Safety officer wins award

Unite general union national health and safety officer Rob Miguel has won this year’s Safety and Health Practitioner “Most Influential” award, in recognition of decades of action to protect workers.

Miguel was a workplace health and safety representative for 20 years and worked as an electrician and maintenance engineer before becoming a trade union official.

Three unions nominated him for the award for his role, which includes influencing national agreements on safe working in construction; developing Unite’s Get Me Home safely campaign to protect workers during journeys to and from work; and supporting transport, healthcare and other workers during the pandemic.

He is currently leading negotiations for Britain, and shaping international standards, at the International Labour Organisation’s 2024-25 conference on biological hazards.

As one of the few prominent voices in health and safety from a Black and minority ethnic background, he has championed union safety reps and encouraged under-represented groups to take on the role, SHP reported. He is “an inspiration to black members and has helped highlight the link between the OSH [occupational safety and health] and anti-racism agendas”.