Spotlight on Health and Safety

News from NIPSA Health & Safety Committee

October 2016

Healthy Workplaces for All Ages European Week for Safety and Health at Work

Stress at Work: A NIPSA Guide Health and Safety Publication on the causes of stress in the Workplace

Resilience Training Friend or Foe?

Menopause and Work

Will there be support and assistance?

2

Spotlight on Health and Safety

October 2016

Chairperson’s Foreword Colleagues, Well here we are again, virtually the end of another year for the Health and Safety Committee, as you will know the new Committee is elected at our conference which is being held in the Wellington Park Hotel on 17th October 2016.

Firstly I would like to thank the outgoing Committee for all their hard work, support and patience throughout the year.

For those that are not aware the function of the Health and Safety Committee is to advise and support the General Council on all Health and Safety related issues.

As part of this function we would review all motions passed at the NIPSA Annual Delegate Conference in relation to health and safety and as a Committee either provide the information requested, reach out to support campaigns or advise the General Council on relevant action.

We would also be the body in NIPSA that would review any new legislation or changes to existing legislation, Codes of Practice etc… and advise on a suitable response.

“Spotlight” newsletter, ezines and articles for NIPSA News.

Because we have reps right across the civil and public service we can exchange information with each other as to how the different organisations deal with problems that are common across the whole of the Public Sector, such as posts being lost under “Early Release/Severance” or whatever term is used by the different bodies, how the work does not go away, but the remaining staff are expected to suck up the additional workload, low morale, stress, resilience, cramming more people into fewer buildings in order to reduce the number of leases within the public sector estate or to release buildings for “disposal”, flexible working, to name but a few. These issues are not going away in the foreseeable future. In Northern Ireland “Austerity” is just starting to bite, universal credit, the benefit

In Northern Ireland “Austerity” is just starting to bite, universal credit, the benefit cap and personal independent payments have not yet been fully implemented.

The Committee also produces regular issues of our

Health& Safety Conference 2016

Healthy Workplaces for All Ages Monday 17 October 2016 Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast

Views expressed in this Newsletter are not, unless otherwise stated, the views of NIPSA.

cap and personal independent payments have not yet been fully implemented. This is ongoing and as those most vulnerable in our society are put under more and more pressure anger will fall not on the politicians on the hill or those sitting in London but on those who are the face of the organisations that have to implement the changes our political masters are imposing.

The majority of staff wherever they are within the Public Sector whether it is in Health, Education, Housing, Agriculture, Communities will carry on trying to make a difference, despite our ever falling rates of pay (in real terms) and the constant fiddling with our pensions that is aimed at reducing the amount our organisations pay in. But management must be made to realise that these cuts cannot go on indefinitely, staff who have had to bear the brunt of the constant increases in workload, dealing with an ever more worried and concerned clientele are burning out, cases of work related stress are

Latest news from the NIPSA Health and Safety Committee

increasing across the board, staff are reaching breaking point with both physical and mental health issues rising and further impacting on organisations, with management using high sickness levels as an excuse to pile even more work on to the remaining few and because those few are struggling through, a few months down the line another couple of posts will disappear.

Management must understand that for the health and wellbeing of their staff, that when those spokesmen at Stormont start talking about “Efficiency Savings” that they must take the bull by the horns and ask what function we are not going to provide in the future, there are no more “efficiencies” to be made, cuts to funding, cuts to staffing (not efficiencies) means that we cannot do what we did before, staff have stretched themselves to breaking point trying to provide the high level of service that everyone including their managers have just come to expect, we have to be able to say “No More”, or the politicians will just continue to run or services and our staff into the ground.

We can use Health and Safety Legislation as a tool to assist in our response to these pressures; managers should be reminded that if they even suspect someone is suffering from a stress related illness then they must carry out a stress risk assessment.

These have to be reported to the HSENI who in turn have to report to the government and better still these reports are in the public domain. If your accommodation is overcrowded call in HSENI or Environmental Health, depending on where you work, again reports or notices have to be made and again these are in the public domain. Poor air, too much heat, lack of heat, lack of toilet facilities, access for staff with mobility issues, it’s all there within legislation, and the last thing any organisation wants is to end up being taken to court by the HSENI or whoever for breaching any form of legislation.

