith and to the employer or in some circumstances to another appropriate person).
Claims for unlawful detriment or unfair dismissal in these circumstances can be brought to an Employment Tribunal. There are strict time limits for presenting claims. [Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended)]
28. The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act became law in October, 2010. It replaced previous legislation (such as the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995) and ensures consistency in what employers and employees need to do to make their workplaces a fair environment and comply with the law.
Key points:
An employer must consider making ‘reasonable adjustments’ for a disabled employee or job applicant if:
• it becomes aware of their disability and/or

• they ask for adjustments to be made and/or

• a disabled employee is having difficulty with any part of their job and/or

• either an employee’s sickness record, or delay in returning to work, is linked to their disability.
The HSE state that there is no health and safety legislation that would prevent a disabled person finding or staying in employment. Health and safety should not be used as an excuse for doing nothing, or for refusing to make reasonable adjustments. There is no requirement to carry out a separate risk assessment for a disabled employee. Employers should already be managing any significant workplace risks, including putting control measures in place to eliminate or reduce the risks. If an employer becomes aware of an employee who has a disability, they should review the risk assessment to make sure it covers risks that might be present for that employee.
A reasonable adjustment is an adjustment which aims to make sure that, as far as is reasonable, a disabled worker has the same access to everything that is involved in doing and keeping a job as a non-disabled person.
Many of the adjustments an employer can make will not be particularly expensive and could be as simple as providing a special computer mouse, or chair, or sitting someone in a specific location. An employer is not required to do more than what is reasonable for them to do. What is reasonable for them to do depends, among other factors, on the size and nature of their organisation. [Equality Act 2010]
29. Legislation: (Key Summary List)

• Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 1974 

• Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSW) 1999

• Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations (DSE) 1992

• Provision and Use of Work Equipment (PUWER) 1998

• Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

• Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations (PPE) 1992

• Workplace Health Safety and Welfare (WHSW) Regulations 1992

• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002

• Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981

• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013

• Control of Noise at Work Regulations (NAWR)2005

• Electricity at Work Regulations 1989

• Work at Height Regulations 2005

• Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012

• Confined Spaces Regulations 1997

• Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015

• Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging) Regulations (CHIP) 2002

• Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLAR) 1998 

• Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999

• Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002

• Dangerous Substances (Notification and Marking of Sites) Regulations 1990

• Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000

• Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008

• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (The Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 made under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005)

• Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 

• Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH) 1999

• Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005

• Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002

• Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001

• Health and Safety: Consultation with Employees Regulations 1996

• Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998

• Equality Act 2010
A full list of all UK Health & Safety legislation can be found on the HSE Website:- http://www.hse.gov.uk or http://www.legislation.gov.uk

A Summary of the Key parts of main pieces of Legislation is attached.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
Attachment 1 – LTB480/16 Health and Safety at Work: The Law at a Glance

Attachment 2 – Health and Safety Legislation Summary

ELECTION OF NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE POSITIONS – 2016
CWU Youth Committee

Further to LTB 505/16 dated 30th August 2016, at the close of nominations the following have
been received:
 
CWU YOUTH COMMITTEE – POSTAL CONSTITUENCY
EASTERN REGION
 
BALLOT REQUIRED
Matthew Bellamy
Eastern No 5
 
Laura Snell
Eastern No 4
 
 
MIDLAND REGION
Jimi Brown
South Midlands Postal
*ELECTED
 
NORTH EAST REGION
No Nominations Received
 
NORTH WEST REGION
Elli Long
Greater Mersey & S.W Lancs
*ELECTED
 
NORTHERN IRELAND REGION
Colm McAuley
Northern Ireland Combined
*ELECTED
 
SCOTLAND REGION
Scott Hartles
Scotland No 2
*ELECTED
 
SOUTH EAST REGION
Becca Hufton
Kent Invicta
*ELECTED
 
SOUTH WEST REGION
 
BALLOT REQUIRED
Michael Goozee
Wessex South Central
 
William Hunt
Gloucestershire Amal
 
 
WALES REGION
No Nominations Received
 
LONDON REGION
No Nominations Received
 
CWU YOUTH COMMITTEE – TELECOM & FINANCIAL SERVICES CONSTITUENCY
EASTERN REGION
Jamie George
Central Counties & Thames Valley
*ELECTED
 
MIDLAND REGION
 
BALLOT REQUIRED
Daniel Coles
East Midlands, Capital, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Mid Wales The Marches & North Staffs, Portsmouth IOW & West Sussex, Scotland No 1, Somerset, Devon & Cornwall
 
