UNISON West Yorkshire transport branch proved that ‘working together for risk prevention’ – the theme for European Health and Safety Week 2013 – really does work.
On national inspection day, the branch jointly inspected all of the workstation chairs on the first floor of their offices at Wellington House.
Of the 90 chairs inspected, 22 (24%) were identified as requiring further specialist inspection, repair, or replacement.
That’s a concern when office workers have to spend most of their time seated and can suffer serious back pain, repetitive strain injuries or other muscular-skeletal disorders.
The employer is now taking remedial steps.
The success so far at this branch means that the joint inspection programme may be extended to other parts of the workplace.
A number of members have joined the UNISON branch since the event and current members said that they were glad to see their union being active, working with the employer and promoting partnership working.
With the support of the employer and UNISON Eastern region, the Basildon and Thurrock UNISON health branch promoted health and safety during the week by inviting staff to visit a ‘smoothie-making bike’.
UNISON regional organiser Sam Older explained: “Health and safety is often portrayed as a boring topic, but this event is fun. Members have been exercising on the bike blending the fruit and then drinking healthy smoothies.
“This fun event broke the ice, so that employees could then chat with reps about the importance of health and safety at work. We know that healthy and safe employees are more efficient, and employers that work with UNISON health and safety reps have safer and more healthy workplaces.”
The local UNISON branch secretary said: “The event was a great way to promote UNISON and health and safety. We have been recruiting many new members and this event was organised to promote health and safety, which in turn makes for the provision of a better public service.”
The United Utilities branch successfully mobilised its safety reps to carry out health and safety inspections in 26 workplaces, with issues being reported back to the branch and the employer.
This visibility led to 35 new members signing up and a further 13 members expressing an interest in becoming health and safety reps.
The effect on retention is likely to be far wider. Other outcomes from the branch campaigns include agreement from the employer to jointly review several policies, including:
- sickness absence;
- stress; disability; lone working;
- working time;
- a planned future joint event for safety reps on health and safety and United Utilities;
- and the promotion of the National Stress and Ban Bullying at Work Day campaigns.
We are collecting branch success stories around Health and Safety Week and National Inspection Day – have you told us about yours?
If not, please email: healthandsafety@unison.co.uk.
