Thanks to everyone who attended,  spoke, facilitated, chaired and participated in Hazards  Conference 2021 on the weekend 31-July and 1 August organised by Hazards Campaign.

We  were privileged to have the opportunity to hear from the movement’s most brilliant health and safety organisers and activists, from here in the UK and also our fantastic international speakers.

Workshop facilitators gave their time freely, professionally and enthusiastically. The Hazards Campaigns is very grateful and appreciative of the  huge efforts in  preparation and delivery of the fantastic workshops.

The links to the recordings and resources are below:

Saturday plenary session (excluding Q&A of discussion sessions):

Richard Wagstaff, President, of NZCTU also showed a highly  persuasive video sent to him by a community support worker – https://gmhazards.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/video-1627611922.mp4

PDF of Powerpoint display used between sessions

The Saturday plenary was followed by three discussion sessions:

1. Challenging Work surveillance, micro-management and other draconian working practices, led by PCS National Health and Safety and Environment Officer Tracy Edwards supported by Prof. Phil Taylor Strathclyde University, Ian Hodson President BFAWU and Bryan Simpson, Unite Union Hospitality Organiser.
2. Supporting Workers and their families seeking justice and health and safety enforcement led by Hilda Palmer FACK and Hazards Campaign, supported by FACK member, Louise Adamson Michael’s Story, FACK and Scottish Hazards, Keith Cundall Irwin Mitchell, Sam Atkinson, FACK member, Bow Crane Collapse and Prof. Phil James. Presentation by Phil James •
   Supporting Families session links
3. Challenging increased violence and abuse at work led by National Health and Safety Officer Rob Miguel Unite Union, supported by Kim Sunley National Health and Safety Officer Unison, Doug Russell National Health and Safety Officer at USDAW, Paul Holleran GMB NW/NI Education/Health and Safety Officer on violence faced by journalists and Sarah Woolley General Secretary BFAWU on violence faced by women at work.

Sunday Morning Plenary with Andy McDonald MP (Q&A) session:

The Sunday Plenary was followed by these eight workshops

• Workshop 1 – Safety Reps Organising Creatively to Keep Workers Safe During the Pandemic and Beyond
  Barry Faulkner (Unite National Political Education Coordinator)
  Andrea Oates (Labour Research Department)

–  Introduction • Resources and creative action for safety reps

• Workshop 2 – Investigating incidents and injuries in the workplace
  Julie Weekes, Trade Union Education
  Alan McShane, Health & Safety Activist
  – Investigating accidents PowerPoint
• Workshop 3 – Risk Assessment and Control Hierarchy
  Nigel Williams, TU Education
  Paul Pritchard, TU Education
  – PowerPoint 1 • PowerPoint 2
• Workshop 4 –  Work stress and mental health
  Alex Lancaster, UCU National Health and Safety Officer
  Paul Holleran, GMB NW and NI Education and Health and safety Officer
  – UCU Workload Campaign – Example of a campaign to tackle work-related stress caused by excessive workloads
  – HSE – Work-related stress and how to tackle it
  – HSE checklist for employers to check if their risk assessment approach is suitable and sufficient
  – HSE example of checklist for work organisation and psychosocial risk factors
  – TUC safety reps survey 2021
  -Stevensen /Farmer Review: Thriving at Work: a review of mental health and employers
• Workshop 5 – Air pollution in our working environments
  John James Wales – TU Education tutor
  Hilda Palmer – GM Hazards Campaign, and Trade Union Clean Air Network TUCAN
  – Resources document  • Air pollution workshop presentation • Air Pollution – All in a day’s work? [PowerPoint]

Plus: Recording of the workshop

• Workshop 6 – Sex and gender sensitive health and safety
  Cath Roberts Trade Union Tutor
  Helen Lynn Alliance for Cancer Prevention
  – Why women are not the “default male” and why we need change 
  – TUC Gender checklist on occupational safety and health
  – Prospect Guide: Gender in occupational health and safety

• Workshop 7 – Asbestos at Work
  Dominic Riley, Irwin Mitchell –  presentation
  Michael Phillips – NASUWT – presentation

