Your Views On Health And Safety Legislation Cuts Are Required By Co-ord Chair

Derek Maylor, chair of the co-ord is currently undertaking a BA Labour and Trade Union Studies (Health and Safety) at London Metropolitan University.

His final year dissertation is based on the removal of health and safety at work legislation, whether people think that this will have an adverse effect on worker safety and is there any evidence to that effect. Derek thinks the views of Union Safety Reps are imperative in making his research authoritative
 
To this end he would be very grateful if you would take the time to complete an online questionnaire to assist him in his research. All responses will be submitted anonymously.

Below Derek gives some insight into the current government attacks on Health & Safety legislation, and is keen to utilise your views on the issues:

"In a speech as long ago as 1 December 2009 David Cameron used the phrase “Reducing the burden and impact of health and safety”, and the ball started rolling.
 
Continued buzz phrases such as “the health and safety monster” or “over-the-top health and safety culture” are used to maintain the profile and drip feed the assumption that we have far too much legislation.

Oddly whilst always acknowledging that Britain has one of the lowest workplace fatality figures in the EU, and close to the lowest for non-fatal accidents, Cameron does not see the link between that and the legislation he despises.

Reeling off ridiculous myths like the conkers stories and the village fetes etc. he claims that we have “a stultifying blanket of bureaucracy, suspicion and fear that has saturated our country”.

Misquoting Professor Ragnar Löfstedt he repeats that we are importing legislation and from Brussels and gold plating it, despite the EU proving the opposite on asbestos regulation leading to the current changes being made, the UK is not even implementing the Directive let alone gold plating it!

Cameron correctly notes that the Health and Safety Executive enforces 202 statutory instruments or regulations and then Grayling states that that they will be cut by 50%, again ignoring Professor Löfstedt’s review.

Conservatives want to rid us of “thick handbooks” and “silly rules”, which in itself may not be a bad thing, like rationalising and simplifying the recent changes to fire regulations under the last Labour Government. What is objectionable is the 50% must go figure plucked from the air; the ridiculing of health and safety at work; the motive behind all this and the lies, myths and misquotes that are leading the issue.

To research further, I am looking at opinions on the cutting by the government of UK health and safety at work legislation and its effects and ramifications for workers and the public.

I am asking you to assist by taking part in this quick survey.

Thank You."

Take part in the on-line survey here

Source: Derek Maylor / Unionsafety

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