Finally a big thank you again to all the Committee members who have worked so hard throughout the year and especially Geraldine and the team in NIPSA headquarters who serves and supports the Committee, without your help the job would be ten times harder.

To our incoming Committee I would say hello and welcome, take your coat off there’s a lot to do.

Thanks Again

Philip Hull Chairperson

NIPSA Health and Safety Committee

Sharp Rise In Workplace Deaths In the last 5 years, the long term trend in Northern Ireland workplace fatalities has reversed and is rising. According to the 2014/15 Annual Report of the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) workplace deaths has increased sharply to 23. This compares to 8 workplace deaths in 2013/14 and is significantly higher than the last 5-year average of 15 deaths per year.

A similar trend has emerged in Great Britain workplaces with a total of 144 workers killed at work in 2015/16 up from 142 in 2014/15.

Of the 23 deaths during the 2014/15 period, 5 occurred in the construction sector. Construction accounts for about 6.6% of employees in Northern Ireland and yet for this period accounted for nearly 22% of fatalities. In Great Britain there has been an increase in deaths in construction, up from 35 to 43.

In their Annual Report the HSENI state: “It is the common experience of all Construction Inspectors that some contractors and selfemployed persons in the industry still continue to take shortcuts which expose their workers and themselves to avoidable and unacceptable risks”.

Despite this statement and figures this Government is making work even more dangerous by attacking the protection of workers as never before. In the name of cutting red tape we are seeing important Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) removed and replaced with guidance. Just recently the Assembly decided to withdraw the Construction Design and Management ACOP and replace it with guidance despite the majority of responses, including NIPSA, opposing such a move. We are also awaiting the Assembly’s response to similar proposals in relation to First Aid at Work and the Management of Health and Safety at Work.

This deregulation agenda, together with budget cuts under the austerity programme and moves to remove important statutory and enforcement functions from HSENI and giving more power to employers to self regulate, we believe is a direct result in the increase rise in deaths at work and in ill-health due to work.

NIPSA demands that our Assembly puts an end to the constant denigration of health and safety regulations and enforcement, and reverse the attacks on budgets and policies so that workers can be protected properly at work.

3

4

Spotlight on Health and Safety

October 2016

Stress at Work: A NIPSA Guide Publication from NIPSA Health and Safety focuses on the perfect storm of ideological driven cuts to jobs, services, pay and pensions Our members have been under sustained attack as part of the government’s perfect storm of ideological driven cuts to jobs, services, pay and pensions. As part of the Stormont House Agreement the government pledged to cut 20,000 public sector jobs over a four year period. This commitment was restated within the “Fresh Start” Agreement. We have already seen the impact this is having in the Northern Ireland Civil Service with almost 3,000 jobs lost through the Voluntary Exit Scheme over the last 12 month period. On top of this we have seen hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs lost in other areas of the public sector such as Housing, Voluntary and Community sector, Health, Education and Libraries with many more to follow. As part of the “Fresh Start” Agreement we will also see a complete overhaul of the welfare system with the implementation of the Welfare Reform Bill.

The

Perfect

Storm

Stress at Work: A

NIPSA Guide

The impact on the staff remaining will be substantial and a major health, safety and wellbeing issue.

The increase in stress related cases in recent years has coincided with cuts in public services and job losses. As well as causing anxiety and uncertainty among the workforce it has also led to increases in workloads, with less staff being asked to do more.

The Employer can be held liable for psychiatric illness caused by stress at work

Offering the employee access to counselling services, while helpful does not absolve the employer

Workloads and how employees deal with them must be monitored

Liability will depend on what the employer knows or could reasonably have known The cycle that leads to the ‘Perfect Storm’ in the workplace

Be careful of long hours culture

According to a survey conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (GB) in 2012 the number one cause of stress is increases in workload. However they also show that lack of support and control, changes at work, role uncertainty, violence and bullying (all possible symptoms of job cuts) are significant factors.

With this publication, we hope to highlight the dangers of stress in the workplace that members are placed under, due to the myriad of cuts to our public services, and offer solutions how NIPSA Health and Safety representatives can help those affected.