• Workshop 8 – Hybrid working
  Ian Tasker Scottish Hazards

PLUS – Resources posted in the Zoom chat by participants

• All out! Global union confederation ITUC wants to show killer chemicals the door, Hazards magazine
• ETUC Resolution on the Need for EU Action to Protect Workers from High Temperatures
• US union Federation AFL-CIO on climate change at work
• ITUC on OHS as a fundamental right at work
  IT’S FUNDAMENTAL | Making work safety an ILO Fundamental Right at Work, Hazards magazine
• ITUC on climate proofing work
  CLIMATE AND EMPLOYMENT PROOF OUR WORK 22 September 2021: Take part in the global conversation about our future
• Turkey Trade Union Organisation isigmeclisi.org
• Unions already supporting wide support from employers and industry federations. Global construction union federation BWI.
  https://www.bwint.org/es_ES/cms/europes-biggest-construction-project-signs-declaration-recognising-ohs-as-a-right-2339
• Unions secure support for fundamental safety at Hinkley Point C,, Europe’s largest construction site.
  https://www.hazards.org/unioneffect/unionactive.htm#hpc
• Major mining waste disasters from criminal mismanagement in Brazil in 2015 and 2019 led to this guide:  https://www.earthworks.org/publications/safety-first-guidelines-for-responsible-mine-tailings-management/
• How the corporate trade body [ICMM] muscled investors [the CoE and Swedish Pension Funds] and  UNEP to accept their views on their  “Global Tailings Standard”:
  https://londonminingnetwork.org/2021/07/credibility-crisis-brumadinho-and-the-politics-of-mining-industry-reform/
• Mining waste had one brief mention in ILO c176 in 1995
  https://www.unionsafety.eu supports all union safety reps, providing news and an e-library of legislation, documentation and information in 109 categories relating to workplace and environmental health and safety
• Global union federation ITUC is spearheading the global campaign for recognition of occupational health and safety as an ILO fundamental right at work, a move which has garnered wide support from occupational safety, occupational medicine and employer groups. https://www.ituc-csi.org/international-workers-memorial-day-2021
• Unions could have helped to avoid this ‘pingdemic’ mess – but no one asked them,  Frances O’Grady
• Wellbeing worldbeaters: New Zealand, Scotland and Iceland – https://www.iwa.wales/agenda/2019/10/wellbeing-worldbeaters-new-zealand-and-scotland/
• ITUC position brief: The WTO’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 WTO reform agenda
• Vaccination is not enough by itself to stop the spread of variants, study finds 
• Indian-made Astrazeneca vaccine not recognised in EU
• Link to the study Rates of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and vaccination impact the fate of vaccine-resistant strains
• HSE RESPONDS TO COVID SPOT CHECKERS AND JAB ROWS
• TUC Long Covid report – Workers’ experiences of long Covid and  news release
• Wales TUC Covid briefing, 10.30-11.30am, Wednesday 11 August – Briff Cynrychiolwyr Iechyd a Diogelwch TUC Cymru ar Covid, 10.30am, 11 Awst.
• Petition for Long Covid to be recognised as a disability to give workers protection under equalities legislation: Treat Long Covid as a Disability
• Whistleblowing is still a career-ending suicide mission
• Racial inequalities in occupational health predating Covid…. we were citing studies in the 1980s showing Black coke oven workers in the US were getting more cancers because they had the dirtiest of the dirty jobs. The cancers were killing lots of workers, but stratification of the workplace by race, or gender or any other division is bad for us all. The union dividend includes reducing inequalities – and that is a key health and safety issue. https://www.hazards.org/vulnerableworkers/ituc28april.htm
• Workers in the Arts sector were most ignored by government on pandemic.  Pantomime dames protest at Westminster over Covid theatre restrictions

