Health, Safety and Environment - International Labour Organization

Manual 3:HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENTFOR WORKER HS&E REPRESENTATIVESWe have reviewed some of the hazards and consequential risks that weface, and we have considered a trade union approach to HS&E. We aremuch more likely to achieve successes and improve health and safetystandards, if we are effectively organised as a trade union. This section isall about getting organised.Activity – Organising in the workplaceAIMSTo help us to: share experiences about trade union organisation in the workplace provide ideas for improvementTASKIn your small workplace group, discuss and provide a summary report on the pointsbelow: the number of people working at your workplace, and the percentage in theunion the way the union keeps members informed and involved on HS&E whether worker HS&E representatives have a special responsibility for health,safety and the environment the way worker HS&E representatives work together and co-ordinate theirapproach to health, safety and the environment matters your employer’s management structure for HS&EElect a spokesperson to report backTrade unionsand HS&EMany trade unions ensure that HS&E is a fundamental part of theiractivities, and linked to other union activity. Numerous issues that tradeunions tackle have implications for health and safety:discipline – employers normally treat a breach of safety procedures as aserious disciplinary offenceequal opportunities – a whole range of concerns have a health andsafety dimension to them. For example, sexual harassment causingstress and ill healthwages – there may be a negative influence on health and safetystandards through the adoption of certain payment systems, forexample, payment by resultswork organisation – can have a significant effect upon the health andsafety of workers. For example, the length of working time and itsimpact upon health and accident rates; the pace of work causingmusculoskeletal problems; and stress caused by reduced staffing levels69 Health, Safety and EnvironmentA Series of Trade Union EducationManuals for Agricultural Workers