Copies can be obtained by contacting Lesley Anne Scott (lesleyanne.scott@nipsa.org.uk) at NIPSA Headquarters. Alternatively you can click on the cover image to download the pdf version of the document.

Latest news from the NIPSA Health and Safety Committee

Resilience Training Friend or Foe?

Stress is the biggest cause of work related illness and in 2011/2012 stress accounted for 40% of all work related illness cases. It not surprising then, that employers have jumped on the band wagon to endorse the rapidly growing industry of resilience training. Resilience is based on the concept that we can be trained to cope better with change and bounce back from the adverse effects that workplace demands put on us and work at our full potential for longer periods of time. Employers love this type of concept as it falls into the category of “quick fix”, while making them appear to be proactive in the fight against workplace stress both inside and outside their organisations.

What you see however isn’t always what you get and resilience training is in no way proactive. No two members of staff will react in the same way to stress so the concept that staff can be trained to react in the same way is flawed from the outset. Employees cannot be turned into robots and the solution is not to train people to cope with stress but rather to look at the causes of stress and then try to manage it. It is easy to see why this concept is attractive to employers as the aim of resilience is to try to ensure that staff can work in a more stressful environment without becoming ill. In reality, however, there are few people who will not suffer ill health from the long term effects of work related stress. Stress may in some cases present itself in the form of mental health problems but stress also can cause long term physical problems that resilience training does not address as the damage is already done.

As a trade union we need to monitor the use of these programmes in the workplace and ensure that employers do not use this type of training to neglect their obligations for providing a healthy and safe working environment for staff. Resilience training identifies weaknesses within the worker when in reality the problem is usually within the workplace.

As a union rep how do I help my members in the workplace:

●● Ensure your management supports members who are suffering from work related stress. ●● Request a stress risk assessment and try to identify causes. ●● Could other members be vulnerable to this risk? Carry out a survey to identify common factors. ●● Ensure that management remove the risk or put measures in place to mitigate for the risk ●● Review these measures on a regular basis until the risk subsides to an acceptable level or is eliminated.

5

Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace October 2016

The use of drugs can be a serious matter in work places. Whilst the drugs and alcohol themselves can cause harm to people’s health, there is also the concern that they may pose a hazard to themselves and colleagues whilst under the influence too. Legal drugs and alcohol can be a hazard also if they are abused.

to help cope with work a problem with alcoho could be an indication another reason why T employers adhere to t of their staff. Good e are experiencing a dru have an Occupational programmes/training experience problems.

Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace

“The TUC believes that alcohol and drugs have no place in the workplace, unless required for a medical condition, however employers should not interfere in a person’s private life unless the use of alcohol or drugs is impacting on their work.”

If someone’s health is being affected due to the alcohol and substance abuse or they are reporting for work while under the influence of either then it becomes a work place matter. It is also a matter for Trade Unions as sometimes people use alcohol or drugs to alleviate stress of work, or indeed painkillers if they are experiencing musculoskeletal problems caused by work.

What is Substance Misuse ?

Substance misuse is described as the problematic use of alcohol, drugs and other substances. The problems can occur when an individual begins to use a substance or alcohol as a means to deal with every day living, until they become dependent on it and then become addicted. However it is important not to confuse substance misuse with the occasional use of alcohol or drugs which may have few or no ill effects.

How much of a problem is drug and alcohol abuse at work?

According to the “TUC Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace guidance for Workplace Representatives May 2010 it stated “A survey by DrugScope and Alcohol Concern found that 27% of employers say drug misuse is a problem at work while 60% have experienced problems due to staff drinking alcohol”. However the use of illegal drugs is often exaggerated. Research seems to indicate that actual use of illegal drugs while at work is very low.

Among workplaces the use of prescription drugs is much more common. In the UK an estimated 1.5 million people are addicted to prescription and over the counter drugs. However an even bigger problem is alcohol misuse. In an NHS survey, 25% of men reported drinking over 8 units and 16% of women reported drinking over 6 units on at least one day in the past week. It is estimated that between 3 and 5% of all absences are lost each year due to alcohol.