Jaime Monsma
Midland No 1
 
 
NORTH EAST REGION
Aaron Winter
Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Capital, East Midlands, Mid Wales The Marches & North Staffs, Portsmouth IOW & West Sussex, Scotland No 1, Somerset, Devon & Cornwall
*ELECTED
 
NORTH WEST REGION
No Nominations Received
 
NORTHERN IRELAND REGION
Fiona Curtis
Northern Ireland Telecom, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Somerset Devon & Cornwall, Scotland No 1, Mid Wales, Marches & North Staffs
*ELECTED
 
SCOTLAND REGION
No Nominations Received
 
SOUTH EAST REGION
Georgina Ford
Portsmouth IOW & West Sussex, Capital, East Midlands, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Mid Wales The Marches & North Staffs, Scotland No 1, Somerset, Devon & Cornwall
*ELECTED
 
SOUTH WEST REGION
Adam Gibbins
Somerset, Devon & Cornwall, Capital, East Midlands, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Mid Wales The Marches & North Staffs, Portsmouth IOW & West Sussex, Scotland No 1
*ELECTED
 
WALES REGION
Jake Fear
South Wales, Capital, East Midlands, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Mid Wales The Marches & North Staffs, Portsmouth IOW & West Sussex, Scotland No 1, Somerset, Devon & Cornwall
*ELECTED
 
LONDON REGION
 
BALLOT REQUIRED
Christopher Gadeke
Capital, East Midlands, Lincolnshire & South Yorks, Mid Wales The Marches & North Staffs, Portsmouth IOW & West Sussex, Scotland No 1, Somerset, Devon & Cornwall
 
William Murray
Greater London Combined
 
The ballot timetable is as follows:
Despatch ballot papers: 16th September 2016
Ballot closes: 30th September 2016 (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
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 551/16 – Election of National Representative Positions – CWU Youth Committee 2016

WTRM Sessions
This LTB follows previous information circulated to Branches regarding the Welcome to Royal Mail events.
Against a backdrop of falling membership, it is clearly of vital importance that the Union and its Branches are in a position to provide adequate and trained resource to attend the Welcome to Royal Mail events and ensure that we maximise the number of new entrants we recruit into the CWU, prior to them being dispersed to their respective units. However, it’s clear that problems have been encountered meeting this commitment which, on occasions, has resulted in the Union losing the crucial opportunity we have to recruit new members from the outset of their employment.
Branches and Representatives will recognise the importance of securing new members as soon as they enter the business which helps to strengthen our workplace organisation and provide the Union with greater long term stability. As part of the ongoing activity around WTRM (and following an in-depth discussion at the last meeting of the Postal Executive) immediate action has been taken to ensure that the Union and its Branches are in a stronger position to make the best use of the time we have allotted under the current national agreement to introduce and recruit new members to the Union. We also need to recognise that, in many instances, this will be their first encounter with a Trade Union and the concept of organised labour in the workplace – so we need to make these induction sessions count.
In view of the limited success of the initial WTRM activity (and despite the best efforts of Branches and colleagues who support these recruitment efforts) a number of meetings have been held with the business aimed at reviewing the structure and accessibility to the WTRM sessions and to maximise the opportunity for the CWU to attend and recruit new entrants.
The revised process will include timely notification of the WTRM sessions and their locations. This will ensure that Representatives are able to prepare in advance of the meeting with new entrants, and focus on the areas associated with a particular workplace or function (i.e. local workplace organisation, name of Rep(s), number of members on site, Branch details etc). It has also been agreed to change the 1 hour time slot for the CWU to commence at 11am and conclude no later than 12pm.
We can also confirm that additional locations have now been added to the original WTRM sites so there are now 30 in total (listed below):
Aberdeen Mail Centre
Battersea DO
Belfast Delivery Office
Carlisle Mail Centre
Edinburgh Delivery Office
Glasgow Mail Centre
Leeds Mail Centre
Manchester Mail Centre
Preston Mail Centre
HR Service Centre
Tyneside Mail Centre
Croydon Mail Centre
Tonbridge Mail Centre
Norwich Mail Centre
Northampton East Delivery Office
Peterborough Mail Centre
Ilford Delivery Office
Leicester Delivery Office
Chelmsford Mail Centre
Greenford Mail Centre
North West Midlands Mail Centre
Bristol Mail Centre
Shirley Delivery Office
Plymouth Mail Centre
Wheatstone House
Birmingham Mail Centre
Chester Delivery Office
Swansea Mail Centre
Warrington Mail Centre
Cardiff Mail Centre
 
