The following has been supplied by the TUC:
Unions have reacted angrily to a 'ridiculous'
government claim that safety regulation is a waste of 'time and money' for
businesses that should be 'focusing on growth'. They were commenting after on
the publication of two reports outlining how the Health and Safety Executive
has responded to government demands to reduce official safety oversight and
regulation, based on recommendations from government commissioned reviews by
former Tory cabinet minister Lord Young and Professor Ragnar Lofstedt. Minister
for employment Mark Hoban said: 'For too long businesses have been confused by
health and safety regulations which cost them money and take up time when they
should be focusing on growth.' He added: 'Health and safety is important, but
its focus should be where risks are high. These reports show just how much
progress we have made in restoring clarity to the system, and over the coming
months I'll be making sure common sense prevails.' UNISON national safety
officer Robert Baughan responded: 'The argument against these regulations is
ridiculous. If health and safety is supposed to be a burden and a barrier to
jobs and growth why then is the economy still in recession? The real burden is
the 20,000 people a year who die through their work.' He added: 'The coalition
has slashed health and safety regulations in the same reckless, irresponsible
manner they have slashed public services. Health and safety legislation is not
there to cause a headache to employers - it is there to keep people safe at
work. This government has seen yet another opportunity to chip away at the
hard-won rights of workers, and is putting the safety - and lives - of workers
at risk as a result.' A TUC spokesperson said: 'If the government spent half the
time and effort that they have wasted over the past two and a half years trying
to reduce non-existent burdens and sort imagined problems with health and
safety into trying to improve the system, then they would have helped reduce
the real burden felt by the 1.8 million workers and former workers currently
suffering from an injury or illness caused by their work.'
