Tag: employers

TUC: Employers are “massively under-reporting” Covid deaths

  • Employers claim just 2.5% of working-age Covid deaths are from exposure to Coronavirus at work 
  • System for reporting workplace deaths and infections is “letting bad bosses off the hook”, says TUC 
  • Under-reporting has badly undermined health and safety regulation and enforcement during the pandemic 

The number of people who have died from exposure to Covid at work is being “massively under-reported” by employers, according to a new TUC report published yesterday (Sunday). 

The report highlights a huge discrepancy between Covid work-related deaths reported by employers and data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Public Health England. 

Between April 2020 and April 2021 the ONS reported that 15,263 people of working age died from Covid.  But according to reports filed by employers just 387 (2.5 per cent) of these deaths came from workers contracting Covid at work. 

The union body says this under-reporting has badly undermined health and safety regulation enforcement during the pandemic with employers less likely to face action from regulators for putting staff at risk. 

Under-reporting in at-risk sectors 

The TUC’s report shows that in sectors with high numbers of deaths during the pandemic –  like food production and transport – only a small fraction of deaths have been reported as work-related by employers. 

Figures from the ONS show that between March 2020 and December 2020 more than 600 people working in the transport sector died.  

But according to reports filed by employers (over the longer period of April 2020 to April 2021) just 10 deaths in the transport sector were work-related. 

And figures from the ONS show that 63 food production workers died between March 2020 and December 2020. 

But according to data supplied by employers (over the longer period of April 2020 to April 2021) just three of these deaths were the result of work. 

The TUC believes the true number of work-related deaths in these and other sectors are much higher, especially considering the high number of breaches of safety protocols we have seen during the pandemic and the high numbers of outbreaks.  

Reporting system “letting bad bosses off the hook” 

Employers are required by law to report deaths, injuries and illnesses that take place at work or in connection with work.   

This is done through a mechanism called RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) which logs work-related deaths, illnesses and injuries for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). 

But under the current reporting system employers are given “free rein” to decide whether a Covid-19 diagnosis is the result of occupational exposure or from exposure outside of work premises. 

The TUC says this loophole has led to employers not reporting the true scale of Covid work-related deaths and infections to the HSE, despite this information being vital to containing the spread of the virus. 

Enforcement crisis 

The TUC says that for the HSE to do its job effectively it must possess an accurate and up-to-date picture of where and when work-related deaths and infections are taking place. 

But during the pandemic it has only been provided with very partial information from employers.  

This has prevented the HSE from carrying out potentially urgent inspections and ensuring employers take the necessary action to keep workers and the public safe, says the report. 

TUC analysis shows that just 1 in 218 workplaces has been inspected by the HSE (between March 2020 and April 2021) and not one single employer has been prosecuted for putting staff at risk.  

The union body says this “crisis of regulation and enforcement” has allowed bad bosses to get away with flagrant labour rights abuses – adding that the pandemic has highlighted Britain’s enforcement system’s long-standing deficiencies. 

New approach needed to health and safety 

As well as calling for improvements in the way work-related delated deaths and infections are reported, the union body says government must reverse cuts to the HSE of the past decade, which it says left the country “under-prepared and vulnerable” to the pandemic.  

The last ten years has seen real term cuts of 50 per cent to the HSE budget, on top of local authority budgets being slashed.  

There has also been a dramatic decline in inspections. There were 27 per cent fewer HSE inspections carried out in the UK in 2019 than 2011, amounting to a fall of over 5,700 a year. 

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everybody deserves to be safe at work. But this pandemic has exposed a crisis in health and safety regulation and enforcement. 

“Employers have massively under-reported Covid work-related deaths and infections. This has made it much harder for regulators to track where outbreaks are happening and allowed bad bosses to get away with flagrant labour rights abuses. 

“It’s staggering that not a single employer has been prosecuted for putting workers at risk of contracting Covid-19.  

“The government must fix the deficiencies in how workplace deaths, illnesses and injuries are reported. The current system is letting bosses off the hook. 

“And ministers must fund enforcement bodies properly so they can recruit and train qualified workplace inspectors, inspect more workplaces, and prosecute companies who don’t keep their workers safe.”

A copy of the report can be found at: https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-05/Underreporting%20of%20RIDDOR%20report%20-%20May%2021.pdf. 

Upskilling and reskilling opportunities for employees with Edinburgh College

More employers across Edinburgh and the Lothians can now tap into funding to provide upskilling and reskilling opportunities for their staff through the Edinburgh College Flexible Workforce Development Fund.

For the first time, the fund will now be available for both levy payers and SMEs, across the private, public and third sectors.

Of this, an extra £4 million will be available to support SMEs through Edinburgh College – opening up new training and upskilling opportunities for SMEs.

Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “The announcement of this additional money by Scottish Government for the Flexible Workforce Development Fund is welcomed news for the college sector, and for SMEs across our region and the entire country.