• Subscribe to Hazards Magazine hazards.org/subscribe

• Why Climate Change matters to trade unions
• https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ka1HN9MOdG64L2gjHMa7LP Health and safety WhatsApp group
• Trying to attract more members and more to stand as safety reps I worked with Prospect to produce A safety rep for all seasons
• Morning Star on Brewdog – Unions offer support to BrewDog workers after accusations of ‘toxic work environment’
• Unite hospitality https://www.unitehospitality.org/
• Health equity in England: the Marmot review 10 years on
• Lean Six Sigma 
• Michelin star chef Tom Kitchin accused of humiliating and abusing staff
• Appraisal of What Performance?, Harvard Business Review, 1976
• The Brewdog Campaign, An Open Letter to BrewDog https://www.punkswithpurpose.org/dearbrewdog/
• Union Safety search that lists three Marmot 10 years on review
• HSE stress standards
• Hazards Magazine Infections factsheet
• HSE has finally caught up and their Guidance is better than it was, incorporates a lot OF HAZARDS Demands, enforcement of course missing but use it https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/equipment-and-machinery/air-conditioning-and-ventilation/index.htm
• Reducing Stigma about Stress and Related Conditions
• Thriving at work The Stevenson / Farmer review of mental health and employers
• Any colleagues have family/friends in hospitality, our new website: https://www.unitehospitality.org/
• #IWMD19 special report: Making work-related murders visible in Turkey, Hazards magazine
• Supporting workers and their families seeking justice and health and safety enforcement
• Read IER’s article in Hzards magazine: COMPLETE FAILURE | Fatal consequences of an expendable worker culture
• Listing of HSE board members
• An evidence review into the deadly failures of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) throughout the pandemic, Hazards magazine, 10 April 2021.
• Usdaw – Freedom from Fear survey 2020
• £2.5m for unfair dismissal – Manager with cancer fired after steroids altered his behaviour awarded £2.5m for unfair dismissal
• Body-worn cameras for Denbighshire council staff after abuse
• Interesting paper from the UK government on employer’s role and domestic violence https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/952445/workplace-support-for-victims-of-domestic-abuse-report.pdf
• Sharing the joint guidance the unions developed with employers on domestic abuse in the NHS https://www.nhsemployers.org/sites/default/files/media/Domestic-violence-and-abuse-supporting-nhs-staff_0.pdf
• read the most recent article from Hazards magazine on sexual harassment here: Hands off: Time to take sexual harassment at work seriously and change the law
• More from Hazards magazine on sexual harassment in the workplace: #So what? #Me too has exposed a workplace crisis but no-one’s held to account
• Third article from Hazards magazine: It’s not OK: Sexual harassment at work is more blue collar than red carpet
• Sisters to the front: A network of women who work in the UK trade union movement • Twitter
• BFAWU briefing on sexual harassment
• If you would like to donate to Hazards Conference either use the donate me button here or by bank transfer to Hazards Conference a/c 20090430 sort code 608301 and use your name as reference
• On waste issues, union are pressing at the UN Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) negotiations for a employer responsibility, due diligence, polluter pays, human and labour rights etc in the revised agreement…. saicm.org
• Some of the key sick pay issues and union objectives spelled out in this Hazards magazine article 

More than 370 delegates registered for our first ever zoom conference which was held on Saturday 1st August, 2020. Doug Russell the National Health and Safety Officer at USDAW chaired the opening plenary session and was joined by international speakers from Nepal, Hong Kong, Australia, US and Denmark after Louise Taggart spoke from FACK and also Shelly Asquith the newly appointed TUC health and safety policy officer. This provided an international and national picture of how Covid-19 pandemic was impacting on workers and how they were responding.

A recording of the plenary session can be found here or view below:

After the plenary session , there were four different workshops with a plethora of fantastic, engaging, interesting and inspiring speakers – notes from some of those presentations are available below.

Opening plenary
Covid-19 – Denmark, Janne Hansen, 3F
ANROEV response to Covid-19 , Ram Charitra Sah, ANROEV co-ordinator
Health and safety organizing during Covid-19, Peter Dooley, US National COSH.

Workshop 1 -Safety Reps taking the lead – during and after Covid-19

Workshop 2 – Fighting Inequality in Health and Safety
Why women are not the default male, Helen Lynn, Alliance for cancer prevention

Workshop 3 – Mental Health and Covid-19
Mental health and young workers, Janet Farrar, UCU
Deaths of workers by suicide should be reportable, Sarah Waters, University of Leeds

Workshop 4 – Toxics Out! Air pollution, just transition after Covid-19
Toxics out of work, Hilda Palmer, Hazards Campaign
Chemical bans,  Ted Smith, ICRT

Over 500 people participated in the different meetings during the day. The event was a brilliant opportunity to continue the Hazards Conference tradition of grass root activism which brings together trade union safety reps and officers, academics and health, safety and environmental activists and campaigners.

Useful links, resources and other shared information that were posted in the Zoom chat box, can be found in the Hazards Conference 2020 Report.