It is becoming more common for people to use alcohol or drugs

Legislation

Whilst there is no direc work, there are a num

– All employers have and welfare of their em an employee under th working and this pla employer could be lia

Employees are also req and others who could be liable to charge if th safety at risk.

It is a criminal offenc drink and/or drugs wh guided systems.

The operators for who be guilty of an offence trying to prevent thes

Makes it an offence to controlled drugs with

It is also an offence knowingly the produ allow the smoking of c

Although managers o drugs , recognising th If managers have a g more likely to pick up

●● Sudden change

●● Abnormal fluctu

A survey by DrugScope and Alcohol Concern found that 27% of employers say drug misuse is a problem at work while 60% have experienced problems due to staff drinking alcohol

k related stress and personal stress. If there is ol or drug misuse in the work place then this n of wider problems regarding stress. This is Trade Unions should be involved to ensure their responsibility for the health and safety employers will want to help employees who ug or alcohol problem. Some employers may l Health Department who may have specific g to support and encourage a worker who is .

ct legislation relating to alcohol and drugs at mber of laws that apply:

e a general duty to ensure the health, safety mployees. If an employer knowingly allowed he influence of alcohol or drugs to continue aced the employee or others at risk, the able to charges.

quired to take reasonable care of themselves be affected by what they do. They too, could heir alcohol consumption or drug taking put

ce for certain workers to be unfit through hile working on railways, tramways and other

om such employees would work would also e unless they had shown “all due diligence” in se offences being committed.

o possess, supply, offer to supply or produce hout authorisation.

e for the occupier of premises to permit uction or supply of any controlled drugs or cannabis or opium on those premises.

often take a very firm line on the issue of he signs of drug abuse can be more difficult. good rapport with their employees they are on:

es in behaviour

uations in mood and energy

●● Deterioration in relationships with other people ●● Employees with a drink or drugs problem are likely to have higher absence levels than their colleagues.

What can Health and Safety Representatives do?

Many employers consider drug use as a matter for the law and view alcohol abuse as a personal matter unless it becomes disruptive in the work place. If your employer does not have a Drugs and Alcohol Policy encouraging them to have one and negotiating such a policy can help that the issues are dealt with as work place matters and help to support the worker who has a problem.

Under no circumstance should a drugs/alcohol policy be part of the disciplinary policy.

If you wish to negotiate a policy it may be useful to identify if a problem exists beforehand. This can be done by looking at the sickness and disciplinary records, accident reports, speaking with Occupational Health provider or counselling services regarding statistics.

Raise awareness using posters, and leaflets among members, using this opportunity to discuss drugs and alcohol misuse with them to find out if they think there are any issues. This can also be done within routine inspections or set up special inspections for this purpose.

Carry out a survey to identify if alcohol and/or drug misuse is an issue for the workplace. To encourage members to take part this can be done confidentially.

If through the survey or from speaking with members an issue is identified an Education Programme would be particularly beneficial, this could include signs to look for, how to deal with workers who seek help and where expert advice and help can be obtained. This may help individuals recognise the dangers of alcohol and substance misuse and may also let management and colleagues realise that covering up for a person with a drugs/ alcohol problem is not in that individual’s best long term interests.

If a member approaches a representative and shares they have an alcohol/drug problem the rep should encourage them to seek professional help.

If it is affecting their work the member can self refer to Occupational Health for support and arrange to speak confidentially to their line manager to seek support. Once again this should not be dealt with through the disciplinary procedure.

8 

  Spotlight on Health and Safety

October 2016

The Menopause and Employers have been slow to recognise that women of menopausal age may need special consideration and for too long it has simply been seen as a private matter. As a result it is very rarely discussed and many managers will have no awareness of the issues involved. This means many women feel that they have to hide their symptoms and will be less likely to ask for the adjustments that may help them.

This must change. The menopause is an occupational health issue, and one that is growing in importance.

Women now make up almost half the workforce and there are an estimated three and a half million women over the age of 50 currently in work. That number will rise as the retirement age for women increases over the coming years.

It is important that trade unions raise the issue in the workplace and make sure that employers are aware of their responsibilities to ensure that conditions in the workplace do not make the symptoms worse.

