Stress consultation could bypass safety reps

The TUC is warning that a consultation by the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) on work-related stress may exclude safety reps.

The three-month consultation involves a video explanation and an online form on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website. It is also available on CD-ROM but not in print, raising concerns about HSC's approach to consultation.

TUC head of health and safety Hugh Robertson said the consultation process "will disenfranchise many thousands of safety representatives who do not have access to the internet or a computer".

He added that the approach "treats consultation as some kind of ballot. This is totally at odds with the TUC view of how consultations should be carried out, and the role of unions and employers' organisations in consulting their membership groups and responding appropriately."

The proposals are based around a set of management standards that the HSC says will enable employers to gauge stress levels, identify causes and work with employees to resolve any difficulties. The HSC describes the standards as "a non-legislative yardstick to help organisations meet their existing duty of care and their duty to assess the risks to work--related stress".

The deadline for responses is 27 August 2004. To take part, go to consultations.hse.gov.uk/consult.ti/StressManagementStandards