Bill awaits rail report

Hazards campaigners have condemned the government for its failure to propose new occupational safety legislation in the coming session of parliament. While the government has pledged to bring in a safety Bill, there was no reference to it or to legislation on corporate killing in the Queen's speech.

The delegates to the 12th National Hazards Campaign conference held in Manchester at the end of June expressed alarm at any possible delay in the introduction of the Bill and resolved to begin campaigning for it within their unions and the Labour Party as soon as possible.

A government spokesperson confirmed that, while there was nothing to stop the Bill coming up in the next parliament, "nothing had been firmed up yet" and that the outcome of the second part of the Cullen Report on the railways was awaited.

The 550 UK union health and safety representatives plus delegates from other countries had met for a two-day conference on revitalising safety reps.

The main theme of the conference was how to ensure that the government acts to improve occupational health and safety, including increasing safety reps' rights, introducing a law on corporate killing and improving road and rail safety.

Plenary sessions included a robust question-and-answer session with Health and Safety Commission chair Bill Callaghan on issues such as roving safety reps and provisional Improvement notices (PINS) which he implied are now no longer under consideration.