‘More MPs than inspectors’ warning

Calling for an end to “outdated attitudes that saw health and safety as a burden on business”, specialists’ Prospect union general secretary Mike Clancy told the TUC Congress that the number of HSE inspectors is now lower than the number of MPs.

He highlighted the damage that previous ministers’ approach to health and safety has had, particularly former prime minister David Cameron’s remarks that health and safety regulation was a “monster”.

Now, in the middle of a pandemic, he said, the attitudes of the past have left the HSE understaffed and under-resourced to perform the function that is expected of it due to years of real terms cuts. The “clear preference” of workers and businesses is for random physical inspections, but the organisation now lacks to capacity to carry these out, he added.

Prospect is calling on the government to change its approach, to work with unions, to provide a consistent public information campaign around workplace safety and to commit to funding the HSE “so that we can have the truly world class health and safety regime that we need and that the public deserve”.

https://bectu.org.uk/news/we-need-to-banish-outdated-attitudes-to-health-and-safety-prospect-tells-the-tuc