“Since the inception of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund, Edinburgh College has delivered first-class bespoke training and upskilling to organisations across a wide range of sectors which has led to incredible results and the establishment of long-term training and other business support partnerships.

“We are delighted that we can now extend this work to small and medium-sized businesses and we look forward to working with some of the most innovative and exciting firms Scotland has to offer, to provide bespoke training programmes to suit their needs, at a time when workforce training and development is crucial as the nation recovers from the current economic downturn.”

Business, Fair Work and Skills Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “Opportunities for training are essential for both employers and employees, and in August we doubled funding for our Flexible Workforce Development Fund to £20 million for 2020/21 to ensure businesses across Scotland can continue to invest in their workforce.

“As this fund adapts and responds to the impacts of the pandemic, we will also see the introduction of additional delivery partners including the Open University in Scotland and private training providers for employers who require more specialist training.

“By strengthening and upskilling the existing workforce, in partnership with colleges, we can retain jobs and support employers as they pivot and adapt to a new and very different working environment as a result of the pandemic.”

Andrew McRae, FSB’s Scotland policy chair, said: “This new funding could help many Scottish smaller businesses, and their staff teams, navigate the current crisis and ensure they’re prepared to take advantage of the recovery when it comes.

“FSB has been making the case to open up this cash pot to local firms, and we’d encourage all sorts of smaller operators to investigate how to access this support to build their business and develop their employees.”

The Flexible Workforce Development Fund helps businesses continue to invest in their workforce, and business support and is available for all of Scotland’s employers who are subject to the UK Government’s Apprenticeship Levy.

In August, the Scottish Government announced immediate investment in jobs to provide the foundations for a strong economic recovery from coronavirus (COVID-19).

As part of this, the fund, which is now in its fourth year, was doubled to £20m for 2020/21.

Find out more about the Flexible Workforce Development Fund on the Edinburgh College website: http://www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/newsandevents/flexible-workforce-development-fund/

To enquire about the fund, contact our team: enterprise@edinburghcollege.ac.uk.

British Psychological Society launches homeworking guidance

In response to the huge change in working practices the British Psychological Society (BPS) has published guidance on how to create healthy sustainable homeworking conditions for both workers and their employers.

Working from home has become widespread since restrictions to control Covid-19 were introduced in the UK. This has meant a major shift for individuals and organisations.

The guidelines, ‘Working from home: Healthy sustainable working during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond’, outline the practical steps and considerations that can make homeworking a success and has advice for both workers and their employers.

Drawing on psychological expertise the guidelines advise workers to set appropriate boundaries between their work and personal life and encourage employers to recognise and address risks to physical and mental wellbeing involved in remote working. It also recommends that employers adopt a flexible approach because each individual’s situation will be different and may change rapidly without warning.

Professor Gail Kinman, joint author and member of the BPS Covid-19 Working Differently Group, said: “Working from home can work well, but under current conditions some people have struggled to adjust to new environments and working patterns.”

“Managing employees is different and what works in a traditional workplace may not apply when working remotely. It’s important to get the balance right when making arrangements that aim to meet everyone’s needs. Effective two-way communication is essential at every stage.”

“We hope our new guidance will help employers and employees work together to ensure successful and healthy homeworking.”

Working from home

 

YOU’RE HIRED: Soft skills are key, say business leaders

job-interview

As millions of young people across Edinburgh await their exam results and prepare to enter the world of work, new research from Scottish Gas has highlighted that soft skills and personality are top attributes the majority of Scottish business leaders look for when hiring.

Continue reading YOU’RE HIRED: Soft skills are key, say business leaders

Port of Leith goes gold!

Port of Leith Housing Association (PoLHA) has been awarded a prestigious Investors in People (IIP) Gold Accreditation – the most successful framework for business improvement through people in the UK.

PoLHA goldThe award represents a true commitment to employees and demonstrates a solid foundation of good practice which remains challenging and aspirational for many organisations – and achieving the Gold level puts PoLHA in the top seven per cent of all IIP Accredited clients.

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive at PoLHA, said: “We are delighted to be recognised in this way for the skills and commitment of our staff and Board members to continuous improvement for both its customers and as a great place to work. This has also given us a better understanding of how we can further improve our services in future.”

 Peter Russian, Chief Executive of Investors in People Scotland, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for PoLHA. Investors in People offers a flexible, practical and easy to use business improvement tool designed to help organisations and their people achieve their objectives.”

 PoLHA was also awarded a Bronze re-accreditation from Healthy Working Lives.

The Association’s Healthy Working Lives group is made up of volunteer members of staff and to gain the award they undertook a number of initiatives to support and encourage all staff to adopt a healthier working practice which has led to improved performance and enjoyment in their work.

Margaret O’Connor, Chair of PoLHA, said: “As an organisation, we are committed to getting the best from and giving the best to our people as we know they underpin our success and the service we deliver to our tenants.”