Branches and Representatives will be aware that the Postal Department, in consultation with the Senior Organiser and the wider Organising team have provided information to assist recruitment activity at WTRM sessions and have produced handouts, leaflets and booklets which detail the benefits of Union membership. This information is supported by a specially commissioned DVD to be shown to new entrants that focuses on the Union’s positive role in the workplace and other benefits of membership.
Notwithstanding the above, the Postal Executive believe it would also be appropriate to provide additional support to help deliver the Union’s message at the WTRM sessions and, in doing so, hopefully increase the number of new entrants who take up Union membership. Branches and Representatives will recognise the importance of having an agreement that gives the Union access to all new RM employees and provides us with a valuable opportunity to showcase the CWU and the benefits of Union membership.
As a result, a recruitment workshop has been designed to up-skill and support those Representatives who undertake recruitment activity on behalf of their Branch or workplace. This is an ideal opportunity for existing Representatives to expand their role and develop their approach in speaking to an audience, as well as drawing on their own personal experiences of the CWU and learn to recruit new entrants to the Union in a classroom environment.
The workshops are open to all CWU Representatives currently employed in a Royal Mail business unit or function and, in particular, those who have a genuine interest in growing the Union’s membership and being the face of the CWU at the WTRM sessions in your location.
Any Representative who is interested in participating in this workshop should contact Lynn Browne at LBrowne@cwu.org (Mbl: 07753 776364)no later than 30th September. We would encourage a range of applicants that reflect the diversity of the Union’s wider membership. 
The workshops commence at 11.00 and are scheduled to conclude by 15.00. They will be delivered by the Postal Field Organisers and arranged on a regional basis to maximise the opportunity for colleagues to attend. The details of the current venues are listed below.
North East – Regional Office, 4th October

Scotland – Glasgow and District Branch Office, 4th October

Midlands – Birmingham Branch Office, 11th October

Wales – Gwent Amal Branch Office, 4th October

Eastern – CWUHQ, 4th October

South East – CWUHQ, 18th October

South West – Bristol Branch Office, 4th October

South West – Exeter Branch Office, 11th October

North West – Greater Manchester Branch Office, 11th October

Northern Ireland – CWU Office Belfast, 4th October

London – London Regional Office, 11th October

 
Yours sincerely
 
Terry Pullinger

Deputy General Secretary (Postal)
Email Attachments – Click to download
LTB 550/16 – WTRM Sessions

‘Public Health England’ and ‘The Work Foundation’ have collaborated and published a very useful set or series of 12 health and work ‘infographics’ intended to help raise awareness and understanding of the relationship between health and work. Although it is Public Health England who have produced them, most of the statistics are UK ones. It is encouraging to see that they have included ‘presenteeism’ in several places, and it seems that it costs the economy £30 billion.
‘Public Health England’ and ‘The Work Foundation’ state that these infographics are intended to help public health practitioners, local authorities and policy makers to make the case and inform planning on embedding health, work and worklessness within and across these issues.
The 12 infographics are as follows:
Spotlight on mental health

Cost of ill health

Health of the working age population

Health of UK employees

Spotlight on musculoskeletal conditions (MSK)

Managing health at work for employers

Spotlight on small medium enterprises (SME)

Unemployment and economic inactivity

Welfare

The local picture

Supporting older workers with health problems

Young people and health at work

[NOTE: An ‘infographic’ is a visual representation of information or data in a graphic format designed to make the data easily understandable at a glance. “A good infographic is worth a thousand words”]
The importance of health and work
The Health and Work infographics summarise important data to provide a snapshot of the health and work landscape at publication date. They are intended to enable national and local stakeholders to understand, make the case for, and take action on addressing health, work and worklessness.
Employment is a primary determinant of health, impacting both directly and indirectly on the individual, their families and communities. Unemployment is associated with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity, including limiting illness, cardiovascular disease, poor mental health, suicide and health-damaging behaviours. 74% of adults are in employment, on average spending a third of their waking hours in the workplace.
Evidence shows that a good working environment is good for health, and that a bad working environment (characterised by low levels of job control and organisational fairness, and a high effort-reward imbalance) may contribute to poor health. There is also evidence to show that healthier, active and engaged employees are more productive, have lower levels of sickness absence and presenteeism, creating a business imperative to take action as well as a public health one. Workplaces are a key setting for engaging adults in activities to improve their health and wellbeing to improve the health of the nation, and business productivity.
This is an important public health issue at both local and national level. It is highlighted in the NHS 5 Year Forward View and many local health and wellbeing strategies, devolution plans and NHS sustainability and transformation plans.
The infographics are intended to inform the local and national stakeholders. In particular for public health practitioners, local authorities and policy makers to make the case and inform planning on embedding health, work and worklessness within and across these issues.
Attachments:
The 12 Infographics are attached as a pdf file.
The set of Infographics can also be accessed via the following link:-
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/552695/
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
 
