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Usdaw Conference demands PINs for safety reps
03 May 2006
At its Annual Delegate Meeting in Blackpool Usdaw passed a proposition calling for safety reps to have the power to issue legally-binding notices when employers are breaching health and safety laws.
Moving the proposition, Maureen Shanks from the union's Southern Division explained how Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs) work in Australia. She argued that similar powers are needed in this country because of concerns that the Government seems to be under-mining the health and safety system to reduce so-called 'burdens on business'. She said 'Experience in Australia has shown that employers are more likely to involve safety reps at an early stage rather than risk a PIN being issued when changes are implemented. In my experience even senior managers in stores have very little knowledge of health and safety laws and yet the HSE appear to be moving toward self-regulation. How can you self-regulate when you do not know the rules?'
Responding to the propostion, John Hannett,General Secretary confirmed that Usdaw has been a supporter of the TUC's campaigns for greater powers for health and safety reps.
Other propositions passed in the health and safety debate included calls for more resources for the HSE and more training for health and safety reps on risk assessments.
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