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Importance of Worker Involvement
Gail Cartmail
Construction Industry Advisory
Committee (CONIAC)
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Construction Industry Advisory Network
Launch Event 7 December 2017
The importance of worker involvement in health and safety in the
construction industry
Gail Cartmail
Assistant General Secretary
Unite the Union
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The importance of worker involvement
• Trade union safety representatives are part of the
solution
• Mental health
• Preventing respiratory disease
• Welfare facilities
• Modern slavery
• Brexit
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Celebrating trade union safety
representativesUnion safety representatives encourage effective
co-operation between the employer and the employees:
• Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
• Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations
1977
• Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM)
requirement to consult workers/their representatives
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The effect of the presence of trade
union safety representativesHelps reduce injuries at work
Leads to reductions the levels of ill-health caused by work
Encourages greater reporting of injuries and near-misses
Makes workers more confident
Helps develop a more positive safety culture in the
organisation
Saves the economy many millions of pounds.
TUC safetyreps@40 website
https://www.tuc.org.uk/celebrating-40-years-union-safety-reps
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Mental Ill Health – risk factors*
• Transient work – inability to obtain steady employment
• Workplace injury
• Chronic illness
• Financial and legal problems
• Relationship breakdown
• Child custody issues
• Substance abuse
*Research published 2017.
Male suicide among construction workers in Australia
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SUICIDE
Office for National Statistics: Suicide by
occupation in England 2011-2015
Men working in skilled trade occupations had
second highest risk – 29% (3,059) of all male
suicides during that period.
Construction News Research May 2017 (pub. Sept)
One in four construction workers have considered
taking their own life, which rose to one in three
among junior members of staff and graduates.
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Preventing respiratory disease
http://www.unitetheunion.org/campaigning/diesel-exhaust-can-kill---report-it/
And asbestos, wood dust, silica dust, lead..
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Good quality welfare facilities for
construction workers
September 2017 Unite health, safety and welfare survey of
construction members
3,600 responses:
96.5% men
3.5% women
Over 40% state toilets not cleaned daily
Under 50% state adequate supply of soap or sanitary bins at
their workplace
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Preventing exploitation: modern
slavery in the construction industry
http://www.gla.gov.uk/publications/resources/g
laa-partner-videos/ilo-lured-by-a-job/
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Preventing Modern Slavery
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BREXIT
Working people did not vote for
attacks on their jobs, employment
rights and living standards.
That is why Unite is fighting for a Brexit
that works for all.
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In conclusion
Union workplaces are safer, healthier
and fairer than non-organised
workplaces.
Unite is organising to ensure that all
workplaces are safer, healthier and
fairer.