Women who are experiencing the menopause also need to know that there is someone they can go to discuss any difficulties they are having.

What can employers do?

Women who are experiencing the menopause need support from line management. With any longstanding health-related condition this is crucial and can make a major difference. Work can affect women going through the menopause in various ways, especially if they cannot make healthy choices at work. It is also important to remember that every workplace is different. For instance, in some workplaces it is not possible to open windows or improve ventilation. Women who have to wear a uniform will also be less able to change the type of clothing they are wearing when they are having flushes or sweating.

NIPSA believes that employers have a responsibility to take into account the difficulties that women may experience during the menopause. The Health and Safety at Work Order requires them to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees, and they are required to do risk assessments under the

Latest news from the NIPSA Health and Safety Committee

Work Management Regulations which should include any specific risks to menopausal women if they are employed. They also have a duty not to discriminate under the Sex Discrimination Order 1976 as amended.

Sickness absence procedure should make it clear that they are flexible enough to cater for menopauserelated sickness absence. Women should experience no detriment if they need time off during this time.

Menopausal women may experience bouts of feeling As such, women should be able to expect support unwell at work, so managers should take a flexible and assistance during what is, for many, a very and sympathetic approach to requests for a break or difficult time. even a return home.

Risk assessments should consider the specific needs of menopausal women and ensure that the working environment will not make their symptoms worse.

Issues that need looking at include temperature and ventilation. The assessments should also address welfare issues such as toilet facilities and access to cold water.

As such, women should be able to expect support and assistance What can Branch Reps do?

Branch representatives have a role to play in during what is, for many, challenging attitudes to the menopause, ensuring that their employer has procedures in place, and in offering support to women who are experiencing a very difficult time. problems.

Employers should ensure that all line managers have been trained to be aware of how the menopause can affect working women and what adjustments may be necessary to support them.

Employers can ensure that, as part of a wider occupational health awareness campaign, issues such as the menopause are highlighted so all staff know that the employer has a positive attitude to the issue, and that it is not something what women should feel embarrassed about. Guidance on how to deal with the menopause should be freely available in the workplace.

Women may feel uncomfortable going to their line manager, especially if it is a man, and other options should be available. This may be through human resources, or a welfare officer. Many employers have employee assistance programmes that can act as a go-between.

Branch representatives should raise the issue with their employer using the checklist above and ensure that the workplace meets the needs of menopausal women. Bear in mind that there may be specific requirements in your workplace (such as working at certain temperatures or adhering to a particular dress code) that make it even harder for women who are going through the menopause. It is therefore important that you tailor any response to the actual needs of your members.

Raising women’s health issues in the workplace will show that women can come to the union when they have difficulties. Some branches run women’s health days that highlight a range of issues that can affect women in the workplace. You can also put up leaflets on the issue on union noticeboards. Having more women safety representatives also helps. Union safety representatives also have a role in ensuring that risk assessments take into account any potential health needs of women who are experiencing the menopause.

9

10

Spotlight on Health and Safety

October 2016

Healthy Workplaces Organised by the European health and safety agency, EU-OSHA, the week Across Europe, the workforce is ageing and working Sedlatschek said that we need to improve the working lives of all generations of workers, promoting lives are likely to become longer.

As the EU-OSHA points out: “Only decent working sustainable work and healthy ageing. And she said conditions throughout the whole working life allow that “risk prevention will be the core of this.” healthy ageing and retirement in good health.

What’s more, a sustainable working life ensures that older workers can remain in employment for longer, contributing their experience and knowledge to the workforce as a whole.”

Yet according to EU-OSHA director Dr Christa Sedlatschek: “Twenty-seven percent of EU workers think that they would not be able to do the same job until the age of 60.”

The TUC has reported that the number of working people aged 65 and over reached the one million mark for the first time in 2013 – compared with 205,000 in 1998 - and will continue to rise.

And with increased life expectancy, no default retirement age, rising state pension age, plus poor pension provision; today and into the future, a higher proportion of workers will continue to remain in work as they age.

NIPSA has sought to challenge myths and stereotypes about older workers. For example, they are not less productive or more prone to injury and sickness absence as some employers believe.