Email Attachments – Click to download
Attachment 1 – LTB547/16 Health and Work ‘Infographics’ (UK Information & Statistics)

Attachment 2 – Health and Work Infographic1.pdf

As we come to the end of the September Quarterly Road Safety Week (RSW), this is to remind ASRs that the CWU fully supports the week which is based on full CWU ASR involvement, participation and support.
ASRs were asked to follow the ASR activity 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 high impacting units should be focused on and visited/inspected during the September Road Safety Week (RSW).
ASR activities are:-
Ask Drivers:
Have they seen and understood the Poster issued for this Road Safety Week?

Have they received the WTLL briefing on severe weather driving?

Have they completed their vehicle checks with the manager?

Do they know how to access supply of torches, de-icer, anti-freeze, screen wash, windscreen scrapers in their vehicles?

Has the Manager spoken to them about the Trimble telemetry unit scores and how to improve driving behaviours? (as per RM/Outdoor Department agreement but only where they’ve been rolled out, where appropriate and where fitted etc – you don’t need to do anything more on Trimble at this stage).

Additionally, ask front line managers:
What Road Safety Week activities have they completed so far?

Have they delivered the WTLL to staff for severe weather driving?

How many severe weather related accidents did the unit have last winter?

Can they evidence completion of vehicle checks?

Has a Yard Risk Assessment been completed as per Severe Weather prep list and SHE Calendar task?

Have they coached the drivers on safe driving styles – e.g. avoid harsh braking, avoid harsh acceleration or turning?

Have they observed vehicles manoeuvring in yard?

Are vehicles in good repair, clean and tidy?

Are they safely parked?

Are condition of lighting, walkways & yard surfaces in good repair?

Finally ASRs should:-
Ensure they’ve recorded their Safety daily Inspections using the agreed process and forms.

Collate and summarise the findings and forward it to the Area, Sector and Plant Managers in the area to provide feedback on the Road Safety Week Activities.

Would ASRs please ensure all their inspection visit reports are completed and submitted as above and can I thank all ASRs and WSRs for their support. 
Finally, the important Safety Issues listed above are not just for Road Safety Week alone! They need to be monitored and be part of Safety Inspections and spot checks on a regular periodic basis, flagging up all shortcomings asap. 
Road Safety Week provides a high profile special focus on these important Road, Driver and Vehicle Safety matters.
ASRs may wish to further discuss the above with the local SHE Team Managers and Advisors and at Health and Safety Joint Committees to suggest some further ongoing joint attention and initiatives to concentrate attention to issues highlighted during the week.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
 
Email Attachments – Click to download
Attachment 1 – LTB545 RMG Quarterly Road Safety Week, 12th—18th September Focus on Severe Weather Driving – CWU ASR Activities:

As the 2016 National Organ Donation Week has now ended, this Letter to Branches is to confirm the actions taken during the campaign week nationally and to remind all CWU Reps to ‘sign-up’ now to the Organ Donor Register and get every other CWU Rep in your Branch signed up as well as getting as many members to do likewise – Thanks.

Motion 85 was carried at CWU Conference in 2011 and the CWU has been supporting Organ Donation Week ever since.

On Monday of the campaign week an Article launching Organ Donation Week appeared on the front page of the CWU Website.

Two Letters to CWU Branches and Regions were issued, one in the run up to the week and one during the week, distributing materials and resources to our Branches, Regions, Officers and Reps across the UK.

All CWU Reps have been challenged to sign up to be an organ donor/blood donor and then get other Reps and members to sign up.

The CWU Equal Opportunities Department supported the campaign and work on increasing awareness of organ donation amongst our Black and Asian members.

At the 2016 TUC Congress the CWU delegation supported Motion 47 on the subject of Organ Donation which calls for the TUC and Trade Unions to Campaign to increase the number of organ donors. The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department briefed our Delegation and provided information.

After speaking to both main employers, both Royal Mail and British Telecom issued communications supporting Organ Donation Week and Royal Mail arranged for a special postmark to be used on all letters during the campaign week, highlighting the campaign and directing people to the NHSBT Website.

CWU and NHSBT signed a formal ‘partnership’ campaign pledge.

