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'Put hazardous substances out of work' says Usdaw on International Workers' Memorial Day

Date: 26 April 2019 Sunday is International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) when the trade union and labour movement commemorates all those who have been killed by workplace accidents and disease. For #IWMD2019 Usdaw is highlighting that there are still a significant number of workers killed by being exposed at work to hazardous substances.
Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “More people are killed at work than in wars. They die because their safety just wasn’t that important a priority. So on 28 April we ‘remember the dead and fight for the living’ by highlighting our all year round campaigning for better health and safety at work.

“Every year in Britain there are tens-of-thousands of early deaths from exposure to hazardous substances at work. Thousands more suffer disabling illness such as dermatitis and chronic lung disease. This toll of death and illness could be prevented by proper control of the hazardous substances. Workers in all sorts of workplaces can be exposed to risk.

“Strong unions are the best protection for workers. Workplaces that have strong union representation typically have much lower fatality, injury and ill-health rates than those that do not. Research in this country and abroad has shown repeatedly that unions make a difference.”

Notes for editors:
 
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fifth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 430,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 28% over the decade. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
 
Usdaw’s Workers' Memorial Day Campaign: www.usdaw.org.uk/wmd
 
For further information please contact Usdaw’s Media Officer, David Williams on: 0161 249 2469, 07798 696 603 or by e-mail to [email protected]
 
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion

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The official website of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers