Usdaw slams HSE plans to scrap Food Manufacturing Inspector as short-sighted

Retail union Usdaw has written to the Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) slamming plans to scrap one of two inspectors responsible for developing national safety policies in the Food and Agriculture Sector.

The food manufacturing sector has a much higher than average accident rate but budget cuts at the HSE has led the safety watchdog to axe one of the inspectors who works with trade union and employer organisations to develop safe working initiatives.

“Usdaw is saying loud and clear this is very short-sighted decision especially when the two inspectors have played key roles in reducing accidents in the food sector by 37%," says Usdaw National Officer Bill Snell. “Usdaw believes the two inspectors have been central in achieving twice the national average level of safety improvement in industry as a whole for our food manufacturing members.

“But despite that success we have to remember that we started from an unacceptably high level of accidents in food manufacturing so we still have a long way to go in making the sector a safer environment.

“Usdaw understands that the HSE faces a budget crisis but the views of our members on the frontline are that it is vital that the successful tripartite policy initiatives between the HSE, trade unions and employers continues to develop so frontline inspectors know what to target when inspecting food factories.

“My letter to the HSE urges them to reconsider this decision and Usdaw is happy to sit down with the HSE to discuss how we can continue what has been a remarkably successful three-way working relationship that has made huge strides in preventing serious injuries in this sector.”

Notes to Editors:

• Contacts for newsdesks: Usdaw’s Media Officer, Paul Clarke, can be contacted on 0161 249 2469 or e-mail paul.clarke@usdaw.org.uk.
• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK’s fifth biggest trade union, with over 340,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.
• Journalists can subscribe to receive Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service.

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© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
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