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"I can assure you that the CWU with the TUC and other Unions totally oppose any watering-down and weakening of health and safety legislation and enforcement at a time when it needs strengthening and effective enforcing. Our health and safety representatives do a fantastic job in their efforts to maintain a safe place to work and safe system of work, often under great pressure from employers they have a tough time but face up to the challenge without government recognition and with little or no support from the HSE." - Dave Joyce writing to Lord Young. CWU's National Health, Safety & Environment Officer, Dave Joyce urges all unionsafety reps to respond to the government's review of health and safety. In his letter to branches, LTB585/10, Dave gives some background to the situation previously highlighted in this website earlier last month:
He added: "The Prime Minister said that Lord Young will lead an important review. The rise of the compensation culture, he said, over the last ten years is a real concern, as is the way health and safety rules are sometimes applied. Mr Cameron said that a sensible new approach was needed that makes clear these laws are intended to protect people, not overwhelm businesses with red tape. He concluded that he looks forward to receiving Lord Young’s recommendations on how this can best achieved. Speaking last December, Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK had become "saturated" by health and safety laws (which of course is untrue and inaccurate because The LTB continues and requests urgent responses from all union safety reps: "Lord Young said that Health and safety regulation is essential in many industries but may well have been applied too generally and have become an unnecessary burden on firms, but also community organisations and public services. He hopes his review will reintroduce an element of common sense and focus the regulation where it is most needed. We need a system that is proportionate and not bureaucratic, he concluded. Lord Young who served as a cabinet minister under Margaret Thatcher, has said many health and safety rules were "absolute nonsense". In a recent interview Lord Young said “People occasionally get killed, it’s unfortunate but it’s part of life.” In relation to "PAT Testing he said “What's dangerous in offices? Yet every piece of electrical equipment in an office has to be checked every five years - nonsense". Young added and went on "There are risk-assessment officers all over the place. It’s nonsense.” He also seems to believe that US Coastguards are responsible for the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico rather than BP (No one's told him obviously!).
The terms of reference for the 'Lord Young Review' are: Comments should be sent either by post to:- Lord Young, Or by e-mail to: lordyoungreview@dwp.gsi.gov.uk By 6th July 2010 at the latest. We would urge every single CWU Safety Representative to write to Lord Young as he is claiming that every letter he receives agrees with him! SO PLEASE RESPOND!!!" You can download both Lord Young's letter to the CWU and Dave Joyce's response in full. Source: CWU
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"As expected, on 14 June, the Prime Minister David Cameron announced the appointment of the Rt Hon Lord Young of Graffham as Adviser to the Prime Minister on health and safety law and practice. The announcement went on to explain that Lord Young will undertake a Whitehall-wide review of the operation of health and safety laws and the growth of the 'compensation culture' in the UK. Young is expected to report back to the Prime Minister in the summer and will investigate concerns over the application and perception of health and safety legislation, together with the rise of the 'compensation culture' over the last decade. The announcement went on that Lord Young will work with the appropriate government departments to bring his proposals into effect. He will continue to report regularly to the Prime Minister on progress."
The CWU has now received a letter from Lord Young inviting views on his current review. A copy of the letter can be downloaded for your attention with our response.