Hazards Campaign 2021 – 10 Organising Priorities

Healthy and Safe Work centred on Precaution, Prevention and Participation

Too many people work in unsafe, unhealthy, precarious working environments.  This has to change.  We will collectively campaign for:

  1. The fundamental human right to safe and healthy work, a safe and healthy working environment for all workers regardless of employment status, that is enforced and protected in law.
  2. A society that prioritises health, safety and dignity of its workers and provides just treatment for the victims of health and safety crime and ensures fair treatment for all workers harmed by work, including compensation and job protection.
  3. The right to safe, decent and secure work with preventive and not purely reactive enforcement including: the entitlement of all workers to minimum living wage, regular and contracted hours, paid holidays, and sick pay regardless of employment status.
  4. Protection from all public health risks, including biohazards which can lead to work-related infections, outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics.
  5. Protection from global risks to workers health and safety including trade deals and a ‘due diligence’ requirement on companies with a  responsibility for safety and working conditions throughout their supply chains.
  6. Continuous assessment and improvement of health, safety and employment legislation, to ensure that prevention of harm from all risks, are increased to the highest practicable standards.
  7. A precautionary approach to be taken to health and safety risks in all employment settings.  All workplaces to be covered by Trade Union Safety reps regardless of recognition agreements, through Roving Reps and the full enforcement of upgraded Safety Reps and Safety Committees Regulations, to cover all workers.
  8. Independence from political and commercial interference in the authorities enforcing health and safety at work and in those enforcing public health and environment protection; with ring fenced funding and resources to ensure these bodies can function independently to ensure the highest preventative and protective standards for workers and public/environmental health.
  9. Full participation and equity for employee representatives, on all health and safety regulator, industrial health and safety and workplace health and compensation bodies/agencies.
  10. Development of a Toxic Use Reduction programme including legislation, financial resources, scientific research and support to enable the elimination of toxic substances used at work and their substitution with safer alternatives to improve workers health, reduce toxic substances in form of plastic and other waste, air pollution and contribution to climate change.

Links:
https://www.hazardscampaign.org.uk/manifesto
https://www.hazards.org/deadlybusiness/manifesto.htm

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