Health and Safety

RMT news – Health and safety ARISING from a resolution carried at the first RMT Health and Safety conference held in Doncaster last year, a detailed handbook has been produced for representatives containing some of the more common health and safety requirements spanning some fourteen different sets of legislation. The handbook is now directly available to accredited health and safety representatives. The union has also issued a new plastic identity card for health and safety representatives incorporating a photo image. To date some 250 representatives have applied for the new card and each will receive a copy of the new handbook. General secretary Bob Crow said the handbook was the first fruits of the creation of the annual health and safety conference. “This union is turning words into action on safety which can make a crucial difference at the work place and even save lives,” he said. Health and safety reps who make applications for a new identity card will also receive the handbook. In this respect, reps will need to submit two passport sized photos with their name, national insurance number and employer printed on the reverse. These should be sent to the regional organiser for the area concerned to enable them to update the national health and safety database. Similarly, when notifying the regional organiser about any new appointment, this should be accompanied by two passport sized photos of the member concerned, and where appropriate, details of the representative they are replacing in order that the records can be suitably adjusted. LAUNCH: Bob Crow, Assistant general secretary Mick Cash and RMT health and safety officer Phil Dee launch the new handbook New health and safety liaison committee elected A new liaison committee has been elected made up of members of the health and safety advisory, which meets at least three times a year. The committee will liaise with the Council of Executives and the chairperson will also chair the annual conference. They will be available to members to directly raise issues of concern, numbers are given opposite. BRIAN MUNRO, BAKERLOO BRANCH Brian said that one of the major problems was that management structures across the transport industry, in many cases, put safety at the bottom of their list of priorities. He said that the new committee would put safety at the heart of the RMT’s agenda, equipping reps with the ammunition to make a real difference in the workplace. Contact number 07947 316259 JACK JONES, HOLYHEAD NO 1 BRANCH Jack has held local and regional positions as health and safety reps both on the docks and in his present job as a signaller. He said that there was a real need to get work release for reps in order for them to investigate health and safety issues and to explain to members issues around their own safety at work. Contact number 01407 740467 CHAIR BRENDAN KELLY, BRISTOL RAIL BRANCH Brendan said that he was proud to have been elected as the first chair of this new conference as it was his branch that initially called for the annual event to be established. He said that the very good attendance of conference showed that the forum had already struck a deep chord and highlighted the importance of this issue. Contact number 0781 5967675 e-mail bristolrail@rmt.org.uk New health and safety rep handbook launched 10