Many thanks to all those who spoke, chaired, participated and encouraged. It wasn’t our usual Keele event but it was an inspiring and unique event and I hope to see many of you next year in person at Keele.

Janet Newsham (On behalf of the Hazards Conference Organising Committee)

Hazards Conference 2021 will be on Friday 30th July to Sunday 1st August 2021

Cancellation of Hazards Conference 2020

It will probably come as no surprise that the Hazards Campaign has cancelled the Hazards Conference 2020 due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic.

We were and still are hoping that the spread of the virus will subside by then, but we also have to recognise that public events are now being cancelled and we cannot predict what the situation will be like by July, and with such uncertainty the recruitment and sponsorship for the conference will be detrimentally impacted. That along with the likelihood of a second wave hitting the UK in the autumn, means we will not be able to hold it even later in the year.

Many of you will realise this will have a major financial impact on the Hazards Campaign and the Greater Manchester Hazards Centre, GMHC, which runs the secretariat and organises and runs the annual Hazards Conference on behalf of the Hazards Campaign.

The Hazards Campaign is a network of hazards organisations, union safety reps and officers, asbestos groups and activists, and has no secure funding.

The annual Hazards Conference, which relies on generous financial sponsorship from the trade union movement, helps to fund Hazards Campaign work throughout the year in promoting and resourcing International Workers Memorial Day, speaking at union conferences, seminars, branch meetings and on TUC and Union health and safety training courses across the UK, running specific national campaigns such as the Trade Union Clean Air Network and lobbying and campaigning on all issues affecting workers’ lives and health.

GMHC is a not for profit organisation with no secure annual income other than what we raise annually from grants and fee paying work on behalf of the union movement, and a large proportion of that income is linked to the organisation of the annual Hazards Conference

GMHC provides free advice to workers and reps on health and safety issues, and supports families of workers killed at work. In part we receive payment for work carried out on behalf of the trade union movement, for delivering specialist training, information sheets, delivering conferences, health and safety updates etc.

All this is being impacted by the current situation as is the work of trade unions, branches and workers in all sectors across the economy.

Coronaviorus threatens the lives, health, livelihoods and security of millions of workers and their families across the UK.  We obviously understand all organisations are facing many hurdles and you have our sincere sympathy. Many workers will be facing much worse in coming months and we will provide as much support as we can.

We are exploring different options to continue our work supporting trade unions and safety reps. We will need to make a separate financial appeal in the near future, to enable our organisation to continue over the next 12 months. Most of you will know we work on a shoestring and much of the support is provided on a voluntary basis.

Many trade union branches, regions and national bodies have already provided sponsorship for this year’s conference and we are politely requesting your organisation defers this sponsorship so that money can be transferred to next year’s conference, Hazards 2021, rather than having to reimburse you. If this is not possible please email us and we will arrange for the money to be returned.

It is with extremely heavy heart that we make this decision. This would have been the 31st Hazards Conference and we know that many safety reps and officers value this event.  We are extremely sorry that serious events beyond our control have forced us to make this decision. We would also like to record our thanks for your continued support and hope that you will appreciate the difficult decision we have had to make. We will continue to campaign and stand in solidarity with trade union reps and trade unions.
Thank you and Solidarity Greetings!

Janet Newsham
on behalf of Hazards Campaign Secretariat
Janet Newsham Coordinator of GMHC  Acting Chair of Hazards Campaign

Temporarily based at: 177 Watling Street Road, Fulwood, Preston PR2 8AE
Tel: 07734 317 158  Email: janet@gmhazards.org.uk

The 2019 National Hazards Conference, billed as the UK’s “biggest and best educational and organising event for trade union safety reps and activists”, will be held in Stoke-on-Trent from 26-28 July. The theme this year is ‘Cleaning up toxic work’ in increasingly insecure workplaces.

Speakers include Amanda Hawes, a US lawyer and victims’ advocate who specialises in occupational and environmental health compensation cases, world-renowned chemical safety and occupational cancer expert professor Andrew Watterson of Stirling University, former TUC head of safety Hugh Robertson, BFAWU environment officer Sarah Woolley, Unite member and TGI Fridays activist Claire Trevor and GMB health and safety director Dan Shears.

Hazards Campaign conference, 26-28 July 2019, Keele University, Stoke-on-Trent. Hazards 2019 programme and booking form.