HSE seeks union approval

What did the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ever do for trade unions? Plenty, apparently – from creating a “worker involvement programme” and working jointly on campaigns and publications to winning a government commitment to stiffen the maximum penalties for health and safety offences.

That’s the message of a new briefing from, unsurprisingly, the HSE itself. HSE and trade unions lists more than 20 key achievements in three categories – building mutual understanding, strengthening the legal framework and delivering better information – which it says demonstrate its commitment to unions.

But the list still falls a long way short of what most safety reps and campaigners have been demanding for years. For example, the briefing promotes its work on developing a corporate manslaughter law but neglects to mention the shortcomings of the result (see July’s Workplace Report).

Nevertheless, TUC head of safety Hugh Robertson has commended the HSE’s efforts – which include “working more closely with unions in developing and delivering policy”, and holding regular meetings with TUC policy staff – while noting that they have had little effect to date. “We warmly welcome this area of work by the HSE, and look forward to working with them to make sure that it makes a difference in the actual workplace,” he said.

HSE and trade unions can be downloaded from www.hse.gov.uk/workers/safetyreps/unions.htm