The Government’s review of industrial health and safety regulation has been attacked by unions after it failed to consider how workplace-related deaths might be reduced.
The report by Lord Young published last week, which the Government has fully backed, is broadly supportive of the Health and Safety Executive and current laws,
but says that businesses are operating in a “climate of fear” and “the standing of health and safety in the eyes of the public has never been lower”.
But the TUC estimates that 20,000 people die every year as a result of their work – including through road accidents, occupational cancer and heart disease from stress or chemical poisoning. By contrast, the HSE counted 151 workplace fatalities last year.
“This report is a missed opportunity to improve the UK’s workplace safety record and by failing to challenge the myths around health and safety it could actually make things much worse”, general secretary Brendan Barber said. Similar comments were made by the GMB and construction union UCATT.
Lord Young said that media stories about excessive use of health and safety rules and large injury payouts were a problem of “perception rather than reality”. However, he called for risk assessments in low hazard workplaces to be simplified, and suggested capping road traffic accident personal injury claims at £25,000.
Alan Ritchie, general secretary of UCATT, said: “Rather than recommending weakening the regulations, Lord Young should have examined how the existing rules can be adequately enforced.”