Nevertheless, there are specific risks faced by older workers that employers need to take account of in their risk assessments.

Under health and safety law, employers have a duty to ensure (so far as is reasonably practicable) the health and safety of all their employees, regardless of age. Their duty under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (NI) 2000 to carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of workplace risks includes identifying groups of workers who may be at particular risk, including older workers.

Latest news from the NIPSA Health and Safety Committee

for All Ages 24 to 30 October is the highlight of a wider healthy workplaces campaign Risks associated with prolonged periods of standing, bending, stooping or kneeling can result in workers developing musculo-skeletal disorders (MSDs). While these risks can affect staff of any age, they may be heightened for older workers who may have pre-existing conditions which could be further aggravated by regular exposure to poor ergonomic working arrangements.

While older workers are generally less likely than younger workers to have occupational accidents, the accidents they do have are likely to result in more serious injuries, permanent disabilities or death, than for younger workers.

In addition, older workers may experience more slips, trips and falls than younger workers, while recovery following an injury may take longer, it says.

The TUC highlights specific issues for older women. Women aged 45 to 54 report higher levels of mental health issues, such as stress and depression anxiety, than all other age groups.

And while they may result from the pressures of juggling work and caring responsibilities, the menopause is another cause – a workplace health issue which is all too often overlooked by employers, according to the TUC. NIPSA emphasise that today’s young workers are tomorrow’s older workers and that good workplace design and well-managed health and safety benefit all those in the workplace, whether young, old or middle-aged.

The TUC says the reason that MSDs are more common in people over the age of 45 in the construction and agriculture sectors is down to “the very preventable damage that this type of work is causing to the workforce.”

The following is a useful checklist that branches can use to help them work with employers and take joint action for healthy workplaces for all ages during European Health and Safety Week:

Checklist The checklist asks: Are risk assessments, policies, and procedures diversity-sensitive – that is, do they consider the different hazards and risks for all workers whether younger, older or perhaps vulnerable in some other way?

Is prevention the key focus of the employer’s health and safety strategy (so far is reasonably practicable), followed by the minimisation of exposure to risks?

Are there effective rehabilitation and return-towork procedures?

Are workplaces, the work, and equipment adapted to fit the individual?

For example are they ergonomic, do they reduce manual handling, and are there opportunities for job rotation?

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

11

12

Spotlight on Health and Safety

October 2016

NIPSA Welcomes Defibrillators in Clarence Court On Wednesday 22nd June 2016 the first group of staff in the headquarters of the Department of Infrastructure attended training in the use of two new Defibrillators (AED’s) being installed in the building. The training provided by St John’s Ambulance was well received by all and proved just how uncomplicated these devices are to use.

NIPSA Health and Safety Committee would like to see this being replicated across the Civil Service and Public Officers Groups as it strongly believes in the life saving capabilities of these devices.

Relatively inexpensive, the devices can increase a heart attack victims survival chances from 5% to over 60%. Not unlike a sprinkler system in a building or a fire extinguisher, the defibrillator provides extreme value in a critical moment. Consider your friends and colleagues View of defibrillator electrode position and placement.

– how many are at risk risk on our experience. If your workplace has never from sudden heart attack... how would you know ? How would you feel if your had a cardiac arrest event, the perception may be that colleague died tomorrow at work? Did you know that the unit may not be used or needed. Unfortunately, for every minute that passes after a heart attack the this method of risk assessment is flawed. Sudden chances of survival decrease by approximately 10%? cardiac arrest can strike virtually anyone – man or How would we all feel knowing that investment in a woman, young or old – anywhere, anytime and often device that costs less than a laptop computer, could without warning. In fact, 13 percent of workplace fatalities are from sudden cardiac arrest. have saved our colleague’s life?

Unfortunately many purchasers of AED’s have already NIPSA Health and Safety Committee would ask had a workplace event that moves them to see the all branch health and safety officers to keep the need and value in having these units available. It is pressure on their employer/health and safety unit human nature to base our assessment of value and to install defibrillators in their buildings and provide suitable training to workplace first aiders.

Ref A4_0625