MP says employers and staff need better guidance on how to stay safe at work in Sheffield

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says anyone who cannot work from home should be actively encouraged to go to work and the government has released new guidance for employers.

However, Louise Haigh, Labour MP for Sheffield Heeley, says that there is no process to enforce safe working standards.

There is also no obligation for employers with fewer than 50 employees to publish risk assessments.

The government has given the Health and Safety Executive £14 million toward extra call centre employees, inspectors and equipment.

However, Ms Haigh says that this extra funding fails to make up for years of cuts.

She said: “The HSE’s funding was slashed from £239m to £136m between 2009 and 2018.

“In 2019 prices, the drop was even starker, from £285.1m to £141m.

"As a result of these funding cuts, the number of inspectors has dropped by a third.

"There were 1,495 inspectors in 2009, but just 978 in 2018 after falling every year in a row. The number of HSE convictions has also fallen.”

“After a decade of budget cuts, the HSE does not have the resources to inspect workplaces.

“Without sufficient funding, laws protecting workers and public health cannot be enforced.

“The government must put strict rules in place to ensure that all employers are keeping their staff safe.

“It must also implement a public information campaign to inform workers of their rights, and properly fund the HSE to ensure that these rights are enforced.

“Without this, workers cannot have faith in the government’s plans.

“I would also urge every worker to join a trade union to make sure they have strong representation in their workplace both during and after this pandemic."

The onus is on employees to report any concerns about their safety at work. The HSE can be contacted by telephone on 0300 790 6787, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 10pm.

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