Some employers only paying lip service to Black staff ’ s fears
Employers in the public sector must ensure all staff have robust, up to date risk assessments to protect the health and lives of Black workers as coronavirus infections rise, says UNISON today (Friday).
It follows newly published UNISON research showing more than half of Black* staff (60%) working in the NHS, care homes and schools weren’t given Covid-19 risk assessments, even after the height of the pandemic.
The poll of more than 10,000 employees also found over a third (35%) of those who had gone through the process – to identify the hazards staff face and decide if the risks to health are too great for...
Source: UNISON Health care news - October 9, 2020 Category: UK Health Authors: Garfield Myrie Tags: News Press release Black history month black members Covid-19 Gloria Mills Source Type: news
Trust faces prosecution after string of inpatient deaths
A mental health trust in Essex faces prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive after a string of inpatient deaths that began 16 years ago. (Source: HSJ)
Source: HSJ - September 29, 2020 Category: UK Health Source Type: news
GPhC Response to concerns from the PDA about reporting of exposure to Covid-19 in the workplace, GPhC (published 25th August 2020)
Following concerns that community pharmacy employers may be failing to report instances of exposure to Covid-19 in the workplace, the GPhC highlights that failure to comply with statutory reporting obligations should be raised with the health and safety executive. (Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH))
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - August 27, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Meat workers put at risk by safety check failures, says UNISON
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has failed to carry out basic on-site Covid-19 safety assessments, which put hundreds of workers at risk of coronavirus infection in the meat slaughter and processing industry in England and Wales, says UNISON today (Monday).
The union has written about its concerns to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which is now investigating whether there have been breaches of safety regulations over the failure to carry out proper workplace risk assessments.
It comes as a number of sizeable outbreaks have been reported recently involving dozens of workers at meat processing firms, ...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - June 29, 2020 Category: Food Science Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release coronavirus environmental health food safety paul bell Source Type: news
Personal protective equipment and heat: risk of heat stress
Public Health England (PHE) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have issued guidance around PPE and heat. Wearing PPE in warm/hot environments increases the risk of heat stress. Heat stress can caus (Source: Royal Pharmaceutical Society News)
Source: Royal Pharmaceutical Society News - June 24, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Academy chain failing to protect staff and pupils, say unions
National academy chain the David Ross Education Trust has failed to consult staff properly on Covid-19 risk planning ahead of a wider reopening of its schools, say UNISON and GMB today (Tuesday).
The unions have made a formal complaint to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about the trust, which runs 34 schools in total across London, the East Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside.
In their letter to the HSE, UNISON and GMB say the trust has put the safety of employees and pupils at ‘serious and imminent risk’. This is as result of the academy chain leaving insufficient time to consult with staff over the return or...
Source: UNISON Health care news - June 2, 2020 Category: UK Health Authors: Sophie Goodchild Tags: Article academy schools coronavirus schools Covid-19 David Ross Education Trust Source Type: news
Regulator to examine some healthcare workers’ deaths
More than 50 covid-related deaths of health and social care workers have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive, which will examine them. (Source: HSJ)
Source: HSJ - May 8, 2020 Category: UK Health Source Type: news
Breaking: Regulator to examine some healthcare workers’ deaths
More than 50 covid-related deaths of health and social care workers have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive, which will examine them. (Source: HSJ)
Source: HSJ - May 8, 2020 Category: UK Health Source Type: news
UK health watchdog may investigate coronavirus deaths
Lawyers say failure to provide adequate PPE may amount to corporate manslaughterCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe deaths of more than 50 hospital and care home workers have been reported to Britain ’s health and safety regulator, which is considering launching criminal investigations, the Guardian has learned.The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which investigates the breaking of safety at work laws, has received 54 formal reports of deaths in health and care settings “where the source of infection is recorded as Covid-19”. These are via the official reporting process, called Riddor:...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - May 8, 2020 Category: Science Authors: Vikram Dodd and Denis Campbell Tags: Coronavirus outbreak Infectious diseases Science UK news Law Source Type: news
Blog: your right to be safe from harm at work
As UNISON has been working hard for our members during the coronavirus crisis, I know that the issue of getting the right personal protective equipment (PPE) is the still the top priority for everyone fighting this pandemic.
Rest assured that this is also an issue on which your union is challenging the government. At every opportunity we are raising PPE with the health and safety executive, public health authorities, senior civil servants and employers across the UK on a daily basis.
Public health authorities have produced guidance on what PPE should be available in different settings and you can check this on our website....
Source: UNISON Health care news - April 22, 2020 Category: UK Health Authors: Martin Cullen Tags: General secretary's blog coronavirus Covid-19 dave prentis PPE Source Type: news