The CWU annually campaigns to raise awareness and has promoted organ and blood donation to the members since a decision at CWU annual conference in 2011. This is done via Letters to Branches, the CWU ‘Voice’ magazine and via the CWU Website.
The CWU also works jointly with employers to run joint health awareness campaigns, one of which is organ and blood donation.
The CWU’s Health and Safety Department working with the Equal Opportunities Department has spread the message of donation across the Union, seeking to promote blood and organ donation amongst its Black and Asian members where only 1.4% of those on the Organ Donation Register are from these communities.
This CWU/NHSBT partnership is about raising awareness of the importance of blood and organ donation amongst our Branches and membership and we will continue to campaign alongside NHSBT and other organisations to achieve this. We have a diverse membership and we want our members to step forward and help save the lives of others by becoming blood and organ donors.
I hope all CWU Branches and CWU Reps have taken this campaign seriously and ‘signed-up’ as an Organ Donor. We are relying on your support in this.
Claire Dolling Senior Partnership Development Officer of the NHS Blood and Transplant organisation has congratulated the CWU on the Union’s support for the 2016 Campaign and welcomed the Union as a formal Campaign supporter and ‘Partner’. She said that the NHS Blood and Transplant organisation is pleased to be working with the Communications Workers Union, one of the UK’s major Trade Unions that takes the Health, Safety and Wellbeing of its large membership and families very seriously and places such matters high on the agenda. NHSBT is therefore launching this new formal partnership this year (2016), making the CWU the first Trade Union to agree such an initiative with NHSBT.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
 
Email Attachments – Click to download
Attachment 1 – LTB544/16 CWU – National Organ Donation Week 2016 Conclusion:

HSE Safe Coupling and Uncoupling Guide (Large Goods Vehicles & Trailers):
To: All Branches
Dear Colleagues,
The HSE in conjunction with the Freight Transport Association (FTA) Road Haulage Association (RHA), Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE) and others published new guidance on the safe coupling, uncoupling and parking of commercial vehicles and trailers.
The ‘Safe coupling and uncoupling guide’ has been developed by the HSE along with Road Transport Industry bodies and Unions from the HSE’s Joint Transportation and Logistics Forum, as a ‘good practice guide’ with the aim of reducing the likelihood of runaway or rollaway incidents. Tragically, each year there are a number of fatalities or serious injuries due to vehicle runaways or trailer rollaways. The cause is often due to the individual in charge mistakenly believing that all brakes are engaged when they are not. This should not happen if simple procedures are followed.
This new guidance has been produced by a working group made up of members of the Transportation and Logistics Forum, which is Chaired by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). It represents industry best practice and is a must-read for drivers, users of large goods vehicles, managers, self-employed drivers and driver training bodies to check and, if necessary, improve their knowledge of the safe procedures.
Every year people are killed or seriously injured and property is damaged as a result of vehicle runaway or trailer rollaway situations. These are often the result of drivers not following safe procedures and those in control of sites not having suitable monitoring arrangements in place to ensure safe procedures are followed. Research conducted by the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) suggests many of these events go unreported.
Under health and safety legislation employers have a responsibility to provide and maintain safe systems of work to ensure the health and safety of both those at work and those who may be affected by their activities such as members of the public.
Employers should ensure there are safe systems of work in place for coupling and uncoupling vehicle combinations and that these are understood by those carrying out the activity. There should also be effective arrangements in place to ensure these systems are being followed. Drivers, including the self-employed, have a responsibility for both their own health and safety and that of other people who could be affected by their actions.
This new guide is intended to assist employers, those who control sites where coupling and uncoupling is undertaken by users of large goods vehicles, managers, self-employed drivers and driver training bodies. It has been developed by industry as a good practice guide with the aim of reducing the likelihood of a runaway or rollaway incident.
The guide focuses on the procedures for the safe coupling and uncoupling and parking of standard semitrailers but there is also information on procedures for close coupled semi-trailers, centre axle and turntable drawbar trailers. These are detailed in the appendices.
In addition to these procedures, the guide also contains supplementary safety guidance and advice that should be observed and a section concerning good parking practice.
NOTE: For the purposes of this guide the tractor unit/prime mover is referred to as a truck and the trailer unit is referred to as a trailer. In addition, a runaway is defined as a situation where a truck or truck and trailer combination moves in an uncontrolled manner during coupling/uncoupling. A rollaway is defined as a situation where a trailer moves in an uncontrolled manner independent of the truck.
A Copy of the Guide is attached.
Yours sincerely
Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer
Email Attachments – Click to download
Attachment 1 – LTB542/16 HSE Safe Coupling and Uncoupling Guide (Large Goods Vehicles & Trailers)

Attachment 2 – Safe Coupling and Uncoupling PDF