Unions tell enquiry of HSE's shortcomings

The House of Commons Select Committee inquiry into the HSC and HSE heard oral evidence from unions and campaigners last month.

Representatives of the TUC, the professionals union Prospect, the Centre for Corporate Accountability (CCA) and the Simon Jones Memorial Campaign gave evidence on the health and safety bodies' shortcomings.

In its submission, the CCA said: "The HSC has failed to campaign publicly about the problem of resources: the result, it appears, is a resource-driven enforcement strategy. HSE's new evolving policy on enforcement - to move away from inspection, investigation and formal enforcement - contradicts overwhelming international and HSE evidence that it is inspection, investigation and formal enforcement that work best."

The TUC's submission called for more funds for HSE and a greater role for union safety reps. The GMB general union made a written submission, arguing that "the HSE is under-resourced and does not enforce the law vigorously enough".