Health and Safety Bulletin
September 2006
BECTU National Officials with a broader H&S role
Following debate at BECTU Conference and at the NEC and National H&S Committee, the union is nominating 3 BECTU National Officials to undertake a broader advisory H&S role. They are:
- Paul Atkinson (London Production Division, Regional Production Division, Labs).
- Willie Lesslie (Arts & Entertainment).
- Anna Murray (BBC and Independent Broadcasting).
The officials concerned are undertaking refresher training in H&S and will commence their new role shortly.
All BECTU officials will retain their existing H&S responsibilities within the immediate areas they organise. Andy Egan will continue to be responsible for H&S policy issues, the National H&S Committee and liaison with HSE.
BECTU asbestos exposure database
As reported, BECTU has established an Asbestos Exposure Database for individuals to register with if they believe they may have been exposed to asbestos.
The idea is that individuals can log the details of any such exposure while the information is still fresh. The register could then be referred to if any of the individuals concerned later developed a medical condition arising from the exposure and wished to make a personal injury legal claim. This could, of course, be decades after the initial exposure.
The register is maintained by the union's lawyers, Thompsons, who have a wide experience of pursuing asbestos claims. It is open to current/retired members and to ex-members out of the industry who may have suffered exposure while in the industry. Anyone wishing to register should in the first instance contact Tracey Hunt at BECTU Head Office.
HSC consultation: Improving Worker Involvement
BECTU has responded to a consultation by the Health & Safety Commission on Improving Worker Involvement, which concerns the regulatory framework for safety reps.
The union's submission emphasised that freelance members have no established structure of safety reps, especially when working on film and independent productions, where the entire workforce is freelance.
The submission calling for BECTU to be specifically included, along with Equity and the Musicians Union, in Regulation 8 of the Safety Reps' Regulations. This would allow for roving safety reps (ie safety reps drawn from outside the relevant workforce) to provide representation for freelances in such situations.
We await the HSC response to the consultation.
Conference for Safety Reps
The TUC Southern and Eastern Region Council (SERTUC) and HSE London and SE Region are jointly hosting a free event for safety reps in the SERTUC region at Congress House on Friday 6 October 2006. The event is to advise, update and inform you of new developments in health and safety. For more details please contact Tracey Hunt at Head Office, if you are interested in attending.
BECTU H&S craft cards
The National H&S Committee has recommended that the craft cards be made available for members to print off directly from the BECTU website.
This has now been implemented. Hard copies will continue to be available, if required, from Head Office.
BECTU National H&S Committee
The Committee met on 12 July 2006 and heard reps' reports from a number of areas including UCI cinemas, Midland Arts Centre, BBC (where John Howcroft reported on the union's continuing campaign on the clearing of asbestos at Television Centre). Scottish Media Group and the Theatre Safety Committee.
There was a report back from BECTU delegates to the annual Hazards Conference.
Noise at Work
Clive Coston continues to represent BECTU on the HSE Working Group for the Music & Entertainment Sector on the implementation of the Noise at Work Regulations.
Draft guidelines have been sent on request for reps to review and return their comments to Clive. If anyone is still to respond, please forward you comments as soon as possible via Head Office.
Jimmy Jibs
BECTU Grips Branch has expressed a number of H&S concerns about the use of Jimmy Jibs ie the lightweight camera cranes used in television. They are particularly concerned about single-person operations and about a number of unreported accidents which have occurred in the industry.
A report by the Grips Branch has been forwarded to the HSE, who will conduct an investigation.
Any Jimmy Jib operators with a different view on this situation are free to report their comments to BECTU.
Theatre: TMA get-outs
BECTU will be responding to a paper from the Production Managers' Forum on the paragraphs covering get-outs in the agreement between BECTU and the Theatrical Management Association (TMA).
The debate covers a number of issues but also touched on H&S.
Skillset: industry occupational standards
Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for our industry, is continuing to review occupational standards for a number of safety-critical grades.
Recent work has been undertaken, usually in consultation with relevant members, in the areas of grips and crane technicians (NVQs now available), lighting (new NVQs being agreed), set crafts (a review under way) and props (new standards being prepared).
Law change on asbestos cases
The Government is amending the Compensation Bill, currently going through Parliament, to reverse a recent damaging decision by the House of Lords in an asbestos case.
The Lords decision meant that mesothelioma victims could only pursue compensation from former employers in proportion to their exposure during that particular employment. This is, of course, extremely difficult to prove decades after the event and with many companies no longer trading.
The Bill ensures that employers are jointly and severally liable, so that claimants can recover full compensation from any relevant individual employer.
Corporate Manslaughter Bill
The Government has now introduced into Parliament its new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill.
The Bill will enable companies to be prosecuted even if there is no identified individual (the 'controlling mind') who was grossly negligent. It will carry a penalty of an unlimited fine.
The TUC has welcomed the Bill as far as it goes. However, safety campaigners have pointed out that it falls short of allowing the prosecution of individual company directors and does not provide for custodial sentences.
The Bill is expected to become law during the new session of Parliament.